Principles
We are making our Music Of The Spheres Tour as sustainable and low-carbon as possible, guided by three key principles:
REDUCE
Reduce our consumption, recycle extensively and cut our CO2 emissions by 50%.
REINVENT
Support new green technologies and develop new sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods.
RESTORE
Make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature- and technology-based projects and by drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces.
Initiatives
CO2 EMISSIONS
We have pledged to cut the tour’s direct emissions by more than 50% compared to our previous tour (2016-17), and work with our partners and suppliers to reduce their impacts and emissions as much as possible.
We’ve teamed up with DHL as the tour’s Official Logistics Partner in order to minimise emissions from freight and transportation. As leaders in the field of sustainable transport and logistics, DHL support the tour by offering solutions to minimise logistics-related emissions and other environmental impacts, from advanced biofuels in the air to electric vehicles on land.
Where we cannot reduce, we will be drawing down any unavoidable emissions following the guidance within the Oxford Principles for Net-Zero Aligned carbon offsetting.
ACTIONS
MEASURE
We continue to capture climate impact data and calculate our environmental footprint aligning to emissions reporting standards and appropriate conversion factors.
REDUCE
We have adapted all tour operations to minimise emissions, in line with the best science and practices: from set build to travel to freight to power.
MITIGATE
We avoid fossil fuels, use clean energy and use reusable and sustainable biomaterials wherever possible.
CO2 drawdown
Despite our best efforts, the tour will still have a significant carbon footprint. We pledge to drawdown more CO2 than the tour produces supporting projects based on reforestation, rewilding, conservation, soil regeneration, carbon capture & storage and renewable energy.
As part of this pledge, the tour is funding the planting – and lifelong protection of – millions of new trees including one tree for every ticket sold.
POWER
Our stage production is now powered almost entirely with renewable, super-low emission energy. We avoid fossil fuels wherever possible.
SOLAR
SUSTAINABLE BIOFUELS
BATTERY SYSTEM
KINETIC ENERGY
GRID RENEWABLES
TRAVEL
Although the tour has been carefully routed and pre-planned to minimise air travel, some flying is unavoidable. The band does mostly fly on commercial flights, but there are inevitably occasions when charter flights are required for band, crew and equipment.
For all flights, commercial and charter, we pay a surcharge to use or supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), either for our own use or for others’. We source Sustainable Aviation Fuel produced 100% from waste and residues, such as used cooking oil from restaurants. When used unblended with fossil jet fuel, SAF helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel by up to 80% over the entire life cycle compared to the conventional fossil jet fuel that it replaces.
Wherever possible, we use electric vehicles or biofuel for ground freight and transportation.
STAGE SHOW
We send a sustainability rider to all venues and stadiums in advance to request best environmental practices.
In various locations, in order to minimise freight emissions, we adapt the show so we can utilise local equipment, materials and resources.
We select building materials and show effects based on their environmental credentials:
STAGE
Stages are built from a combination of lightweight, low-carbon and re-usable materials including recycled steel, that can be appropriately reused or recycled at the end of the tour.
LED WRISTBANDS
The reusable LED wristbands worn by the audience as part of the show are made from 100% compostable, plant-based materials.
We have reduced wristband production by 80% through collecting, sterilising and recharging them after every show.
Our wristband return rate averaged 86% during the first year of the tour.
LIGHTING & AUDIO
The show has upgraded to ultra-efficient equipment such as a low-energy LED screens laser and lighting systems and a PA system with up to 50% less power consumption compared to the previous tour, which also dramatically reduces environmental noise outside the venues.
Special effects
Confetti used during the show is 100% biodegradable and requires considerably less compressed gas for ignition than on previous tours.
We are using a new generation of sustainable pyrotechnics that have less explosive charge and new formulas that greatly reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals. All tubing and holders are either biodegradable or recyclable.
FANS
Audience travel makes up a major part of any tour’s carbon emissions.
APP
We have partnered with SAP on the development of a free tour app that encourages fans to use low carbon transport to and from shows. Download the free app here!
REWARDS
Fans who commit to low-carbon travel will be given a discount code.
CO2 DRAWDOWNS
Based on fans’ use of the app , we have and will continue to calculate the total carbon footprint of travel to and from shows. By supporting climate initiatives we will drawdown all of these emissions via nature-based solutions like rewilding and conservation, and we pledge to continue doing so. As part of this, we plant at least one new tree per ticket sold, sustained for its lifetime.
