This is Part 2 of our series on how musicians and music fans can save the world by reducing our impact on it. This installment is all about transportation - how we get to concerts, gigs, band practice, the record store and everywhere else we go to enjoy music, plus how our music gets to us. Part 3 will focus on music products, from albums to iPods, rechargeable batteries to recycling.
There are resources at the end of this article for more information on everything described. ([More →])

This is an extensive guide for musicians and music fans on how to reduce our impact on the planet. It describes a few of the most harmful activities we participate in and how to make them more eco-friendly. That way, we can indulge our passion for music while treading lightly on the earth. You don’t have to digest all of this right now. There’s so much information here, it would be a good idea to bookmark it and keep coming back to it. Implement one thing at a time into your life before trying the next one. I’d like to add even more items to the list as time goes on, so that’s another good reason to bookmark it and come back to it. This article is part of Blog Action Day which we have been promoting here on HearingTest since August, but we post articles about the environment regularly here. If you like this one, dig through our culture archives to see more about what musicians and music lovers are doing to benefit Planet Earth. ([More →])

How do all-organic, fair-trade speakers sound? I have yet to try, but this has got to be the next best thing - HEMP speakers for your home stereo, your hemp guitar, or your dub soundsystem. Check these beauties out! Hemp board cabinet construction, with a bamboo outer shell. Fully-loaded with hemp cones in the drivers. Who would turn such a concept into reality and then offer Hand-Dyed One-of-a-KIND Speaker Grills to go with? Hard Truckers does.

([More →])

Linkin Park, heroes of the environment? Well, not too surprising I guess. A few years ago, the band started their own non-profit called Music for Relief in order to channel some funds from the music community into environmental relief campaigns. They just played Live Earth of course, and now are about to head off on the Projekt Revolution tour. Linkin Park vocalist, Bennington, answered questions at a press conference last week, telling reporters that environmental education would be a focus of this tour. ([More →])

Those of you in the NYC area this weekend are hopefully excited about the FREE Citysol Party. You didn’t forget did you? Well, just in case you did, here’s a reminder…

The clean energy, interactive art and music festival opened tonight at 6pm with performances that included bicycle-powered turntablism by DJ Mistakes! Wow! The wheels of the bike turn the wheels of wax? Too cool! But, wait - you haven’t missed out, the festival runs all weekend long and there is great stuff happening Friday, Saturday and Sunday too! ([More →])

Perhaps you recall, waaaaaaay back at the beginning of April, I reported that Solar One and Brooklyn Vegan had teamed up to organize an FREE weekend-long event for NYC. At the time, they were still looking for volunteers, including bands, to help out. The people of NYC responded and the result is an awareness raising, green energy, arts, and music festival that will be completely powered by solar power and bio-diesel generators! Today Brooklyn Vegan announced the lineup and other goodies one can participate in during the weekend of July13-15th. For example, you can bring your energy bill to the event and switch on the spot to a green plan with ConEdison. In return you receive credit for free beer at the concert! Or, simply bring a mug and get $1 off beer! These folks know the right language to speak when talking about improving the environment!
Here is the digs from Brooklyn Vegan:

Brooklyn Vegan & Solar One present Citysol:

A FREE SHOW on SATURDAY JULY 14 (1pm-10pm) in NYC w/
LES SAVY FAV (!!)
Land Of Talk (previously announced)
O’Death (yeah)
The Besnard Lakes (previously announced)
These Are Powers (ex-Liars)
The Budos Band (funky)
Frankpollis (starring Jackson)
plus a very special performance from OCDJ
(Dance Party until the solar goes out!)

@ Solar One at Stuyvesant Cove Park - located along the East River between 18th and 23rd Streets. Solar One sits in the north end of the park, near the 23rd Street entrance and the Gulf Gas station.

Righteous! There is so much excellent information to discover, it would be difficult to reproduce all of it here, so go over to the BV and check it out:

Brooklyn Vegan Presents Citysol 2007
The Citysol page on the Solar One website