Latest:

22:02 Dindane claims dramatic equaliser
22:02 Tuncay snatches point for Potters
22:02 Tevez and Adebayor on target for City
21:22 Ex-Beatle Macca visits the Commons
20:02 Dublin mayoral election 'this year'
19:32 I feared for my future - Jones
19:32 Afghanistan deaths soldiers named
19:22 Katie offers support to Terry wife

Have U2 created a monster with massive carbon footprint of 360 tour?

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

Bono and the Edge, during the first night of their 360 degree tour in Barcelona

More pictures

Bookmark & Share

What are these?

U2 and Bono’s long-held commitment to “save the planet” has come into question after it emerged they have a carbon footprint big enough to fly the band to Mars and back.

The Irish rockers campaign to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa and Bono called on the world’s population to take better care of the earth.

Speaking in Tokyo last year he said: “My prayer is that we become better in looking after our planet.”

However, according to an environmentalists’ website, the band’s 100-date 18-month world tour will see the multi-millionaires clock up an incredible 70,000 air miles in their fuel-guzzling private jet.

The £90m U2360 tour also features three 390-tonne stages criss-crossing the globe, along with 200 crew and backstage staff.

The opening night in Barcelona’s Nou Camp last week featured the space station-style stage and satellite link-up with the International Space Station.

Perhaps appropriately, the tour’s carbon footprint can also be measured in space terms, with their colossal emissions of up to 65,000 tonnes of CO2 enough to fly Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr from earth to the planet Mars — and back.

>>Been to see U2 in concert? Click here and send us your pics

The figure was calculated by experts from carbonfootprint.com, a company which specialises in assessing environmental damage.

U2’s CO2 emissions are the equivalent of the waste created by 6,500 average British or Irish people in an entire year, or equal to leaving a standard 100 watt lightbulb on for 159,000 years.

The band’s vast emissions are dozens of times bigger than Madonna’s carbon footprint on her 2006 world tour, despite her extravagant demands and 250 staff. She produced 1,635 tonnes in air transport.

U2’s PR agency RMP did not return a request asking if the band were buying carbon offsets to contribute towards the damage of their enormous emissions.

Carbonfootprint.com’s environment consultant Helen Roberts said: “The carbon footprint generated by U2’s 44 concerts this year is equal to carbon created by the four band members travelling the 34.125 million miles from Earth to Mars in a passenger plane.

“You also have to add the carbon emissions from the same number of concerts again next year.

“Just looking at the 44 concerts this year, the band will create enough carbon to fly all 90,000 people attending one of their Wembley concerts to Dublin. To offset this year’s carbon emissions, U2 would need to plant 20,118 trees.”

Pollution experts said U2’s 44 concerts in Europe and North America this year will produce 20,117.50 tonnes of CO2 emissions, unless the band unexpectedly decide to ship to equipment to the US, in which case the footprint would be 5091.41 tonnes.

Bono and his bandmates will generate 64.42 tonnes of CO2 by flying 22,037 miles to this year’s gigs in their private jet, currently stationed at Nice airport, near their Cote d’Azur holiday villas in the south of France.

Most of the carbon footprint comes from transporting the three 390-tonne stages, using 3,286.60 tonnes of CO2, with another 916.07 tonnes for extra equipment. Next year they are expected to play 20 concerts in North America in June and July and 20 dates in Europe in August and September.

Comments

First |
Previous
1
2
Next
| Last

26 Comments

All the people who have posted here defending U2 have completely missed the point. Noone is complaining about a rock band on tour. We all know madonna, girls aloud, the rolling stones etc. etc. have massive tours with huge carbon footprints. What people are angry about is that Bono spends his whole time trying to lecture us, and make us donate money to good causes - when he himself is a tax cheat, and spending enormous, extravagent amounts of money on pointless stage shows. If he believed what he said, he would try and set an example. He is a hypocrite, and that is what is repellant, not the fact he is in a rock band.

Posted by sdasdahj | 16.08.09, 10:53 GMT

Thet's not forget that $40million plus they are spending on just the stage productions of these concerts. Which considering his opinion on hunger and poverty, makes me feel completely sick. Imagine the good they could do with that amount of money. Never have i been so angry at total hypocrisy.

Posted by U2 go to hell | 16.08.09, 10:48 GMT

Buying carbon offsets cannot compensate for actively reducing the carbon produced, a duty that every person owes to the environment, themselves, and the future of the human race as a whole. As for anyone saying global warming is a hoax, get your head out of the sand and open your eyes, the evidence is everywhere, not just on paper. Its not just any band that has responsiblity, everyone does, and most of the excuses I see, hear or read for ignoring the problem border on the lazy, feckless and stupid. We live in the 'cant happen here, its not my problem mate' age, where people will put their own pleasure beyond any other considerations.

