Music meets environment in first carbonneutral concert

Source: Global Times
[09:28 November 19 2010]
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By Jiang Wanjuan
Without specialized lighting or stage effects, singer Leehom Wang held an unplugged concert last week in Beijing for 600 fans.
The veteran singer and four-time Golden Melody Awardwinner went carbon neutral to make a stand for environmental protection.
Cooperating with outdoor-wear company Timberland, for whom Wang is the environmental protection spokesman and China Beijing Environmental Exchange (CBEE), a government-authorized platform for trading environmental equity, such as carbon, Wang's concert was able to achieve carbon neutrality.
Carbon credits were purchased for estimated emissions of Wang's concert, with the proceeds supporting an energy conservation and emission-reduction project in Central China's Hunan Province.
It was the first carbon neutral concert in China, according to CBEE'S Bi Jianzhong.
He explained that the publicized trade of carbon, which has just started in China and is common in the West, hoped to encourage individual businesses to save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
The details of the energy saving and carbon reduction efforts behind the concert were shown during the event.
Staging, effects and tickets were all recyclable. Those attending were winners of an international T-shirt design competition with the theme of environmental protection.
Although only recently appointed spokesman, Wang has long promoted environmental protection in his music. His 2007 single "Change Me," which advocates changing yourself and the world, was re-leased in 2007 and remains a hit. Wang also lives an environmentally-friendly everyday life.
Since he released his first album 15 years ago, the 34-year-old has attended countless festivals and ceremonies, but seldom buys new clothes. Over 90 percent of his outfits either borrowed or rented. He has a secondhand car that he bought for his 33rd birthday and he carries soap when traveling so he doesn't use the hotel's.
"I think everyone can make the world a better place by changing his own behavior," Wang said. "Also, we can join in more environmental protection activities to encourage more people to get involved."
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