U2 and Bono criticised for carbon footprint

[zwervers2]

Their is a big chance somebody has posted this but I thought it was kinda interesting. It does seem a bit weird to talk about polution and then this.
The Claw rules but it apparently doesn't rule eco-friendly


July 06, 2009

Source: thelondonpaper

by Alistair Grant

U2 and Bono have been criticised for the carbon footprint created by their mammoth world tour.

The 100-date, 18-month odyssey, which kicked off last week, will see the multi-millionaires emit up to 65,000 tonnes of CO2, which would be equivalent to Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr flying from Earth to the planet Mars - and back.

The £90m U2360 tour also features three 390-tonne stages criss-crossing the globe, along with 200 crew and backstage staff.

Their colossal emissions are the equivalent of leaving a standard 100-watt light bulb on for 159,000 years, according to estimates from researchers at the website Carbonfootprint.com.

The energy consumption comes despite Bono saying in Tokyo in May 2008: "My prayer is that we become better in looking after our planet."

U2's public relations agency RMP did not return a request asking if the band planned to offset its emissions.

(c) thelondonpaper, 2009.

 

[waynetravis]

U2's public relations agency RMP did not return a request asking if the band planned to offset its emissions.

Someone needs to research!

 

[Slapnutz]

Who cares. The planet's on life support anyway. These environmentalists should take up something much more productive while they still can. Like skiing.

 

[zwervers2]

Who cares. The planet's on life support anyway. These environmentalists should take up something much more productive while they still can. Like skiing.

Skiing is cool, the claw is just mean I guess

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Their colossal emissions are the equivalent of leaving a standard 100-watt light bulb on for 159,000 years

damn, I'd hate to get that electric bill

 

[zwervers2]

damn, I'd hate to get that electric bill

They should put a giant second Claw on top of the original Claw and make it spin around in order to get electricity. (imagines pictures of a "double" claw with lightning comming form the heavens straight into the claw )

 

[gvox]

You're high right now, aren't you?

 

[zwervers2]

You're high right now, aren't you?

 

[gvox]

You fuckers on the other side over there get to 4:20 in the day before we do, it's so not fair.

 

[A stor]

You're high right now, aren't you?

Actually that's not a bad idea!

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I always assumed the CLAW would power itself from the life-force of all the fans

 

[Anu]

Bono's sweat-powered, solar-powered, the tears of fans powered, life-powered claw sounds good.

Interesting that this thread mostly has funny, somewhat sarcastic responses. Not unlike the mask thread.

Has anyone actually contemplated the charges against U2? Does anyone have a strong opinion either way besides bashing environmentalists?

Does the person suggesting research refer to the issue that U2 is buying carbon offsets?

This is what Willie Williams said (and I did find this compelling and included this in a piece we posted on the main page):
“U2 are buying carbon offsets in relation to the tour, but other than that I don’t want to speak for them regarding green issues. For myself though, I have spent much time considering the issue and wondering what possible justification there can be in such a carbon hungry enterprise. Radiohead are friends of mine and I have talked to Thom Yorke at length about greener touring. I really admire what they have achieved and Thom is exceptionally sensible about the whole thing. However, with a tour of this magnitude it might appear abundantly clear that the greenest thing would be to just not do it at all. In our defense, even the most massive rock tours are extremely short-lived compared with, say, the life-span of a car factory in China. More importantly, though, on another level, a tour like this has value in another way. Even though eco-issues are becoming more crucial by the day, it would be cultural and spiritual suicide to declare that humankind should cease any and every activity, which is not utterly necessary or practical. I’ve been designing shows for a long time and quite regularly I will be approached by a total stranger who is burning to tell me that some show that I vaguely remember doing was “the high point of my life.” I’m not exaggerating; these shows affect people’s lives in a deeply significant way and somehow provide meaning. That being the case, I really believe that at least some of what we do as an industry has value that is worth a short-term carbon spend.”

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

i'M SO OFFENDED! U2 ARE KILLING OUR PLANET AND NOT TO MENTION THEIR SETLIST SUCKS!!!

I mean, they could at least play what i want to hear if they are going to destroy my planet? Don't i count?? what about YOU, as well?? If they would just play more songs off of AB & PoP then i would be okay w/ all of this. But NO NO NO, we gotta have all this crap f/ NLOTH, HTDAAB, & ATYCLB shoved down our throats every night plus staring at a giant neon CLAW that takes 180 trucks to take it all over the country and plus they are flying on a PRIVATE JET, WTF! They should just drive sporty cars like the rest of us, or um, well you know. Maybe since Bono loves boats they could take a boat to every tour stop.

