When Lorde, Little Simz and Wet Leg stride on to stages in Bristol this weekend, they will not only be entertaining tens of thousands of festivalgoers but taking part in what is being billed as a world-first clean power project.
The two stages at Forwards festival on Clifton Down are being driven almost entirely by green power – a combination of hydrogen and mobile batteries charged with sustainable energy.
Across the globe, artists and major festivals have been taking action to make their events more sustainable. But what makes the clean power pilot (CPP) scheme that is driving this weekend’s festival different is that it is backed with regional public money and political will. Over the summer, the CPP has guaranteed a secure source of green mobile power to festivals, events and television film crews.
‘perfection is the enemy of good’ applies there, it is true when it is used genuinely, instead of as an apathy excuse, as it all too often unfortunately is.
The headline immediately reminded by of massive attack, hopefully more artists/celebrities decide to start doing the right thing, and start leading by example.
You’re right, I worded myself weirdly. What I was trying to say is that, while I’m very happy to see this kind of effort, I worry since it is easy for the pop world (be it music or something else) to lean into the type of black-or-white virtue signaling that stars (or rather, the way management usually phrases things) are known for, moreoften to appease to a certain “leftie” public that cannot wait to spend the buckaroos as long as the event organizers pinky promise that everything they’re doing will save the planet.
I am a big fan of live music and I wouldn’t want to gatekeep the experience, I just hope its general public won’t lose focus on the fact that they have to keep doing their part even on service that are accessory to the event itself. Apart from that, I am with you with the fact that it is undoubtedly a positive news to report on.