Making the concert-going experience more sustainable

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: Making the Concert-Going Experience More Sustainable

Release Date: June 17, 2025
Host: David Brancaccio
Guest: Adam Gardner, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director of Reverb

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Introduction to Sustainable Concert-Going

In this episode of Marketplace Morning Report, host David Brancaccio delves into the environmental impact of concert tours and explores strategies to make the experience more sustainable. Joining him is Adam Gardner, a prominent figure in the music industry and co-founder of Reverb, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a more environmentally friendly music sector.

The Environmental Footprint of Concerts

David Brancaccio sets the stage by highlighting the significant environmental challenges associated with concerts:

David Brancaccio [05:26]: "When you're looking for carbon footprint and you think that's a place where carbon could be saved."

He emphasizes that while waste management at venues is important, the largest portion of a concert's carbon footprint stems from transportation.

Transportation: The Largest Contributor

Adam Gardner underscores the critical role transportation plays in the environmental impact of concerts:

Adam Gardner [06:13]: "Yeah, it has to be. It's just by far the largest part of any concert's footprint."

Gardner points out that the reliance on individual car travel contributes substantially to the overall carbon emissions of concert events. He frames this issue as a symptom of broader infrastructural and transportation challenges within the country.

The Role of the Music Industry as a Catalyst for Change

Gardner envisions the music industry as a potential leader in driving sustainable transportation initiatives:

Adam Gardner [06:38]: "But music is a high profile industry and if there's a way for it to be a catalyst for change on a municipal level, when we're talking about public transit and cultural level, I'm talking about people actually using it."

He advocates for the industry to leverage its influence to promote public transit and other sustainable transportation alternatives, thereby setting an example for broader societal change.

Reverb’s Study on Sustainable Concert Travel

Reverb's recent study provides insightful data on concert-goers' preferences and behaviors regarding sustainable transportation:

David Brancaccio [06:48]: "The key part of this is letting people know that there are alternatives for getting there than necessarily driving alone in a car."

The study reveals a strong interest among music enthusiasts in sustainable transportation options, indicating a readiness for change within the fanbase. However, Gardner notes that awareness and infrastructure are currently inadequate to support this shift.

Shared Responsibility for Sustainable Practices

Both Brancaccio and Gardner agree that the responsibility for sustainable concert travel is multifaceted, involving various stakeholders:

Adam Gardner [07:10]: "And they're not everywhere. And I don't want to place this responsibility all on fans because it isn't. I mean again, what's interesting is fans want this but they're not given the information or there isn't the infrastructure there."

Gardner emphasizes that venues, promoters, and artists must collaborate to provide and promote alternatives such as public transit options, shuttle services, and possibly incentivizing the use of shared transportation methods.

Infrastructure and Information: The Three I's

Gardner introduces the concept of the "Three I's" as essential components for advancing sustainable concert travel:

Adam Gardner [07:35]: "We call the three I's information, infrastructure and incentive. That's what's going to move the needle with concert travel."

1. Information: Educating fans about available transportation options.
2. Infrastructure: Developing and enhancing the physical and logistical frameworks to support sustainable travel.
3. Incentive: Providing motivations for fans to choose greener transportation methods, such as discounts or exclusive perks.

Artists as Advocates for Sustainability

Artists play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable practices:

Adam Gardner [07:35]: "The artists are playing a big role in being the cheerleader, for lack of a better term."

By advocating for and actively supporting sustainable transportation, artists can influence their fans and drive meaningful change within the industry.

Post-COVID Momentum towards Sustainability

The COVID-19 pandemic has inadvertently accelerated the music industry's focus on sustainability:

Adam Gardner [07:35]: "The good news is also coming out of the COVID shutdown, a lot more energy in the music industry is focused on sustainability in a real way."

The pause in live events allowed stakeholders to reassess and implement more sustainable practices, leading to a strengthened commitment to environmental responsibility.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Path Forward

David Brancaccio wraps up the discussion by highlighting the collaborative efforts needed to make concert-going more sustainable. By combining information dissemination, infrastructure development, and incentivization, the music industry, along with its stakeholders, can significantly reduce the environmental impact of live events.

David Brancaccio [08:09]: "Adam Gardner is co-founder of the nonprofit Reverb that works on environmental issues as they impact the music industry and the concert industry."

Listeners are encouraged to learn more about Reverb's initiatives and the ongoing efforts to create a greener concert experience by visiting Marketplace.org.

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This episode underscores the vital intersection between the music industry and environmental sustainability, presenting a roadmap for reducing the carbon footprint of concerts through collective action and innovative solutions.

Transcript

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[David Brancaccio]

There are new details of how the Senate wants to tax and spend, with an attempt to postpone a hotly contested matter involving deductions for state and local taxes. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee have unveiled their version of the mega tax and spending bill. They did it last evening. This differs from the House passed version on some flashpoint issues. Marketplace's Henry Epp has an update.

