Norwegian music fests go climate-friendly

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 23 (UPI) -- Two music festivals in Norway linked with the United Nations to become a climate-friendly music venues, the U.N. Environmental Program says.

The rock-oriented Hove Festival, and the blues-and-jazz fest Canal Street signed on to the agency's Climate Neutral Network, the United Nations said in a news release. The Climate Neutral Network -- which includes countries, cities and companies -- aims to create a low-pollution world.

"The greening of live musical events represents an opportunity to lower the carbon footprint of not only the entertainment industry, but (also) millions, if not hundreds of millions, of people worldwide," Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environmental Program, said Tuesday.

Participants at last month's Hove Festival, including staff and acts, were asked to pay for their travel-related carbon footprint. Solar-charging points were provided for cell phones and LED lighting systems were powered by wind and solar power, the U.N. agency based in Geneva said.

The Canal Street festival, also in Arendal, is using certified green energy sources for the concerts during its July 21-27 run.

Money raised from the concerts will help support U.N.-approved Clean Development Mechanism emission-reduction projects in China.