Cherry-Picked

I stumbled across my current favorite music and climate organization, EarthPercent, in college during the infamous COVID lockdown, desperate for inspiration and hope for a better future both environmentally and socially. I remember literally googling, “climate and music” in hopes of uniting my environmental science major with my passion for music. I didn’t expect to find anything meaningful, and I was so delightfully wrong. EarthPercent’s fledgling website popped into view, and I’ve followed their evolution ever since. 

Buoyed by a universal love for music, some of the most inspiring and effective climate activism in the music world is happening at EarthPercent. Music managers Adam Callan and Hiroki Shirasuka co-founded the organization in 2020 after years of experiencing the toll the music industry was taking on the planet. Their vision crystallized into EarthPercent, an initiative encouraging music professionals to commit a small percentage of their earnings to their board-reviewed grants benefitting climate causes. Even more recent initiatives include crediting Nature as an artist on music projects, both committing proceeds to further climate work and signaling the inherent contribution of our environment to what we do and love. Admittedly, I thought this “Earth as an artist” situation was a bit, greenwashy(?) at first, but I have since felt quite moved by how well this group is merging the likes of music and climate people. 

Callan and Shirasuka first partnered with musician and songwriter Brian Eno, whose music I admittedly hadn’t tapped into until the May 2023 fred again. Collab “Secret Life.” Turns out Eno has served as a long time mentor and friend of Fred’s, and Fred now also supports EarthPercent’s initiatives, along with hundreds of other artists and industry professionals. 

As far as efficacy, the initiative’s numbers speak for themselves: $1 million committed, with $650,000 granted by over 250 supporters to support 5 key action areas: greening the music industry, ensuring a just energy transition, climate justice, legal and policy change, and protecting nature. Contributions support groups like A Greener Future (greening venues and festivals), ClientEarth (leveraging the legal system to educate and advise on climate), Critical Frequency (women-run podcast network holding oil giants accountable), and Music Declares Emergency (championing carbon neutrality in the music industry). By leveraging the power and profitability of music, EarthPercent provides funding for climate experts doing incredible research and advocacy, putting their resources where they’re going to go the farthest. 

On a far less technical level, EarthPercent’s work and story makes my heart explode with hope for so many reasons, starting with the very roots of the organization. The founders felt led to launch something, anything, after attending a ClientEarth event, proof of the impact that good people, quality research, conferences, and collaborations can have. Explosion #2 comes from the language surrounding their work: rather than “cut, reduce, decrease, conserve” (all valid climate verbiage, just a little less hope-inspiring), they aim to “unleash the power of music in service of the planet,” per their mission statement. It’s forward looking, abundance-minded, and spurs action, not fear-induced paralysis. Explosion #3 comes from naming “Nature” a creditable artist on projects (as it always was and will be, even if not immediately obvious). EarthPercent stands as a beacon of hope for climate activists, music lovers, and the Venn-diagrammed in-between. Explosion #4, honestly, is simply their branding, with neon green (BRAT before there was BRAT) that embodies a loud, green future and stands as proof that marketing, design, and clear brand identity aren’ just capitalistic pillars for pushing product, but avenues through which creative and intelligent folks can channel their skills for good. 

While I’m not in the industry and can’t get my very famous and widely known name on their list of collaborators (dripping with sarcasm), I am eager to up my listening to their supporters, knowing it’s excellent music and going toward even more excellent causes. Favorites include and aren’t limited to: Jacob Collier, Franc Moody, Big Thief, Coldplay, Declan McKenna, Shallou, Holly Humberstone, Jack Johnson, Swedish House Mafia, Violet Skies, Hot Chip, Gabrielle Aplin, Death Cab for Cutie, Bring Me To the Horizon (believe it or not), Alfie Templemann, and even the Cure and Gorillaz. Each of these artists contributes in a meaningful way, through direct partnership with live music ticket agencies to share an immediate portion of their revenue, merch sales with a cut for EP, and/or bespoke actions like auctions and one-time donations. Mere fans like myself can get involved by shopping their limited-edish vinyl compilations. 

Maybe I’m overstating the impact EarthPercent has had and will have, or maybe they’ve nailed the intersection between climate and music, giving music lovers and environmental science majors like me (at the very least) a sense that Everything’s Not Lost.