Today marks the start of the panel portion of NewNoise Santa Barbara, a music conference and festival here in town. What brings us here today is a panel discussing the role of sustainability in music, and how musicians are putting in the effort to reduce their impact on the road. Topics covered so far have focused on the use of the internet to bring people together. Whether that means joining non-profits with musicians, or allowing musicians to broadcast directly to their audience over the computer. The panel is ongoing, and I will be updating this blog with specific details. We're streaming the discussion live through the link below, so join in to learn all about it!

Live stream link: http://bit.ly/avvima

Update:

Learning about virtual performances from a local artist, and how you can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint and impact. It's important to take a moment and reflect on how much you affect the environment by traveling to conferences, concerts, etc. By tapping into the virtual market you can reach a wider audience among many other aspects. We've noticed an increasing attendance at our own Online Event Series, and can't wait to continue them.

Update 2:

Now the panelists are talking about trackable metrics, including energy and waste. This form of analysis is important in green building and design, but by extending it to other industries we can truly see results. Many of the participants have touched on the financial aspect of it, especially as it makes more of an impact in terms of the end user.

Update 3:

One audience member posed a question on greenwashing. One word describes such a huge problem that we have within the environmental movement, particularly the building world. How do consumers and professionals distinguish between two products that claim the same initiatives? It's difficult to communicate through these layers, and some of the panelists have expressed concern within the music industry echoing the same thing. Some artists don't know how to distinguish themselves sustainably, and need help with broadcasting that.