[Henry Epp]

Some tax breaks in the Senate committee version are less generous than those passed by the House. For example, the Senate proposes raising the child tax credit to $2,200 less than the House's 2,500. The Senate would also put limits on deductions for tipped income and overtime pay. And it would keep the cap on state and local tax deductions at $10,000, well below the House's proposed $40,000. The Senate version would also more aggressively cut medic limiting the provider tax set by states like the House. It would set work requirements for some Medicaid recipients. But the Senate would give green energy companies more time than the House to start projects that qualify for tax credits passed under former President Joe Biden, though it would more quickly end tax credits for buyers of new and used electric vehicles. And the Senate would raise the debt ceiling higher than the House to 5 trillion rather than $4 trillion. GOP leaders want to reconcile all these issues and pass the bill before the fourth of I'm Henry AP for Marketplace.

[David Brancaccio]

The Washington Post is reporting the Trump administration has issued new directives to ICE agents to resume immigration raids on farms and hotels for a couple of days. President Trump and his administration had seen to be backing off farms and hotels, with Trump posting comments about immigrants providing important work in those sectors. The president has left the Group of Seven summit in Canada early for reasons that are unclear but possibly connected to the Israel, Iran military strikes are on financial matters, there was no US Trade deal announcement with Japan, but the US did sign off on a trade deal with Britain. The BBC's Chris Mason has more from the summit in Alberta, Canada.

[Chris Mason]

Amid the tariff turbulence from the White House, a certain triumph up to a point for Downing street. The aerospace industry will see tariffs removed completely. There'll be a 10% levy on the car industry. One wrinkle is while UK government officials point out that Britain is the only country to be exempt from the global tariff of 50% on steel and aluminium, a 25% tariff does remain. Negotiations to remove this continue. This isn't the full fat US UK trade deal some once envisioned, and it's been reached in a rather unorthodox way. But amid his domestic political woes, it is an achievement for the prime minister on the international stage few other leaders can boast of.

[David Brancaccio]

With reports Iran is seeking de escalation with Israel, the price of crude oil is up just modestly this morning, 1.3% in New York, $72.63 a barrel. Now that's about 7% higher than it was before Israel first launched its military strikes late last.

[Marketplace Reporter]

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[David Brancaccio]

See t mobile.com now to the business of rock and roll and lowering the impact of concert tours on the earth. Reverb, a nonprofit that works to create a more environmentally friendly music industry, has a new study that looks at the impact of traveling to music events. It finds a lot of interest among music lovers in more sustainable transportation options. Reverb's co founder and co executive director Adam Gardner joins us now. You might also know him as guitarist and singer for the band Guster. Adam, welcome back.

[Grainger Representative]

Thanks for having me.

[David Brancaccio]

I think about the impact of going to a concert and you know you see piles of trash at the ones that are not managed correctly. You can see mountains of single use water bottles. But really it's the travel. When you're looking for carbon footprint and you think that's a place where carbon could be saved.

[Grainger Representative]

Yeah, it has to be. It's just by far the largest part of any concert's footprint. Which you know, if you think about it makes sense. But it's really a symptom of a larger infrastruct and transportation issue in our country. But music is a high profile industry and if there's a way for it to be a catalyst for change on a municipal level, when we're talking about public transit and cultural level, I'm talking about people actually using it. This is what we're excited about.

[David Brancaccio]

And I was looking at the study, it was also striking. You just got a, a key part of this is letting people know that there are alternatives for getting there than necessarily driving alone in a car.

[Grainger Representative]

And they're not everywhere. And I don't want to place this responsibility all on fans because it isn't. I mean again, what's interesting is fans want this but they're not given the information or there isn't the infrastructure there. So it's a responsibility that's shared from the venues to the promoters of the concerts. The artists can be playing a huge role in communicating those options. And there's local business opportunities with party buses and shuttles and we've seen some solutions already starting to happen. This thing for me is it came out of a natural place. I think a lot of people who go to concerts can relate. When's the last time you've gone to a and at the end of the night you haven't had to make that decision between seeing the encore or leaving early so you didn't have to sit in traffic to get out of there.

[David Brancaccio]

Is there a kind of underwriter's seal of approval for shows that are making an effort with regard to the environment?

[Grainger Representative]

The artists are playing a big role in being the cheerleader, for lack of a better term. The good news is also coming out of the COVID shutdown, a lot more energy in the music industry is focused on sustainability in a real way. Before it was maybe when we get to it, but now people are starting to understand that there's a real demand not only from the artists that are playing these venues, but the fans that are attending. So we're very excited about that. I think again, it really comes down. We call the three I's information, infrastructure and incentive. That's what's going to move the needle with concert travel.

[David Brancaccio]

Adam Gardner is co founder of the nonprofit Reverb that works on environmental issues as they impact the music industry and the concert industry. You can Read more about Reverb's concert travel study on our website marketplace.org Also, Adam sings and plays guitar, does a lot of things for the band. Guster, thank you for doing this.

[Grainger Representative]

Thanks David. Thanks for having me.

[David Brancaccio]

In Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio. You're listening to the Marketplace Morning Report from APM American Public Media.

[Marie Mejres]

Personal finance isn't just about spreadsheets and investing. It's emotional. Talking to your partner about money, negotiating a raise. Even the smallest decisions, like splitting a bill, can bring up feelings of shame or anxiety. I'm Marie Mejres, host of this is Uncomfortable, a podcast from Marketplace about life and how money messes with it. In this season, we get into topics like workplace drama, tough financial trade offs, and the quiet tension that builds when love and finances collide. Listen to this Is Uncomfortable. Wherever you get your podcast.