After vowing a sustainable touring revolution, Coldplay rocks out with record-breaking results. Their Music of the Spheres tour exceeded their own ambitious goals, achieving a staggering 59% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to their previous tour. This impressive feat is a testament to their innovative eco-friendly solutions, from kinetic dance floors to tree-planting initiatives. While acknowledging the industry’s long road ahead, Coldplay paves the way for a greener future in music, proving that sustainability can be not just responsible, but commercially successful.
BeatCurry Team
Coldplay’s ambitious pledge to green their act is paying off in a big way. After outlining a 12-point plan in 2021 to slash their touring footprint by half, they’ve surpassed their own goals. Their Music of the Spheres tour boasts a whopping 59% reduction in carbon emissions compared to their previous outing. This impressive achievement is fueled by innovative solutions – think dance floors that convert jumping fans into a power source – alongside a commitment to less air travel. But Coldplay isn’t stopping there. They’ve planted a staggering seven million trees, honoring their promise to grow one for every concertgoer.
“As a band, and as an industry, we’re a long way from where we need to be on this. But we’re grateful for everyone’s help so far, and we salute everyone who’s making efforts to push things in the right direction.” they said in a statement.
Coldplay’s commitment to eco-friendly touring didn’t happen overnight. Back in 2019, they drew a line in the sand, refusing to tour again until they could find a more sustainable way to do it. Two years later, that dedication materialized in a comprehensive plan. Their strategy tackled multiple areas: solar panels and kinetic dance floors to power venues, minimizing air travel and using sustainable aviation fuel when necessary, switching to energy-efficient lighting, and even constructing sets with eco-friendly materials like bamboo.
At the time, frontman Chris Martin said he was prepared for a “backlash” over areas like air travel, where the band were still having a negative environmental impact. “The people that give us backlash for that kind of thing, for flying, they’re right,” he said. “So we don’t have any argument against that.” However, he did pledge to take public transport to gigs when possible – and arrived for their shows in Cardiff last year by train.
FROM SHORTFALL TO SUCCESS: COLDPLAY’S ECO-TOUR REFINEMENTS SHOW PROGRESS
While an earlier report last July indicated Coldplay might miss their eco-goals, hitting only a 47% reduction in carbon emissions, recent updates show the tour is getting greener. Efficiency improvements are kicking in-waste diversion rates have climbed from 66% in 2023 to an impressive 72%, with more waste being reused, recycled, or composted. Additionally, the band is generating more power through in-venue solar panels, kinetic dance floors, and exercise bikes. This jump from 15 kWh to 17 kWh per show provides enough juice to light a smaller stage and keep the crew’s devices charged. The eco-efforts extend beyond the concert itself-Coldplay has funded two solar-powered “ocean cleanup river interceptors” that tackle plastic pollution in waterways. All these initiatives are being verified by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s environmental solutions initiative.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said “What we’re trying to do is actually not advocate at all but just prove that it makes business sense – because that’s where we feel you’ll really get people to change, saying, ‘Hey you can make more money’. Adding further, he said, “At the end of the day, for a lot of people, that’s their primary consideration in every wealth bracket, so we’re really trying to show on this tour that being clean and green isn’t some charitable left-wing wishy-washy thing. It’s like, no, this is the best business sense too.”
THE 1975, RADIOHEAD AND BILLIE EILISH TOO HAVE TAKEN UP SIMILAR INITIATIVES
Coldplay isn’t the only band rocking out for a greener future. Back in February, The 1975 took a bold step with four “carbon removed” gigs at London’s O2 Arena. Knowing that fan travel creates the biggest carbon footprint, they partnered with the venue to calculate the emissions (around 546 tonnes) and then offset that amount. This green balancing act involved methods like tree planting and capturing carbon directly from the air.
The music industry is seeing a wave of eco-conscious initiatives. Over a decade ago, Radiohead blazed a trail by switching to energy-efficient LED lighting, ditching the traditional power-guzzling spotlights. Similarly, Billie Eilish’s recent album “Hit Me Hard And Soft” embraced sustainability with recycled vinyl and eco-friendly packaging. Beyond music, Eilish even launched “Overheated,” a global conference tackling climate change solutions, with a specific focus on empowering young people to make a difference.
All information sourced from various sources purely for factual reporting purpose only.
Image courtesy: Peter Byren/Getty Images
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