| February 1, 2010 |  |
UCS Partners with Musicians to Green the Music Industry
“Green Music Group” Will Amplify Voices of Scientists
LOS ANGELES (February 1, 2010) – The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today announced it is partnering with a high-profile coalition that brings together musicians, industry leaders and music fans to promote widespread environmental change within the music industry and around the globe. The Green Music Group (GMG), a coalition created by the environment- and music-focused nonprofit Reverb, celebrated its official launch last weekend in Hollywood, California.
"Reverb has been helping individual artists and venues green their tours and shows for the last six years," said Guster guitarist and vocalist Adam Gardner, who founded Reverb with his wife, environmentalist Lauren Sullivan. "We wanted to do more, our founding artists, venues and labels wanted to do more, and our fans were calling on us to take the lead. Green Music Group answers that call by using the collective power of the music community to bring about real, lasting environmental change."
UCS President Kevin Knobloch was equally enthusiastic. "We're excited to partner with the Green Music Group to drum up action to protect the environment," he said. "Musicians and their fans will help amplify scientists' urgent call to reduce global warming pollution and build a clean energy economy."
Since 2004, Reverb has greened more than 80 major music tours and reached out to more than 10 million music fans. The nonprofit group promotes sustainability throughout the music industry, from record labels to radio stations. Green Music Group will build upon what Reverb already has accomplished, implementing industrywide green guidelines and standards, and providing a dynamic online venue where fans can take action and learn more about environmental issues.
"DMB has been working with Reverb for a number of years to green our tours and have seen amazing results both backstage and from our fans' response," said Dave Matthews. "We are excited to exponentially multiply these results by joining forces with other likeminded bands through the Green Music Group."
Prominent music industry leaders have joined the chorus. "We are proud to have several of our venues as founding members of GMG," said Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino. "We look forward to continued growth of our environmental efforts to follow the example set by these standouts and the other founders of Green Music Group."
Green Music Group has launched www.GreenMusicGroup.org, which provides fans and artists with a vibrant online venue to engage in regular calls-to-action, beginning with the "GMG Challenge" set to launch next month. As an additional incentive to take action, fans will have the chance to win prizes, including VIP concert tickets and autographed guitars.
The Green Music Group encourages music fans who want to be at the forefront of change to join the coalition.
ABOUT GREEN MUSIC GROUP:
Green Music Group is a large-scale, high-profile environmental coalition of musicians, industry leaders and music fans using its collective power to bring about widespread environmental change within the music industry and around the globe. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is a founding nonprofit partner.
Leading by example, Green Music Group facilitates large-scale greening of the music community, and magnifies the work of national nonprofits, while building a vibrant community committed to environmental action. The broad support of its founding members coupled with their leadership as environmental stewards enables GMG to inspire millions to action by:
1. Creating an engaging online community of musicians, music industry leaders, and music fans committed to addressing our greatest environmental concerns.
2. Facilitating large-scale greening of the music community through touring, venue, and label standards, resource development, green grants mentoring, and viral video and public service campaigns.
3. Providing environmental nonprofits with a megaphone for their cause, allowing them to expand their reach and support base.
4. Creating a sustainable green music guild to support and inform the efforts of the music community and position leaders in the music industry as voices for change, working to shine a light on the most pressing environmental issues of our time.
Green Music Group is the first organization to harness the collective power of the entire music community to mobilize millions of individual actions and bring about measurable global environmental change. Green Music Group is not simply green in name. It is committed to a sustainable future both on and off-stage.
Founding members include the Dave Matthews Band, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, the Roots, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Barenaked Ladies, Guster, Warner Music Group, Brushfire Records, Shoreline Amphitheater, Comcast Center, Verizon Wireless Music Center, Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn Bowl, and American Airlines Arena, the host of the launch event for the new Green Music Group coalition. In addition to UCS, nonprofit partners include Oxfam America, Sierra Club, Hip Hop Caucus, DoSomething.org, Headcount, StopGlobalWarming.org, Music For Relief, Climate Counts and Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance.
ABOUT THE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS:
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org.
ABOUT REVERB:
Green Music Group is a project of Reverb, a 501(c)(3) environmental organization founded by Guster guitarist/vocalist Adam Gardner and his wife, environmentalist Lauren Sullivan. Since 2004, Reverb has greened more than 80 major music tours and reached out to more than 10 million music fans.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
