touring_and_climate.mp3
touring_and_climate.pdf
Neil
Hello This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English I’m Neil
Rob
And I’m Rob
Neil
I’ve been reading about ways to protect the environment, Rob, and I’ve decided
to eat less meat And maybe drive my car less too
Rob
Good for you, Neil! And flying less can also help reduce air pollution
Neil
Right Flying and driving less are two good ways to combat climate change
because they reduce your carbon footprint – that’s the amount of carbon dioxide
or CO2 released into the atmosphere as a result of your everyday activities
Rob
The idea of reducing carbon emissions is catching on in the music industry too
Bands and artists who go on tour around the world generate large carbon
footprints
Neil
So recently some music groups like Massive Attack and Green Day started
thinking about ways to reduce the impact their tours are having on the
environment
Rob
Ha! Green Day – what a good name for a band trying to be environmentally
friendly!
Neil
Today we’ll be finding out about bands and musicians who want to continue
going on tour but do it in ways which reduce their environmental impact And of
course we’ll be learning some related vocabulary on the way
Rob
So, it seems like the days of rock and roll stars flying around the world in private
jets may soon be a thing of the past
Neil
Indeed, Rob, and that brings me neatly to my quiz question One British band
recently announced they would stop going on tour until they were 100% carbon
:neutral, but which band? Was it
a) The 1975
b) The Rolling Stones, or
c) Coldplay
Rob
Well, Coldplay had a hit with their song The Scientist, and we are talking about
carbon dioxide and the climate, so I’ll say c) Coldplay
Neil
Good thinking, Rob! We’ll find out the answer later But first let’s hear from
another artist concerned about her carbon impact Fay Milton is the drummer of
the band Savages and co-founder of the climate pressure group Music Declares
:Emergency She spoke to BBC Radio 4’s programme You & Yours
Fay Milton
This year I have actually turned down a tour My income comes from touring so it
has put me in a bit of a precarious situation but I actually feel quite good about
it – it feels like the right thing to do in this moment
Neil
Even though Fay earns a living as a drummer by going on tour, she has started to
turn them down – meaning to reject or refuse the offer of touring
Rob
Losing the income she usually gets from touring puts Fay in a precarious
situation – a situation where things could become difficult, in this case financially
difficult, because she isn’t making money from playing the drums
Neil
But she still wants to do the right thing – in other words, do what is most fair,
ethical and just For Fay, fighting climate change is even more important than
doing what she loves – going on tour with the band
Rob
Well, good for her! I’m not sure if I’d be so committed as Fay But if bands
stopped touring altogether, fans wouldn’t get to see gigs – or live concerts and
hear the music they love
Neil
Well, that’s an interesting point because it might be possible for bands to carry
on touring and also reduce their environmental impact at the same time Bristol
band, Massive Attack, want to do exactly that Their singer Robert Del Naja
:explains
Robert Del Naja
We’re working with an electric bus company We’re going to look at all the
energy being renewable and obviously the power we can create will go back to
the grid, so we’re hoping we can actually create legacy green infrastructure
which can then power future gigs We plan to travel to Europe solely by train,
with the band, the crew and all the gear
Rob
Swapping tour planes for trains and encouraging fans to travel to gigs by bus are
two good ways to reduce the total carbon footprint of the concert
Neil
And by using renewable energy, the gig can create power This can then be put
back into the national grid, called the grid for short – the network supplying
electrical power across the UK
Rob
Well, Massive Attack are certainly ticking all the green boxes, Neil, but who else
?is doing a good job? Remember your quiz question earlier
Neil
Ah, yes I asked which band has decided to stop touring until their tours were
carbon neutral and you said?
Rob
I said c) Coldplay
Neil
And you were right! Are you a Coldplay fan, Rob? Just remember to leave your
car at home the next time you go to their gig!
Rob
Right! Today, we’ve been looking at some of the ways music bands and artists are
trying to fight climate change They want to reduce their carbon footprint – the
amount of carbon they release into the air
Neil
Some musicians are starting to turn down – or refuse, long world tour dates
because flying from country to country playing gigs – or live musical concerts,
generates so much carbon dioxide
Rob
Bands like Savages, Green Day and Massive Attack are trying to do the right
thing - taking the most fair and ethical course of action, even though for some
artists, the income lost from not touring puts them in a precarious – or difficult
situation
Neil
But when they get it right, bands can be carbon neutral or even generate power
which can be put back into the national grid – the network supplying electrical
power across a country
Rob
All of which means we can ‘keep on rocking’ into the next century without
increasing carbon emissions and adding to climate change
Neil
So, Rob, you could say you were ‘born to run’… on renewable energy!
Rob
Ha-ha! Very funny, Neil That’s all for today but remember to join us again soon
for more topical discussions and vocabulary from 6 Minute English, here at BBC
Learning English
Neil
Thanks for listening and bye!
Rob
Bye
VOCABULARY
carbon footprint
the amount of carbon dioxide or CO2 released into the atmosphere as a result of
your everyday activities
turn down
reject or refuse an offer of something
a precarious situation
a situation where things could become difficult or dangerous
do the right thing
do what is most fair, ethical or just
gig
live concert played by a music band
the (national) grid
the network supplying electrical power across a country
