Who We Are

GMA mission and goals

Our mission and goals

Green Music Australia is harnessing the cultural power of music and musicians to lead the way to a greener world.

So many musicians want to reduce their environmental impact but don’t know where to start. Green Music Australia is here to make it easy, providing tools, case studies, encouragement and hands on support, partnering with others across the sector to make change happen.

We run campaigns on key issues to build support and momentum for change.

And we celebrate successes and leaders, showing others how much can be done.

Who We Are

Who is GMA

Green Music Australia is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity.

Our role is to organise, facilitate and inspire musicians and the industry to make changes to improve our environmental performance, from energy use to packaging and waste to transport. By leading by example, and bringing our audiences along with us, we can create deep, cultural change.

What if the music scene went green? What if solar panels conspicuously sat on venue and studio roofs? What if venues and festivals stopped stocking plastic water bottles and replaced them with filling stations for reusable bottles? What if all lighting was LEDs and all fridges were green-cooling? What if bands’ merchandise was plastic free, organic and fair trade? What if the ARIA awards had a green carpet instead of a red carpet, and the whole industry started actually walking the talk?

Green Music Australia is here to make that vision a reality.

Our members and supporters come from a broad cross section of society: musicians; artist managers, agents and promoters; environmental consultants; venue and festival managers; music lovers who care about the environment; and environmentalists who love music.

We are a fledgling organisation, established in 2013. But with a few solid achievements and several big campaigns underway, we are quickly gaining ground.

Who We Are

Supporters

Green Music Australia is lucky to have so many talented and passionate supporters, focused on creating a better world and a greener future.

Supporter

Missy Higgins

I’ve come to realise over the years that people in my position (entertainers) have a great opportunity to be role models, to lead by example. But as an environmentally conscious person I’ve always struggled with the impactful nature of my travel-heavy career and how that makes it hard to talk to my fans about this issue: climate change. I know I’m not alone is my longing for a way to keep doing what I’m doing without making such an environmental impact, as well as a way to engage with my fans about it without feeling like a hypocrite!

I believe an organisation like Green Music Australia could potentially make a huge impact on the environmental-consciousness of our country. And now more than ever it’s outside-of-the-box thinking like this that we desperately need more of: a way to engage society about this urgent issue in a way that no politician has been able to. I’m very happy to support Green Music and will certainly encourage others to do the same.

Supporter

Wally de Backer

Musicians put a lot of good energy into the world. It would be excellent if this could continue to happen without putting large amounts of waste materials into it also. Recording and releasing records, and touring large groups of people around the world to perform can be very resource-hungry. I look forward to working with Green Music Australia on ways to do these things in more environmentally friendly ways.

Supporter

Paul Kelly

The more people on board and changing their practice the faster the wheels of change will turn. Green Music by providing support, advice and solutions can turn individuals trying to do the right thing into an effective group enacting real change. From little things big things grow.

David Bridie
Supporter

David Bridie

The music industry by its very nature leaves a large carbon footprint. It is our responsibility to support and encourage ideas and practices that help minimise this impact and take positive steps to a more sustainable industry. I give my full support and endorsement to ideas and projects such as Green Music Australia’s model.

Supporter

Austep Eco

Austep Music provides eco printing and pressing for the music industry, while Austep Lighting offers energy saving LEDs with replaceable parts and long lifespans. The music industry is already leading in both these areas, with most bands now using cardboard instead of plastic CD packaging, and venues using LEDs for stage and general area lighting.

Supporter

The Medics

The Medics wish to convey their support of Green Music Australia and hope to see the strength of the organisation grow over years to come to affect meaningful change to help support and protect the environment for generations to come.

As young men with strong ties to their Aboriginal heritage, the land and sea are integral to their culture and connection to their country. This connection is evident in the passion and themes within their music and songwriting.

Holly Throsby
Supporter

Holly Throsby

Musicians have a big voice, especially when singing in unison, and the prospect of Australian musicians from various genres coming together on the issue of climate action is not just exciting, it is essential. If we as musicians could influence producers, audiences, and each other, to become more climate conscious, and work towards the goals put forward by Green Music Australia, we will be making a dramatic improvement on our environmental impact and leading the way for other industries to follow.

I urge all musicians, and people involved in the music industry, to join in.

Who We Are

Our people

We are lucky to have board members who are deeply committed to Green Music Australia. We also have a small and growing group of people working to deliver our projects.

