Musicians are known for their singing, their instrument playing and for their high profile life. Most of the people donât assume musicians to be eco friendly or environment caring. As we all know with the increase of global warming, pollution and carbon emission, our environment is suffering in a very bad way.
So a lot of artists have taken initiative to step forward and pay back the nature in their own way. They are now turning toward greener alternatives, cutting down the use of environment harming substances like fuel, plastic and also involving themselves in promoting environmental causes. Here are the some of the most environmentally conscious rockers leading in this movement.
1. Guster
Guster is an American band from Boston which plays alternative rock. It was formed in 1991 and the group is known for humorous nature of the lead singer and their live performances. In 2004, Adam Gardner, the lead singer of Guster, co-founded Reverb along with his wife. It is an organization dedicated to assist the artists who are touring by making activities more environmentally sound. It promotes the use of half-used batteries from live shows, use of biodiesel for travel and selling green merchandise. Special eco villages are set up in Reverb affiliated shows to teach fans about environmental issues.
2. Barenaked ladies
Barenaked ladies is a Canadian band which was formed in 1988. They also had an involvement with Guster and Reverb when with their help Barenaked ladies did an eco friendly solar powered tour in 2004. They played a global warning awareness video as an opening act in eco villages setup live show called Barenaked planet. The band’s CDs are sold in 100% recyclable case.
3. Dave Mathews band
Dave Matthews band is a U.S. rock band which was formed in 1991. The band formed BAMA works fund in 1999, which worked to promote environmentalism in their hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. They have donated $8.5 million to charities over the years internationally. They have also worked with Reverb about the ecological causes and to help set up the eco village recycling, water and information stations.
4. The Roots
The Roots is a hip hop band from America which was formed in 1987. They have worked with PETA. In 2010, they helped Reverb in the celebration of launch of Green Music group, which was an environmental coalition including acts like Sheryl Crow and Maroon 5. They have distributed signed eco friendly compost bins to their fans.
5. Drake
Drake is a recording artist and actor from Canada. Drake has made his tours eco-friendly working with Reverb by using biodiesel fuel for his tour bus and also the use of biodegradable and recycled products on his tour bus and backstage. In 2010 Drake toured for the first time with Reverb’s Campus Consciousness Tour.
6. Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson is an American folk rock songwriter, musician and surfer as well. Johnson has cofounded Kokua Hawai’i Foundation in his native place Hawai to support environmental education in schools. Johnson educates people about Sustainable Local Food Systems and Plastic Free Initiatives through his social action network All At Once. Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation donated $70,000 to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
7. Green Day
Green Day is a punk rock band from America formed in 1987. They have won five Grammy Awards. The band has collaborated with National Resources defense council nation’s most effective environmental action group to encourage fans to demand clean energy and green jobs through action in Congress.
8. Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt is one of America’s renowned slide guitar player and singer. She has won nine Grammy Awards. She is a founding member of Musicians United for Safe Energy, which was formed in 1979.
In 2005 and 2006 with the help of Reverb all of her tours were greener. She has been praised for the use of most expensive biofuel. Her website encourages people to preserve the environment.
9. Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is a country music singer and songwriter from America. He is an actor and an activist, too. During the Iraq war in 2005, he wanted to help the American farmers so he launched Willie Nelson biodiesel which was his personal brand of alternative fuel made from soybeans. In 2010 he celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Farm Aid concert series he cofounded to support American family farmers.
10. KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Scotland. In 2004 when her debut album launched she worked to neutralize her carbon emission by planting about 1500 trees in Scotland. Then in 2007 at the 14th Annual EarthFest show in Boston it joined hands with Guster to support environmentalist music.
