As Madonna’s Carbon Blitzkrieg Continues, Swiss Fans Counter With Green Transport
Filed under: music — Michael d'Estries @ 11:03 am
August 30th 2008
In light of even more details being revealed regarding Madonna’s “Sticky and Sweet” tour entourage, it’s good to see at least one bright spot of sustainability making an appearance.
Tonight, the 50-city tour will roll into Zurich, Switzerland and the 50-year-old singer will take to the stage in front of an expected 73,000 fans. The good news? A large majority of those fans will all take public transportation to the concert. In fact, all concert tickets include return travel by train. How cool is that? The demand is expected to be so great, that the Swiss Federal Railways is laying on 130 extra trains to cope.
Would be kind of cool if all cities comped rides on public transportation to and from major concerts to reduce the environmental impact.
Anyways, on the other side of the issue, Madonna’s tour apparently features 60 trucks, 15 buses and a team of 250 people. She has a 1,000 square foot building constructed wherever she goes to hold her 3,500 wardrobe items, and also 12 travelling trampolines.
Who has 12 trampolines?! I mean, I would love to set them up in a circle and bounce around baseball field or something — but seriously?
Enjoy the concert tonight, Switzerland. And thanks for at least reducing your own environmental impact for the show.
via swissinfo
Thanks to Schibli for the tip!
any world tour would do the same, so WTF?
The difference is, Madonna pledged to the public that she would do her part to reduce her footprint and make a difference for the planet.
She ain’t following through. So we’re bitching.
If Madonna didn’t put on a kick-ass, over-the-top show I’d be bitching. I’d hope she has the integrity to not change 24 years of giving the fans what they want. I’ll be driving 4 1/2 hrs. to Miami to see her. Sorry!
Also, re: the public transpo. to concerts- I think that’s nice that Switzerland can do that, but when you fantasize about all cities doing that I’m like, ‘Aw. That’s cute.’ Seriously, I’d like to see anyone try to get Americans to stop driving their cars. I’m not making a judgment on whether that mindset is right or wrong; people can do what they want. Maybe it’s because America is bigger than, I don’t know, South Carolina? Whatever, I just hate getting pissed of about things that I can’t control and that aren’t ever going to happen.
Who has says you can’t do a kick-ass, over-the-top show without at least considering the impact of that show? Ask any green music organization out there, and they will tell you that it would have been incredibly easy (and in the scheme of things, cheap) to “green” some of Madonna’s tour — from biofuel options, to recycling, composting, offsets, locally-sourced food, etc.
I mean, seriously, she even makes environmental destruction of the planet a point in one of her tour videos! WTF?
And I disagree with your argument that just because America is larger than Europe, it must somehow shrug off any notions of public transport. Doesn’t it make sense that most concerts in most major cities probably have a good portion of their attendance within a range accessible to public transportation? I’m not saying that you won’t have thousands driving in, but there’s still an opportunity to plug trains, buses, and other alternatives here.
In terms of the big picture, we’ve all been raised in a car culture — so sure, it’s an uphill battle to encourage public transport. That being said, if we’re concerned about gas prices, the environment, etc. — then I think that an investment in more public transport and marketing of said options would be a wise move for this country.
Maybe if Madonna were more talented she wouldn’t have to worry so much about putting on a “kick-ass, over-the-top show.”
Real musicians put on great concerts without a whole lot of extra shit – because they have real musical talent.
When Madonna fans say they expect lots of bells and whistles, they’re admitting that their heroine really doesn’t possess enough talent to let her music alone entertain the audience.