More musos join Green Music to make July plastic free

Green Music Australia is working at next month intensifying its campaign to remove single-use plastic water bottles from festivals and venues.

It is about to announce dozens of new #BYOBottle ambassadors during Plastic Free July led by Gang of Youths, Alex The Astronaut, The Teskey Brothers, Luca Brasi and Moreton.

Their roles will be to stress to venues and festivals where they perform that they don’t want disposable bottles, asking for jugs or water stations to refill their own bottles instead, and spreading the word.

Past ambassadors include Paul Kelly, Montaigne, Adalita, Missy Higgins, Vika and Linda Bull, All Our Exes Live in Texas, Ash Grunwald, Ball Park Music and Tin Pan Orange.

Green Music Australia says the involvement of the artists saw 24 festivals and venues join the ‘Refill not Landfill’ campaign.

These have included WOMADelaide, Party In The Paddock and Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Glenn Wright of Mullum Music Festival in regional NSW comments, “I believe Australia has some of the best live music events in the world, and we as producers can lead the way to reducing waste and creating a more sustainable future.

“In 2016, with the help and guidance of Green Music Australia, we are in transition towards a plastic-free event. It’s a wonderful step in the right direction.”

Green Music Australia emphasises that with marine plastic debris set to outnumber fish in our oceans by 2050, the unnecessary use of plastic issue needs urgent attention.

The association’s Berish Bilander says, “We’re thrilled to see so many people support this vision of a clean, green music scene.

“Plastic pollution is harming our planet at an extraordinary scale, threatening sea-life, washing up on remote islands, and entering our food chain and drinking water.

“Simple actions, like bringing your own bottle to gigs, not only stops waste at its source but has the potential to create deep and lasting cultural change”.

The Teskey Brothers add, “We won’t play till the plastic goes away.

“If we all live by this venues and festivals will catch on pretty soon. Who knows how far it can go from there.”