In a recent interview with the BBC, frontman Chris Martin revealed that the band would not be touring behind their new record Everyday Life, which arrives in stores and on streaming services today. While Martin didn’t exactly rule out the prospet of performing live, he claims that the band are considering ways to make their performances as carbon neutral as possible.
“We’re not touring this album. We’re taking time over the next year or two, to work out how our tour can not only be sustainable [but] how can it be actively beneficial,” Martin told the BBC. “Our next tour will be the best possible version of a tour like that environmentally. We would be disappointed if it’s not carbon neutral.”
Martin elaborated on his plans to prioritise sustainable touring practices, saying that “Our dream is to have a show with no single use plastic, to have it largely solar powered. We’ve done a lot of big tours at this point. How do we turn it around so it’s no so much taking as giving?”
It’s certainly not the first time an artist has raised concerns about the environmental impact of touring, and it’s fair to assume that it’ll be an issue that will continue to gain traction given the current discourse surrounding climate change. In 2007, Radiohead ensured that their In Rainbows tour was as environmentally friendly as possible by implementing several strategies such as alternate shipping routes, hiring sound systems from local companies and utilising 100% LED lighting.
Read more about the benefits and methods behind environmentally sustainable touring here.
