Of Gaga and Festivals- Greening the Pop World

Lady Gaga
(photo from Lady Gaga website)

What, you may wonder, does a provocative pop star and music festivals have to do with the environment?  It turns out that there's a quite a bit in common, especially when music stars and concert promoters want to spread the word about being environmentally conscious.

New York singer/songwriter/pop sensation Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, who we know better as Lady Gaga, is joining in with long-time environmental activist Sting as well as Sir Elton John for a special concert next month at Carnegie Hall, which is a benefit to support the Amazon rainforests.  For the star-studded evening, tickets are going at $600 a piece so you might want to start saving up now if you want to go.  You can also learn more about the Rainforest Fund (which benefits from the show) at their website.

Of course, the Gaga/Sting/John show isn't the only green concert around.  A new book by Meegan Jones details the efforts of a number of concert spaces and promoters in the music industry who are trying to make their shows green.  Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide details the efforts by a number of American and British festivals to concentrate on issues like "zero emissions options, carbon management, transport, water, waste management and reduction..."  At $43, Jones' book offers some hefty reading, with over 400 pages of studies and examples.  You can preview some of the book at Amazon and see more about it at the publisher's website.