ACTIVATIONS
The tour includes onsite activations like our energy zone, powered by solar and kinetic energy. These activations feature interactive and educational experiences highlighting innovations in clean technology and the natural world.
WATER
We maximise our water efficiency where possible.
Our sustainability rider asks venues to introduce aerated taps, low flushing toilets and reducing water pressure to alleviate water wastage.
Water refill stations for the fans are provided wherever possible.
Fans are encourage to bring a refillable water bottle to the venue, wherever possible.
WASTE
We minimise waste and promote recycling at our shows.
REUSE
Working with venues, we strive to eliminate the sale of single-use plastic water bottles. They will be replaced with reusable and recyclable alternatives.
Recycle
We work with each venue to help and encourage them to establish recycling programs within the stadium where not already in place.
Support
The tour also helps to clean up waste beyond the concerts themselves by sponsoring the two-tiered work of The Ocean Cleanup:
River Interceptors remove thousands of tonnes of garbage from some of the most polluting rivers around the world, intercepting waste before it reaches the ocean.
The Ocean Cleanup units are working in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to clear 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.
FOOD
The carbon emissions of food can account for up to 20% of a person’s carbon footprint. Food production, transportation and waste is a massive contributor to climate change and we address this within our crew catering operation.
PLANT-BASED
All our crew catering menus have plant-based and meat-free options as standard.
LOCALLY SOURCED
Organic produce is sourced from local suppliers or farms that practice regenerative agriculture techniques.
LAB-GROWN
We are supporting the development of synthetic, lab-grown cultured foods.
FOOD BANKS
We partner with local food banks to donate any surplus food where possible.
COMPOSTING
Organic waste, such as vegetable peelings and scraps, is composted wherever possible.
MERCHANDISE
All merch is sustainably and ethically sourced. Where possible, all plastics and polyesters will be replaced with natural alternatives like organic cotton.
Wherever possible, all merchandise is made of natural fibres and recycled / recyclable elements.
Partners and vendors are carefully selected to provide high quality & sustainable merchandise.
All products are sourced with vendors who prove ethical work practices including fair wages and good working conditions.
Wherever possible, all merchandise is packaged in recycled paper, card or compostable bags.
We also encourage venues to mirror these standards in their food concessions.
GOOD CAUSES
As we have always done, we will put 10% of everything we earn (touring, records, publishing etc) into a good causes fund. These funds will be split between environmental and socially-conscious projects and charities including ClientEarth, The Ocean Cleanup and One Tree Planted. We are working in partnership with EarthPercent as a founding donor.
We are not responsible for the content of external websites
NATURE
We acknowledge that, despite our best efforts, the tour will still have a significant carbon footprint. We pledge to drawdown significantly more emissions than the tour produces by supporting various nature projects around the world, focusing on reforestation, rewilding, conservation and soil regeneration.
REFORESTATION
Working with One Tree Planted, we have supported 21 planting projects across 17 countries from ecosystem regeneration in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil to revegetating Marna Banggara in Australia.
Planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested has helped the environment by accelerating and assuring the re-establishment of healthy forests.
One Tree Planted
Examples of projects below:
Soil
Soil health is critical to a healthy planet and we are supporting positive soil restoration projects that regenerate the land, promote biodiversity and sequester millions of tonnes of CO2.
Biodiverse landscapes (such as ancient woodland) sequester up to 80% more CO2 because of the complex soil structure. For this reason, we are avoiding mono-culture plantations.
Food Forest Project
The Sustainable Food Trust
Oceans
In addition to The Ocean Cleanup’s work, we are supporting ocean conservation and the protection of marine species, seagrass meadow restoration and management of seaweed blooms.
REWILDING
We are investing in projects that restore degraded and marginal land to its natural uncultivated state, thereby promoting biodiversity, capturing CO2 emissions and providing support for ecosystems such as natural flood defenses.
CONSERVATION
We’re proud to support MyTrees Trust / Miti Yangu in Zimbabwe. This community-led project will protect a vast new area of wilderness, support the regeneration of forest and provide a habitat for critically-threatened wildlife.
CONSERVATION AT SEA
We are supporting the efforts of Captain Paul Watson Foundation to stop the damaging effects of overfishing and threats to marine wildlife, particularly whales and dolphins.
TRANSPARENCY
We’re committed to the ongoing measurement of our environmental impacts – both positive and negative – so that we can make further improvements as we go along.
We are working with Green Nation, Live Nation’s sustainability platform, as a special artist advisor. This will ensure sustainable practices developed on this tour are shared, adopted and scaled throughout the rest of the industry.