The Woodstock Principles, launched on Earth Day 2008, are a set of ten simple voluntary aspirations designed to encourage musicians, bandleaders, and the music industry to commit to more environmentally friendly music activity. They include commitments like reducing energy use and waste at concerts, using recycled materials in band merchandizing, traveling lighter, choosing responsible suppliers, and generally, just “being green” about music.
The idea behind The Woodstock Principles is not to have immediate and strict compliance for every principle by everyone in the music industry, but rather to encourage musicians and the music industry to become progressively more sustainable.
Musicians are invited to use the principles and the resources offered through The Woodstock Principles’ website and its various links to other institutions and organizations promoting greener music, to guide themselves, suppliers, advertisers and fans to be more sustainable. We are seeing growing global concern over our planet’s environmental future, and bands and bandleaders are beginning to look around to see what they can do about going green. The Woodstock Principles provide guidance to our musical idols and social icons to help them lead the way towards a more sustainable future. The original 10 Woodstock Principles were written by a small group of musicians and environmentalists from around the world, and launched publicly on Earth Day, April 22, 2008, from Lucerne Switzerland. An interim Advisory Board oversees the evolution of the Woodstock Principles and works to evolve the 10 principles, add to website resources and the site’s virtual database, and disseminate The Woodstock Principles to other musicians and music industry actors.
The principles themselves will be periodically reviewed and revised as the music industry evolves with respect to its sustainability. For more information contact: info@thewoodstockprinciples.com and see www.thewoodstockprinciples.com
1. Promote Sustainable Development in All Music Endeavors
2. Measure, Minimize, Report and Repair Your Environmental Impact
3. Reduce Energy Use at Concerts and Recordings
4. Sell More Environmentally Friendly Products and Concerts
5. Reduce Waste Generated by Concerns and Tours
6. Use more Environmentally Friendly Suppliers & Service Providers
7. Use Recycled Products in Band Merchandizing
8. Encourage Fans and Concert Goers to Adopt Sustainable Practices
9. Promote Environmental Protection in Public Appearances
10. Buy Green Where Possible in All Music Production