photo credit Joanna Goss

Have you heard of The Giving Tree Band? A small but powerful Chicago bluegrass, rock, and eco-billy band that has as much passion for their music as they do for the planet.

The guys behind The Giving Tree Band are rocking out small concert stages and nationwide festivals with their unique blend of indie music and sustainability.

Their most recent music collaboration is Great Possessions, an album which was recorded in the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Wisconson, a LEED certified green building. This is the first album manufactured under wind power and in a LEED certified property. Pretty cool.

The guys from the band even drove their bikes 11 miles everyday to the center from their camping grounds site.Yes they camped out for a month while recording this album, as the Aldo center doesn’t have live-in quarters.

They also plan to offset the shipping of their music CD’s with a carbon offset program and even cooler than all of the above, is the fact that they use guitars and other instruments made from reclaimed wood. Some are donated by a retailer that specializes in recycled wood guitars.

The Giving Tree Band is a rock band with a dual mission, to rock out with awesome music and to do it sustainably.

Look for Great Possessions, their third album, to come out this Spring.

RECAP:

How to Green Your Band

1. In the manufacturing process

2. In the packaging process (recycled content)

3. Offsetting shipping or offering digital only goods

4. Using musical instruments made from sustainable materials

5. Partnering with or sponsoring charities that align with your green and eco friendly values

6. Producing great music (and a mission) your fans will love