TATAMY, Pa. — Industry artists and leaders came together Thursday to explore the crossroads of music and sustainability at Martin Guitar’s solar-powered facility in Tatamy.
The get-together marked the first Sustainability Summit for the guitar maker, featuring keynote panels, case studies and demonstrations to share and spread meaningful change in regard to sustainable environmental practices across the music industry.
Martin Chief Executive Officer Thomas Ripsam kicked off the event, which tapped a swath of talent from various parts of the industry to weigh in on how a variety of initiatives can lead to substantial environmental impacts.
“Well, I think we are part of the music industry, and we all know that music is a powerful force," Ripsam said. "It can unite cultures, it brings people together, and it can motivate people to take action and to make change.
“So I think we are well positioned here, just given what we inherently are about to play an impactful role, and it doesn't really matter whether you're an instrument maker or whether you provide woods or whether you participate in policy making or whether you're a musician.
"It's definitely more than just about instruments or audiences. Ultimately, it's about the planet we all live on.”
Throughout the day, insiders had an opportunity to talk shop with colleagues and competitors, promoting their own environmental efforts and pondering potential pathways to further change.
Thinking from a sustainability perspective
Columbia University Climate School adjunct professor Danielle Azoulay led the first panel discussion.
Others on the panel were Music Sustainability Alliance Vice President Kurt Langer, Reverb co-founder and co-executive Adam Gardner, Musicians for Sustainability & Reusable Solutions founder Ben Kogan and Sustain Music & Nature CEO and co-founder Betsy Mortensen.
Langer said it was integral to inspire the spread of sustainable practices in the industry via communication across the board.
He said his company aims to “bring all the sectors together in the conversation and try to get everyone out of their silos.”
Gardner, who also plays for chart-topping alternative rock band Guster — known for its 2003 hit "Amsterdam" — spoke on how his organization works directly with musicians to implement change in a grass-roots fashion.
He said that starts with something as simple as including sustainability items — using renewable energy, pushing the use of reusable cups and dishes — in their riders for performances.
He said his company helps behind the scenes, working with sustainability coordinators to help with logistics during tours, in addition to promoting their goals directly to artists and fans.
“So when they come through the doors, the first thing they see is a Reverb volunteer wearing the band T-shirts handing stuff out, you get your free water refills and plug into what's happening in your own community,” Gardner said.
Those efforts have helped raise $22 million for nonprofit and climate action projects across the world, Gardner said.
Kogan spoke about tying in sponsorships from companies for reusable or sustainable initiatives as a way to spread the message in a more economic fashion.
That might include locking down a local bus company to provide mass transit to festivals, he said.
“It's reusable cups to reusable plates," he said. "They can be sponsored by a company, right? They can put their name on this reusable cup, and then that way, the extra cost that's added to the venue can be covered.”
Mortensen spoke about “songscape retreats” orchestrated by her group, which take musicians out to the wilderness for trips where they write about the experience.
During a trip with singer KT Tunstall to Alaska, the group saw huge, imprinted tracks that had been traveled by local bears for years.
“So you have these huge, like imprinted grizzly brown bear tracks, just because so many generations of bears use that same spot," Mortensen said.
"And like thinking from a sustainability perspective, like we need to keep taking care of these places and this climate to ensure that there's continuation of the century trails.”
'A baseline of sustainability'
Gardner led another panel with Universal Media Group Head of Sustainability Dylan Siegler as well as Jacob Tilley, guitarist from alternative rock group Young the Giant, covering methods for artists to drive sustainable practices.
As Tilley explained how gaining traction in the music industry can help a musician implement more sustainable change, Siegler pointed out that labels also can help.
“What we actually are doing at UMG is launching an internal consultancy to bring sustainability into the labels and brands and actually provide that foundation to our artists when they want it," Siegler said.
"And if they don't want it, they can simply be confident that we're doing what we need to be doing in the background.”
Gardner said that having ”a baseline of sustainability” for labels and larger companies in the industry helps drive down costs overall, making it easier for artists to opt into buying sustainable instruments and merchandise.
Tilley said something as innocuous as a plastic backstage pass can easily be swapped for a wooden pass, reducing waste and creating a little token that lasts.
"The plastic somehow costs $5, about, for each one," he said. "So this is, you know, one way we just saw an opportunity like to kind of do away with the plastic.
"And it didn't cost us anything to print these. You know, this is just upcycled like wood. It's great."
The trio briefly discussed how such small actions, such as offering reusable water bottles and providing filling stations at festivals, venues and studios also can slowly build to tangible results.
Gardner also pointed out that through working with Willie Nelson a few years back, his organization was able to swap out diesel powered generators for solar powered units, reducing both waste and noise.
The idea was so well received, superstar singer Billie Eilish was able to use renewable energy for her headlining set at Lollapalooza.
"I would love to see us as sustainability advocates admit that we are absolutely not perfect, and you do not have to be perfect to be a part of this."Dylan Siegler, Universal Media Group head of sustainability
To help curb the impact of flocks of fans coming to venues or festivals, Gardner suggested making a little offer to those fans.
“Incentivizing, ‘Hey, with your public transit stub, you're going to get five bucks off of concessions,’” Gardner said.
“Things like that can go a long way. Carpool incentives for easy in and out access. That's all the stuff I want to see happen.”
Siegler also said that fans can be inspired by addressing the “holier than thou” factor that has “alienated people from this concept of this place where we live, we need to preserve this place.”
He said that, in some sense, “the environmental movement has done a disservice to itself by becoming a place that that seems too pure, that doesn’t seem welcoming.”
“I would love to see that change," Siegler said. "I would love to see us as sustainability advocates admit that we are absolutely not perfect, and you do not have to be perfect to be a part of this."
Both Gardner and Tilley suggested musicians also can spread the word on sustainability through their friends and fellow bands, sharing ideas and suggestions and workshopping new concepts — just as they were on Thursday.
Wrapping up the event's morning stretch, actress and musician Kate Micucci, a Nazareth native, showcased some of her unique art on reclaimed surfaces.
Then, playing a sustainably sourced ukulele, she delved into a short song covering the history of Martin Guitar’s sustainability practices — a fun and fitting little summary for all.
“They got all the goods like certified woods/And none of these guitars are made of plastic," Miccuci sang. "They're saving the dreams/They're saving the planet/They're saving the world/They're basically superheroes.
“Super Martin, that's what you are to me/With your recycling and your craftsmanship and your sustainability/You're planting trees and saving forestry... Martin Guitars, you are my favorite superhero.”
