Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning
English. I’m Neil.
And I’m Rob.
Rob, I’ve been reading about ways to protect
the environment and I’ve decided to
eat less meat. And maybe drive my car
less too.
Good for you, Neil! And flying less can also
help reduce air pollution.
Right. Flying and driving less are two good
ways to combat climate change because they
reduce your carbon footprint – that’s
the amount of carbon dioxide or CO2
released into the atmosphere as a result
of your everyday activities.
The idea of reducing carbon emissions is catching
on in the music industry too. Bands and artists
who go on tour around the world generate large
carbon footprints.
So recently some music groups like Massive
Attack and Green Day started thinking about
ways to reduce the impact their tours are
having on the environment.
Ha! Green Day – what a good name for a band
trying to be environmentally friendly!
Today we’ll be finding out about bands and
musicians who want to continue going on tour
but do it in ways which reduce their
environmental impact. And of course we’ll
be learning some related vocabulary on the way.
So, it seems like the days of rock and roll
stars flying around the world in private jets
may soon be a thing of the past.
Indeed, Rob, and that brings me neatly to
my quiz question. One British band recently
announced they would stop going on tour until
they were 100% carbon neutral, but which band?
Was it: a) The 1975, b) The Rolling Stones,
or c) Coldplay
Well, Coldplay had a hit with their song
The Scientist, and we are talking about carbon
dioxide and the climate, so I’ll say c)
Coldplay.
Good thinking, Rob! We’ll find out the answer
later. But first let’s hear from another
artist concerned about her carbon impact.
Fay Milton is the drummer of the band Savages
and co-founder of the climate pressure group
Music Declares Emergency. She spoke to BBC
Radio 4’s programme You & Yours:
This year I have actually turned down a tour.
My income comes from touring so it has put
me in a bit of a precarious situation but
I actually feel quite good about it – it
feels like the right thing to do in this moment.
Even though Fay earns a living as a drummer
by going on tour, she has started to turn
them down – meaning to reject or refuse
the offer of touring.
Losing the income she usually gets from touring
puts Fay in a precarious situation – a situation
where things could become difficult, in this
case financially difficult, because she isn’t
making money from playing the drums.
But she still wants to do the right thing
– in other words, do what is most fair,
ethical and just. For Fay, fighting climate
change is even more important than
doing what she loves – going on tour with
the band.
Well, good for her! I’m not sure if I’d
be so committed as Fay. But if bands stopped
touring altogether, fans wouldn’t get to
see gigs – or live concerts and hear the
music they love.
Well, that’s an interesting point because
it might be possible for bands to carry on
touring and also reduce their environmental
impact at the same time. Bristol band, Massive
Attack, want to do exactly that. Their singer
Robert Del Naja explains:
We’re working with an electric bus company.
We’re going to look at all the energy being
renewable and obviously the power we can
create will go back to the grid, so we’re hoping
we can actually create legacy green
infrastructure which can then power
future gigs. We plan to travel to Europe
solely by train, with the band, the crew
and all the gear.
Swapping tour planes for trains and encouraging
fans to travel to gigs by bus are two good
ways to reduce the total carbon footprint
of the concert.
And by using renewable energy, the gig can
create power. This can then be put back into
the national grid, called the grid for short
– the network supplying electrical power
across a country.
Well, Massive Attack are certainly ticking
all the green boxes, Neil, but who else is
doing a good job? Remember your quiz
question earlier?
Ah, yes. I asked which band has decided to
stop touring until their tours were carbon
neutral and you said?
I said c) Coldplay.
And you were right! Are you a Coldplay fan,
Rob? Just remember to leave your car at home
the next time you go to their gigs!
Right! Today, we’ve been looking at some
of the ways music bands and artists are trying
to fight climate change. They want to reduce
their carbon footprint – the amount of carbon
they release into the air.
Some musicians are starting to turn down – or
refuse, long world tour dates because flying
from country to country playing gigs – or
live musical concerts, generates so much
carbon dioxide.
Bands like Savages, Green Day and Massive
Attack are trying to do the right thing - taking
the most fair and ethical course of action,
even though for some artists, the income lost
from not touring puts them in a precarious
– or difficult situation.
But when they get it right, bands can be carbon
neutral or even generate power which can be
put back into the national grid – the network
supplying electrical power across a country.
All of which means we can ‘keep on rocking’
into the next century without increasing carbon
emissions and adding to climate change.
So, Rob, you could say you were ‘born to
run’… on renewable energy!
Ha-ha! Very funny, Neil. That’s all for
today but remember to join us again soon for
more topical discussions and vocabulary from
6 Minute English, here at BBC Learning English.
Thanks for listening and bye!
Bye.