Not to mention all of the millions of trees they chopped down just to make us wear those hot chick masks every night. You would at least think they could recycle them, or make the song "walk on" last for 17 hours while everybody in the stadium passes around a single mask after trying it on. ONE MASK FOR EVERYONE!!!

Haven't they ever heard of a wind farm? They should have giant wind farms setup outside of every stadium they are playing just to power this thing. Oh yeah, they should only play their shows where it is windy too. FUCK everybody else. I guess that means lots of show in the midwest USA and of course Chicago, NY, and fuck the west coast.

how dare them

they are trying to kills us all!!!!!!!!!!

im soooo mad

 

[MikeyJB]

On a serious note- this is why I don't care to hear about pollution and 'save the environment' from rock stars.

 

[indra]

Haven't they ever heard of a wind farm?

I thought that's what Interference was -- U2's giant wind farm. Certainly there's enough hot air here to power their tour many times over.

 

[BVS]

Interesting that this thread mostly has funny, somewhat sarcastic responses. Not unlike the mask thread.

Has anyone actually contemplated the charges against U2? Does anyone have a strong opinion either way besides bashing environmentalists?

Does the person suggesting research refer to the issue that U2 is buying carbon offsets?

I think it's been fairly common knowledge in here that U2 were planning on buying offsets since day one, it showed up several places in here months ago. So I think that's where all the snarkiness comes from, that this is a guy who hasn't really done his research...

 

[doctorwho]

Actually that's not a bad idea!

Careful of the carbon footprint you leave with that as well.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Wasnt there a quote before the tour started about how U2 are buying offsets?

 

[BVS]

Yes...

 

[KUEFC09U2]

So basically this was all a none story?

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

I thought that's what Interference was -- U2's giant wind farm. Certainly there's enough hot air here to power their tour many times over.

you think?

 

[gvox]

NOT TO MENTION THEIR SETLIST SUCKS!!!

I mean, they could at least play what i want to hear if they are going to destroy my planet? Don't i count?? what about YOU, as well?? If they would just play more songs off of AB & PoP then i would be okay w/ all of this. But NO NO NO, we gotta have all this crap f/ NLOTH, HTDAAB, & ATYCLB shoved down our throats every night plus staring at a giant neon CLAW that takes 180 trucks to take it all over the country and plus they are flying on a PRIVATE JET, WTF!

So what you are trying to say is, you don't like Static Setlists?

I thought that's what Interference was -- U2's giant wind farm. Certainly there's enough hot air here to power their tour many times over.

Quick, give this man an award, before I have to hand out another one in my post!

Careful of the carbon footprint you leave with that as well.

Nah. He's totally doing green.

Wasnt there a quote before the tour started about how U2 are buying offsets?

Yes...

So basically this was all a none story?

Somehow, slowly, but surely, you are catching on.

 

[ouizy]

Man those guys are evil.

Forget all the work they have done for charities, lets criticize one or two-off events in each city and compare it all to very extended life of a light bulb.

Stupid.

Why don't we all just sit in our homes with our lights and refrigerators off and do nothing and have no fun for the sake of the planet that we should not take the time to enjoy.

 

[gvox]

^ Try not to exhale when you're having that much fun, ok? For the sake of the children!

 

[bizkitgto]

360

Must be a slow news day....the greenies are losing their touch.

Plus U2 shouldn't need to buy carbon credits, they're getting double taxed if they do because the oil companies have to buy them in their upstream and downstream operations, interestingly in some parts of the world the state (and federal government) requires a green tax on gas @ the pump.....so the consumer ends up paying 3 to 4 times the carbon tax.....so U2 is really doing MORE for the environment by doubling (or tripling) up on green taxes....supposedly those funds go to green research.

 

[digitize]

the 100-date, 18-month odyssey, which kicked off last week, will see the multi-millionaires emit up to 65,000 tonnes of co2, which would be equivalent to bono, the edge, adam clayton and larry mullen jr flying from earth to the planet mars - and back.

Fucking awesome!

 

[subnet]

trees eat CO2 like its candy

so blame the loggers, not U2

 

[DRay9911]

not sure if anyone else watches hannity, but he had a 60 second segment on it

it was lame

-dan

 

[ouizy]

Hannity reported on the U2CO2 tour, oh I mean U2360 tour?

What a douche.

 

[subnet]

i'm just waiting for some mockery from Stephen Colbert.