U2: Outrageous Carbon Footprint?

A glimpse into U2’s collective carbon footprint from Helen Roberts of carbonfootprint.com has sparked controversy among environmentalists.

This year alone, the world-renowned band’s tour (from 44 shows) is reportedly emitting the equivalent carbon footprint of a return flight to Mars. According to guardian.co.uk, U2 will create enough carbon to fly all 90,000 people attending one of their Wembley dates (in London) to Dublin… Isn’t Bono supposed to be an environmentalist?

What can you do to lighten your own ‘entertainment footprint’?  Sometimes it’s a necessary evil in order to explore the country (and certainly the globe) that you release some emissions. That’s a no-brainer. But there’s always an opportunity to take steps and offset your footprint to help the greater good.

Is it worth it for the sake of entertainment and exploration? Sure, sometimes. Though I personally feel better about heading to the TLA in Philadelphia to enjoy live music (where I can take public transportation instead of making a more damaging trek to a bigger venue farther away.)

But what about the artist’s trail? Do you think musicians like U2 and lesser-known bands should be more concerned about their environmental impact while touring? Would it stop you from seeing a band you like? Let us know by commenting below.

Posted by Beth