Pearl Jam have recently announced a new investment of $54,000 to offset the carbon emissions produced by their recent South American tour. Funds will be allocated in two separate projects: the first is the Alto Mayo Project by Conservation International to protect forests in the Peruvian region of Alto Mayo; the second is the Valparaiso Projectby Carbonfund.org Foundation to protect the Amazon rainforest. Both projects are REDD+ certified (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation ‘plus’, a mechanism that has been under negotiation by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change since 2005) and structured to provide benefits to the local communities as well as the planet.
Stone Gossard: “I think it’s good to acknowledge the negative impacts our business has on the planet, right alongside the positive ones. We tour. Our tours emit carbon dioxide. We are constantly looking at ways to reduce and mitigate that. Our strategy has been to essentially ‘tax’ ourselves for our CO2-equivalent emissions, and invest that money into carbon mitigation projects. Hopefully this will serve as inspiration for other businesses and governments exploring ways to offset their carbon footprints.”
Pearl Jam have been tracking their tour-related carbon emissions since 2003, and to-date have made mitigation investments totaling over $500,000 USD (here’s the band’s full carbon mitigation history). The biggest carbon dioxide culprits on tour include: band and crew air travel, hotels, truck and freight travel, power at venues, and fan transportation to and from the shows.
Flint water crisis
Pearl Jam and the band’s manager Kelly Curtis have also pledged a donation of $125,000 in the support of Flint, Michigan residents during the area’s current water crisis, after the water supply was found to contain high levels of lead.
A close group of the band’s friends and partners – including Glaser Progress Foundation, Live Nation, Brandi Carlile’s Looking Out Foundation, Republic Records, Ticketmaster, Universal Music Publishing Group and William Morris Endeavor Entertainment – came in with an additional donation of $175,000. Funds will be donated to The United Way of Genesee County’s Flint Water Fund for the purchase of water filters, bottled water, emergency support services and prevention efforts in Flint. This fund will provide aid to children and families with interventions that support positive health outcomes.
The band has also launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdrise for anyone who wants to join them, that has already raised nearly $ 400,000.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.