Pearl Jam Pay $210,000 to Offset Their Carbon Footprints

According to NME, Pearl Jam will be planting $210,000 worth of trees in Washington state. Why, you may ask? Well, in order to make up for all of the environmental damage they did during last year's U.S. tour. The band believes that the planting of these trees will not only...

By Sarah Ventre

April 1, 2010

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According to NME, Pearl Jam will be planting $210,000 worth of trees in Washington state. Why, you may ask? Well, in order to make up for all of the environmental damage they did during last year's U.S. tour. The band believes that the planting of these trees will not only make up for the impact of their gigs, but also their travel and accommodations, as well as the travel of their fans.

Not entirely sure how the band came up with their calculations, exactly. And while it is admirable that they're hoping to acknowledge that their artistic endeavors do in fact have environmental impacts, it feels like the whole thing got wildly oversimplified. It does raise a ton of questions. Is Washington state really the place that needs $210,000 worth of trees? Does paying for trees excuse any environmental damage one may do? What exactly are the environmental implications of a 32-date national tour? Do they extend beyond that of carbon footprints?

Kudos to them for publicly discussing the environment and attempting to be responsible. You just have to wonder how much this will actually help solve the problem.

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