Rockers Aim for 0% Carbon Emmissions

Following in the (light) footsteps of Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, and other responsible rock groups (have those words ever been written in the same sentence?), Pearl Jam has decided to do its part to offset global warming by lowering its carbon output.

In its Carbon Portfolio Strategy, the band explains that it will “donate a total of $100,000 to nine organizations doing innovative work around climate change, renewable energy, and the environment.” The organizations include the American Solar Energy Society, the Cascade Land Conservancy, EarthCorps, and more.

"We hope that by highlighting and creating a commons for these groups, we can advance preservation of existing ecosystems, restoration of degraded environments, and continued investment in clean, renewable energy technologies. Furthermore, by working with these groups and others to mitigate our own carbon emissions, we ultimately hope to get Pearl Jam at 0% net emissions for our tours and businesses,” the band writes on their website.

Long advocates for social and environmental change, in 2003 the band joined forces with Conservation International to offset 5,700 tons of CO2 emissions released from trucks, buses, airplane travel, hotel rooms, concert venues — and the estimated one million fans driving to and from the concerts — by creating and managing a new protected area in the rainforest of Makira, Madagascar. They also pledged $100,000 to organizations working on climate change and renewable energy in the northwestern United States, near the band's Seattle home.