The Hot Seat: Matt Morris

31 May 2010

Matt Morris - Environmental Scientist and Creator of soundemissions.com.au

Why have you started the Sound Emissions website? Feedback from some of the biggest Australian artists, festival promoters, tour operators and venue owners pointed to the need for a resource that could provide solutions, information and tips on how to minimise environmental impacts and avoid, reduce and offset carbon emissions. Hence Sound Emissions was born.

What events and festivals have you worked with in the past? Tours such as Powderfinger’s and Silverchair’s Across the Great Divide, Crowded House, Missy Higgins and John Butler Trio. Some of the festivals I have worked for include Splendour in the Grass, Homebake, Field Day, Shore Thing, Harbourlife and Good Vibrations.

In your 17 years of working in the field, what’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned? The most interesting thing is that with a little bit of foresight and commitment, artists, festival operators and venue owners can not only reduce their environmental impacts such as energy consumption and waste generation, but in many cases they can also save big dollars. When people in the music industry thank me for saving them thousands of dollars and I know that the environment has also been protected, I guess that is the most satisfying aspect of what I do.

Many punters have seen your handiwork at festivals and not even realised. What’s one on-ground initiative you’ve rolled out that they might have seen? The container recycling system at the Homebake festival over the last three years has been an incredible success story capturing up to 95% of all cans consumed at the event. Basically people pay a deposit of $1 when they buy a drink and get given a $1 ticket when they bring it back to use on their next drink. Over 100,000 cans per event have been recycled, the site always looks a million bucks and the fans love being able to play a small part in recycling valuable resources.

What are three easy tips for touring bands to cut down on their emissions/wastage?

1) Reduce the amount and/or weight of equipment being taken on tour. Every kilogram of equipment will result in greater transport emissions;

2) Where possible, hire equipment locally to reduce the amount of equipment being transported;

3) For equipment that you absolutely have to travel with consider using the most efficient mode of transport (i.e. train rather than road freight, etc);

There seems to be greater awareness about climate change now, but has there been the action to back it up? To be honest, there are now no excuses for not walking the talk. You really have to have had your head in a foldback speaker bin for too long if you think climate change is not going to affect your life of the lives of your friends and family. Now is the time for everyone to step up. Like so many artists throughout history who have used music as a vehicle for social and environmental change, today’s rising stars and superstars can really make a difference and lead the charge in tackling climate change.

What was your reaction when PM Kevin Rudd announced he was going to delay the ETS until at least 2012 after it stalled in the parliament? Like most Australians, we based our vote particularly on the one promise he was going to tackle the biggest environmental issue facing the planet. Kevin failed. It’s worth pointing out the ETS his party proposed was such a watered down and ineffectual mechanism that it would be lucky to reduce emissions by 2% or 3%. We have so many bright scientists and a wealth of renewable energy options, but it seems the fossil fuel industry has too tight a grip on the government. All the more reason to get up and make some noise.

The website, soundemissions.com.au, launches this Saturday June 5 on World Environment Day.