Board Member

Dan Rennie

Dan Rennie is the Station Manager and host of Sports Talk at 98.9fm radio in Brisbane. He is also an accomplished drummer and songwriter as well as a talented voice over artist, and a regular panelist on Channel 9’s Today Show. Dan’s passion has always been in supporting and nurturing emerging talent in Australia, particularly in his hometown of Brisbane & with a keen focus on Indigenous performers.

During his 10 years on radio, Dan has taken out the Peoples Choice Award for Most Popular Radio Personality at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2008 and been nominated for several other awards. He is a regular at some of Australia’s premier annual music festivals including: Gympie Music Muster, Blues & Roots & Dreaming Festivals as a highly sought after MC as well as broadcasting live from the events.

Dan has interviewed some of music’s biggest international names, including Glenn Frey, Jewel, Rodriguez, Brooks & Dunn, Dixie Chicks, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Steve Earle, Ryan Bingham and Dierks Bentley as well as interviewing some of Australia’s best talent; Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Shane Howard, Kev Carmody & Kasey Chambers have all been guests on his radio show.

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Board Member

Carla O’Neale

Carla has worked at APRA AMCOS for over 15 years and has experience in health and safety, human resources and administration. Prior to working at APRA AMCOS Carla worked for local government in waste education and waste management (she even worked at the local tip and garbage depot!).  Carla has a longstanding interest in environmental issues and thinks that we’d all be much better off if we each took a little more time to consider the social, ethical and environmental implications of the individual and corporate decisions we make.

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Board Member

Susie Sugden

Having worked in retail and business strategy for 10 years, Susie is Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Temple & Webster, Australia’s leading online retailer of furniture and homewares.  Previously she founded several successful eCommerce businesses in Indonesia, and worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. She has volunteered with NGOs including the Melbourne Writers Festival and Room to Read. In her spare time she volunteers as a lifesaver in Sydney, and is learning to pickle.

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Board Member

Jessica Cerro (Montaigne)

Jessica Cerro, better known by her stage name Montaigne, is a Sydney-based musician. The J Award nominated, and ARIA Award winning 23-year-old songstress soared through a sold-out national tour and released her first album Glorious Heights, which debuted at #4 on the ARIA charts. Jess is an avid environmentalist, and has been since age 15, vegan for five years with the impact of animal agriculture on the brain, recycler, upcycler, reuser, plant mother, and passionate advocate for climate change awareness amongst other sociocultural issues. Jessica is ready to make change happen!

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Co-CEO

Emma Bosworth

Emma is a songwriter with a great passion for conserving our climate and natural environment. She has been a professional in the music industry and environmental movement for fifteen years. Emma believes anything can be achieved if it’s for the greater good of our people and planet, and understands that art, particularly music, has a large role to play in social change.

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Co-CEO

Berish Bilander

Berish Bilander is a composer, musician, and activist dedicated to climate and social justice. He has co-written and toured with a range of artists including Vika and Linda Bull, Jaimi Faulkner, and new music ensemble Motion. As an activist, Berish has worked with local climate action groups to support state and national campaigns run through Friends of the Earth, and in 2013 helped found Public Transport Not Traffic—a coalition of over 40 transport groups that successfully fought back a major toll development in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Berish now heads up Green Music Australia’s zero waste campaign, working with musicians, venues, festivals, and fans, to eliminate disposable plastics in the music scene.

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Board Member

Blair Palese

Blair Palese is the CEO of 350.org in Australia – working to build a movement to stop new fossil fuels and rapidly reduce greenhouse emissions. Blair has worked in senior management roles for Greenpeace International, The Body Shop internationally, and as a consultant to a range of organisations and government projects including the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, the Make Poverty History campaign, ACF, The Climate Group, Planet Ark, The Climate Institute, The Green Building Council of Australia, Climate Friendly and more.

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Former Board Member

Mary Jo Capps

Mary Jo Capps has worked in the Australian cultural industry for more than 30 years. She has held senior arts administrative positions across Australia, with a strong focus on music performance, strategic planning, fundraising, international touring, board development and emerging talent.

She joined Musica Viva in 1999 to help broaden the access to and understanding of fine music throughout Australia, supported by strong community partnerships.

