I’m Sunny Luwe, a proud Weilwan woman and pop soul artist living on beautiful Kombumerri Country (Gold Coast) and I really care about the environment.

“How can I make my music with minimal impact on the Earth?”

This is a question I sit with a lot and what ultimately inspired me to create a carbon offsetting guide for musicians to offset their next single. The guide provides metrics to calculate your carbon emissions through the recording and release of a single.

Please remember, there are so many variables within this context, so be kind to yourself.

But before we dive into that rabbit hole of carbon offsetting – I want to acknowledge that this is a temporary solution. Our end destination is a world where the health of the Earth is always considered and factored into all projects, in every industry, all the time.

An exciting thing about this challenge that we currently face is that we have a choice in the role we play?

We can choose to be ignorant, cynical, or we can be the game changers. By being role models and by starting meaningful dialogue, we can put our money where our mouth is, we can lead by example. Since I have embarked on this project, I have had so many meaningful conversations about how we can create with less emissions and lessen our impact on the Earth in general. (A lot of people really care.) Some are now considering installing solar panels, refining basic practises such as recycling effectively, offering composting for their clients, encouraging clients to use public transport, the list goes on…

In the meantime, before our wonderfully-hippie-Earth-centred future, (where the health of our planet is always considered before commencing any project) carbon offsetting allows us to:

 neutralise our impact by purchasing high quality carbon credits,
 start meaningful dialogue about how we can prioritise the Earth in any project, and,
 open dialogues about how we can refine practises and processes with the Earth in
mind.

That’s why I created my carbon offsetting guide, to create action in this space (even if it’s small) and meaningful dialogue about our current trajectory.

To quote a couple of legends, ‘from little things, big things grow…” Thanks Kev Carmody & Paul Kelly.

To use the guide, start by reflecting on your project.

Take time to consider how your single came about and begin to record each time you travelled (and how) and all the other details involved in the song coming to life.

**If you are about to commence a project, take detailed notes as you go! I highly recommend an excel spreadsheet.

Now, using your notes, work through each section of my guide, which covers:
 writing the song
 preproduction
 studio time
 mixing
 mastering
 email data and attachments
 photoshoots
 music videos
 marketing

Once you have finished, double check your numbers, then round up – you get to preserve so much more rainforest this way!
Multiple your final metric by the monetary equivalent of one tonne of carbon.

Green Music Australia recommends high quality carbon credit options in their Sound Country Green Artist Guide here, or you can offset one tonne of carbon for $36 by donating to Rainforest 4 – a North Qld conversation project which is stepping up for the Daintree Rainforest.

Now (and an important one), spread the word.

Tell people about what you have done. Add it to your press release, tell your local paper, MP, your fans and normalise creating with the environment front of mind.

Final step – reflect and refine. Can you pivot or change any of your processes to reduce emissions? What do you do well, and where can you improve? Can you think about a challenge in a different light? How can I keep having a positive impact – hint, hint, check out more of what Green Music does…

Also – celebrate your goodness with a groovy boogie!
Happy offsetting – Sunny x