Daily Pulse

Back In Key: How The Live Events Industry Can Restore Environmental Harmony

By Kristen Fulmer

Billie Eilish Kicks Off 5 Night Run At Kia Forum In Los Angeles, CA On HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR: Billie Eilish is one of the artists taking part in the FireAid benefits, held at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum on Jan. 30. She’s also a fierce advocate for the environment and she’s partnered with nonprofit REVERB and Support + Feed on her ongoing “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” to reduce the environmental footprint of touring and take action on the climate crisis. GOAL also worked with 10 member venues to elevate their impact when Eilish toured in their arena. Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images / Live Nation Entertainment

Imagine the planet is a band. 

Each band member represents a piece of nature’s beauty. The bass is the oceans, providing a steady rhythm. The forests are the guitar, shredding riffs of clean air and biodiversity. And the vocals? Humanity — bold, fearless, and powerful.

But lately, some of the louder voices have wandered off key and many are following suit, creating dissonance in our collective sound. Humanity is losing track of how to maintain harmony with the planet and the consequences are becoming harder to ignore. 

Natural disasters are devastating communities worldwide. In Western North Carolina, destruction has upended lives; deadly flooding has ravaged Spain, landslides have devastated Nepal. The tragic losses from the Los Angeles fires will leave a long-lasting mark, both emotionally and financially. In 2024 alone, the United States experienced 27 climate disasters, each exceeding $1 billion in damages. Over the last five years, these events have cost our country a total of $746.7 billion – roughly $2,500 per U.S. citizen. Twenty years ago, that cost was just $306 per person – barely an eighth of today’s burden.

The entertainment industry is not immune. More events are being postponed, venues damaged, and the health of singers, athletes, and fans jeopardized. 

It’s increasingly clear that humanity – not nature – needs to be retuned. Some may shift blame, others deny the problem, and a few will offer quick fixes. But autotune can’t save us here. Most people want to help but feel intimidated or unsure where to start. 

Thankfully, progress is already being made in two critical directions:

Prevention, which reduces and ultimately avoids the most harmful human impacts on the planet.

Adaptation, which equips us to overcome the consequences of damage already done.

As the cultural epicenter of modern life, the live event industry holds a unique responsibility – and opportunity – to elevate solutions that will navigate us back into harmony. Toward a better future. And a better now.

Prevention: Amplify the Right Key

The live entertainment industry must amplify solutions that reduce humanity’s impact on the environment and we need leaders across the industry to push to integrate sustainability into their businesses. 

Venue operators must implement strategic purchasing and operational efficiencies to prioritize sustainable technologies and products. Artists, athletes, and entertainers hold tremendous influence and can use their platforms to advocate for a sustainable future – with healthy air, clean water, and thriving ecosystems for all.

Adaptation: Write New Music

We must recognize that our planet – and its sound – might be permanently altered, requiring us to adapt to the new reality. Historically, the live event industry hasn’t had to anticipate the widespread impacts of catastrophic events but ignoring them now is no longer an option.

Live event facilities must:

Bolster the resilience of their physical infrastructure.

Establish preventative operational policies to counter climate-related threats.

However, focusing solely on protecting physical assets isn’t enough. Many venues are embedded in the heart of our favorite places – cities, parks, and entertainment districts. They must also support the resiliency of their surrounding communities. Artists, athletes, and entertainers can amplify awareness for community-support programs along their tour routes and continue to fund critical emergency response efforts like FireAid. 

Collaboration: A Global Jam Session

The lead singer – we humans – may be the loudest, but there’s no show without every instrument. Now, it’s up to us to find our harmony with nature. The good news? There are countless ways to contribute. Find what strikes your chord – every action helps.   

The biggest barrier to action is the fear of imperfection, born from finger-pointing, ridicule, and a culture that often dismisses positive change. To overcome this, we must tune out the naysayers, amplify every solution, and celebrate progress – even if it’s imperfect.

FireAid is proof of what’s possible when our industry comes together to harmonize with the planet. But this collaboration cannot end in the wake of the Los Angeles fires. We can’t stand by and wait for the next disaster to strike. The time to act is now – for ourselves and the next generation.

Kristen Fulmer is the Head of Sustainability at Oak View Group (Pollstar’s parent company) and the Executive Director of GOAL (Green Operations & Advanced Leadership). As her LinkedIn page says, Fulmer is “obsessed with mainstreaming sustainability in sports and live entertainment and dedicated to inspiring positive change through tactical actions.”

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