"As a director of numerous business and not for profit boards, I am particularly honoured to have been included in the inaugural Board of Green Music Australia. I believe the mission of GMA is vital to the future of Australia, and using musicians as leaders in the climate change debate is inspired – and inspiring!"
Nick Hanlon
Artist Outreach Manager

Nick Hanlon

Nick has worked for over 35 years in the music industry as a performer, publicist, promoter, tour manager, music video producer and director, documentary maker, and much more. In 2012, she produced Rock the Gate – Murwillumbah. 4000 people attended; Pete Murray, Blue King Brown and many others performed in a 10-hour concert; over 30 million viewers viewers on the Al Jazeera network tuned in; and there was much national media coverage and interest. She followed that up with several other events across the region featuring artists including Ash Grunwald, Xavier Rudd, Diana Anaid, Reg Mombassa, Gomeroi Elders and many more, culminating in the Battle for Bentley Concert 2014 and Rock the Gate Sydney in 2015.

We are very excited to have Nick on board managing our outreach to artists.

 

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Katie Noonan
Former Board Member

Katie Noonan

Katie Noonan’s technical mastery and pure voice makes her one of Australia’s most versatile and beloved vocalists. A mother, singer, producer, songwriter, pianist and business woman, Katie has won 4 ARIA Awards and been voted among Australia’s top 20 singers of all time.

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Board Member and Founder

Tim Hollo

Tim Hollo is a musician and environmentalist who co-founded Green Music Australia in 2013.

He was Communications Director for Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne, sits on the board of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, and has also worked for 350.org and others. With FourPlay String Quartet, he has performed at venues and festivals across Australia and around the world, from Woodford Folk Festival to the Edinburgh Fringe, and from rural pubs to New York’s Carnegie Hall.

 

 

 

"Green Music Australia brings together my two passions, but it also comes from a deep belief based on long study that music can and must play a vital role in tackling social problems – of which climate change is the biggest. We musicians have a responsibility and a powerful role to play. Let’s play it!"
Anna Rose
Former Board Member

Anna Rose

Anna Rose is the National Manager for Earth Hour with WWF-Australia and the Australian Geographic Society’s Conservationist of the Year 2015. She previously founded the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and was recently a finalist in the ACT Australian of the Year awards. She is author of the book Madlands: A Journey to Change the Mind of a Climate Sceptic (MUP, 2012).

"Green Music Australia is a powerful idea: harness the cultural capital of the music industry to change hearts and minds, inspiring people to support action to tackle global warming. At the same time, give artists and music lovers the chance to exercise leadership in reducing their own carbon pollution. Go GMA!"
Former Board Member

Mat Morris

Mat is an environmental scientist who has worked in the environmental sector for the past 20 years. Over the last decade Mat has focussed on greening the Australian music industry, establishing Sound Emissions and building the North Byron Parklands as an environmental leader in festival sites.

"Climate change and the continuing impact on the environment caused by each and every one of us is totally unsustainable. I believe there is one medium with the power to effect change and that is the power of music. Tune in, turn up and switch on…"
Treasurer

Pat Kelly

Patrick has 20 years financial/accounting experience. He is the CFO for MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) and its associated entities. Prior to joining MONA Patrick worked in the public sector in three jurisdictions as an auditor and senior policy analyst. He also has private sector experience working as a management accountant for an international training company and then Financial Controller for a publicly listed company. Patrick is a CPA and holds a B.Com

"GMA is focused on making practical and real changes specific to one industry. But the music industry uniquely engages with all of us, so GMA also has the potential to influence all sections of our community. It is a combination of these two reasons why I joined GMA."
Mahalath Halperin
Board Member

Mahalath Halperin

Mahalath is an environmental architect who has held a number of major roles including Chair of the Australian Solar Energy Society, Vice President of the International Solar Energy Society, Chair of the Australian Institute of Architects, NSW Chapter, Country Division, and President of the Armidale and District Chamber of Commerce.

"As an environmental architect (who also plays piano and cello), I’ve embraced an holistic approach as it brings together the arts and the sciences. Making music can, and should, do the same, and has the power to influence people to make positive change in these environmentally challenging times For me, GMA offers the perfect avenue to influence and pursue those changes."
Board Member and Co-Founder

Asher Christophers

Asher is an “ecopreneur” working with the music industry and various other sectors to strengthen sustainability through LED lighting and eco printing solutions. After a successful few years switching the music industry from plastic to cardboard CD packaging, Asher is currently focused on improving the environmental profile of lighting. As  a co-founder and board member of Green Music Australia, Asher works part time on outreach and events.

 

"Given the visibility and reach of the music industry and its ability to engage audiences in a way other endeavours can't, its perfectly positioned to set an example and start conversations. I'm excited to be a co-founding member of Green Music Australia."