Boston-bred fan favorites Guster have once again teamed up with environmental action group Reverb to launch the second annual Campus Consciousness Tour, which hits Dallas on Saturday.
By joining forces with Reverb, a non-profit organization founded by Guster guitarist-vocalist Adam Gardner and his wife Lauren Sullivan, the band aims to spread environmental awareness and inspire students to get involved with earth-friendly causes.
“The Campus Consciousness tour is where Guster and Reverb really come together,” said Gardner. “The tour is completely green. We use biodiesel in the tour bus, we sell organic merchandise, and we have a pavilion where people can learn about how to green their own lives. We empower students with the information they need and support students already doing the work… In a non-preachy way, of course.”
Reverb, which Gardner and Sullivan founded in 2004, counts on the connection between musicians and their audiences to educate and activate fans while “greening” the music industry along the way. The company has recently worked with Dave Matthews Band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alanis Morissette, Jack Johnson, Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies, Bonnie Raitt, O.A.R., Ray LaMontagne and many others, as well as the Warner Music Group and concert venues across the country.
As they do with each of Guster’s tours, Reverb will “green” the tour itself by powering buses with clean-burning domestically made biodiesel fuel, which has prevented nearly a hundred thousand pounds of carbon dioxide emissions since the switch was made from regular diesel last spring.
In addition, every Guster concert since then has been made “carbon-neutral” by purchasing renewable energy credits through the Native American owned renewable energy company, Native Energy. Over 2,100 tons of carbon dioxide have been neutralized through Guster’s offset program – the equivalent of not driving 4.2 million miles or powering 262 homes for an entire year.
“It’s a common misconception that being environmentally conscious is expensive,” said Gardner. “You don’t have to buy stuff from Whole Foods to be environmentally friendly. Lemon juice and vinegar can clean your floor just as good as an environmental cleaner… it’s really not a huge expense.”
Gardner said there are a number of things that college students can do to help the environment.
“Firstly, we all buy lots of things,” said Gardner. “Consumer power is not to be underestimated. I don’t believe that corporations are inherently evil- they just want to make money. So if we create a demand for environmental products, they will supply them.”
“As a college student, along those same lines, check into your school’s endowments. Is there transparency between students and the school? Where is that money going? You are a shareholder as a student – find out where that money is going.”
“With a total of $350 billion in endowment assets, U.S. schools have incredibly strong shareholder power to promote positive environmental change,” says Mark Orlowski, founding director of the Sustainable Endowments Institute. As part of the Campus Consciousness tour, Mark will lead a discussion on how schools, as institutional investors, can take a conscious stand on global warming.
Gardner said the best part about doing a college tour is that that’s where the majority of their fan base lies.
“It’s fun for us,” said Gardner, “but we take it seriously. College can spread the word faster than anyone else. The reason we have a career is because of college word of mouth. There’s definitely a long-standing relationship between college kids and us.”
Formed in 1991, Guster consists of Gardner, Ryan Miller, Joe Pisapia (who joined the group in 2003), and Brian Rosenworcel. Known for their instrumental variety, Guster recorded their first album, “Parachutes,” in 1994. They independently released their second album, “Goldfly,” before signing with Sire Records in 1998. Their third album came in 1999 with “Lost and Gone Forever” and their fourth, “Keep It Together,” hit the scene in 2003. Their most recent album, “Ganging Up on the Sun, dropped last year and was Guster’s most successful album to date, debuting at No. 25 on the Billboard Top 200.
Even if you think you haven’t heard Guster before, you probably have. Their music has been featured in films like “Life As a House” and “Wedding Crashers,” and in television shows like “The O.C.”
When asked if the rest of the band supported the environmental causes of Reverb, Gardner said “The whole “green” thing happened with Guster a year ago with the first Campus Consciousness tour. The guys were like ‘I don’t know what this is, but lets run with it.’ They really took ownership. It’s been really great.”
Still, Gardner insisted that the band keep its music separate from its environmental causes.
“Our music is our music,” said Gardner. “We’re not a hippie band, and we’re not a tree hugger band. It’s great to involve Reverb doing its work for us, but its important for us to not preach about it from onstage. People are here to see a show. It’s about the concert- the environmental undertones are just happening around it.”
Gardner hopes that the tour will at least get people considering environmental changes they can make in their own lives.
“It can be intimidating,” said Gardner. “But it’s not all or nothing. Even if you start with purchasing non-petroleum based lip balm. It’s better to do something than nothing. I think you’d be surprised – it’s not a huge lifestyle change. It definitely sounds harder than it is. It’s as simple as reducing waste and turning off the lights when you leave.”
Guster and The Format will be playing at the Granada this Saturday, April 7, at 8 p.m. as part of its Campus Consciousness tour. If you’re still wondering how to start being environmentally conscious, Guster has provided an incentive: whoever brings the most canned goods to the show will win a “meet and greet” with the band.