Posted by Miko | 15.08.09, 14:12 GMT

Maybe if Bono took of his rose-colored glasses for a bit, he could actually see his own hypocrisy. Planting trees to offset carbon emissions is just another way for those with extravagant lifestyles (and a professed concern for the environment) to feel better about themselves while maintaining their ability to scold the rest of us for not taking public transportation to work everyday. Thank you for pointing out yet another reason not to pay attention to these nabobs.

Posted by Charles | 30.07.09, 16:51 GMT

You mean we won't have to bear that insufferable man coming to our countries and asking our governments to spend our money on a PREVENTABLE disease anymore? It couldn't come too soon....

Posted by Amberwave | 18.07.09, 00:56 GMT

A simple Google search would have revealed that U2 have purchased carbon offsets for this tour. This is either sloppy journalism or tall poppy syndrome. Or both.

Posted by Jon | 10.07.09, 14:25 GMT

U2 have never lectured people about global warming and all Bono said was "My prayer is that we become better in looking after our planet." That doesn't say anything about global warming and I bet that you can't find a single instance where U2 has said "We want to save the planet."

Posted by Tom | 09.07.09, 17:03 GMT

@ James: As a norwegian I had to look the "tall puppy syndrome" up, but in Scandinavia we have a similar expression: the Jante law (from the norwegian/danish novelist A Sandemose). And it exists indeed, at least in the northern parts of Europe.
Success is no easy thing, neither to gain nor keep.
We'll enjoy the concerts, we lucky ones. You others, get a hobby. It's recommended for your own sake - and ours :)

Posted by Knut | 08.07.09, 20:40 GMT

Okay then, I'll plant the trees! I'LL PLANT MORE TREES IF EVERYONE WOULD STOP COMPLAINING, AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON THE GOOD THINGS....... 20 000 trees isn't even a forest.......... What if everyone planted a tree, every time they made a nasty comment? Or, better still, what if everyone planted a tree for a nasty thought, and donated a dollar for every nasty deed?

Posted by Kate Seaton | 08.07.09, 05:36 GMT

Agree with previos comments,what a bunch of hypocrites.
Classic case of"dont do as I do ,do as I say".If they are just a rock band,then stick with that and spare us the two faced preaching.

Posted by grainne | 08.07.09, 00:30 GMT

I see the "tall poppy syndrone" exists in Ireland.

Posted by James | 07.07.09, 23:09 GMT

Something I've never understood - those of you who can't stand the band etc. Why do you read the stories then?

Posted by Ian | 07.07.09, 22:24 GMT

With regards to the movement of their main enterprises and liquid assets to Warsaw because it's more tax-friendly arrangement for firms with such a turnover as hefty as theirs, we Irish cannot even contemplate critisising such a move.Such policies were our own in the 90's when we attracted such a mass of international manufacturers to our shores who paid significantly to our exchequer.It is a pity in a cultural sense but by expressing anger we only contradict what was and still is own greed.

Posted by Darren M | 07.07.09, 20:56 GMT

Rolling Stone and The New York Times both have recent articles saying that they will be purchasing carbon offsets I doubt that is something Madonna would have done. One could have found that information with a google search. Not only that, but the picture used in the article was from Slane Castle 2001 not Barcelona 360. Just because you're angry that they exploited tax laws like everyone else doesn't condone a sloppy hit piece.

Posted by John | 07.07.09, 20:31 GMT

Global warming is a hoax. Actually, it's a crackpot religion, with people calling themselves "Green Earth" (see comment below) etc. The scientific facts available flat out do not support a conclusion of global warming. It's sad, there are so many lost people in this world looking to a pop group for salvation then becoming disillusioned when a bunch of spoiled rotten pop stars disappoint them. U2 makes great music. Personally, they are probably jerks. Deal with it. There are more important things

Posted by Charles Livingston | 07.07.09, 20:22 GMT

Get real. If you can't stand them, leave them be and figure out your own carbon footprint. Probably not like a native in the jungle of Papua New Guinea. Jeeez
ps: I'll travel from Norway to see them in Amsterdam - very, very gladly by air. You may be my guest and walk. ds

Posted by Knut | 07.07.09, 20:18 GMT

As I bought plane tickets last night to see U2 several states away, I thought how cool it was that at least there were still some things that were stimulating the economy. I hope people don't use articles like this to push lame legislation that will continue to cripple our economy, ingenuity, and souls.

Posted by NFW | 07.07.09, 18:02 GMT

Where U2 around, or anyone else for that matter when Global Warming happened in the past? It will make no difference to our planet what airmiles any of us clock up!!

Posted by Chester | 07.07.09, 15:39 GMT