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Nathan Stratton’s popular Wollongong venue La La La’s has a power-hungry amplification system booming out live music most nights of the week, and his fridges run all day.
But some simple, inexpensive changes to improve the efficiency of his building have reduced his power bill.
“The impact of just window and door seals is a very cheap and effective way to mitigate noise and draught and keep weather out,”
he said.
“It can be daunting taking on environmental initiatives because you always feel like you’re not doing enough but I think if it has to be done step-by-step, it still makes a difference.”
Mr Stratton’s venue is one of just nine in Australia to receive Green Venue certification through Green Music Australia.
Nathan Stratton is keen to share his knowledge with other live music venues. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
Changes that pay for themselves
Green Music Australia is an organisation that aims to encourage and facilitate musicians and the music industry to improve their environmental performance around areas of energy use, packaging, waste and transport.
It piloted the program this year with an open expressions of interest process to assess venues for their environmental impact.
They were scored on criteria like single-use plastics, energy use, waste and how they encouraged patrons to travel to their venue.
A certified Green Venue appeals to environmentally conscious bands and booking agents. (Supplied: Chris Frape)
Green Music Australia’s research from its NSW Venue Sustainability Health Check, released this year, found venues could save an average of $10,388 each year through environmental improvements.
This included changes like switching energy providers, improving efficiency through appliance maintenance and installing solar power.
Venues could also reduce their electricity emissions to zero by switching their energy contract to GreenPower, which uses 100 per cent renewable electricity and is available through most energy retailers in Australia.
“We’re trying to help venues do better for the planet, but there’s some great opportunities to save money,” Green Music Australia spokesperson Emma Bosworth told ABC Illawarra Drive.
“We launched the certification because Green Music Australia works with labels and artists and they were asking us, ‘Where should we book our shows? Which venues are doing the right thing?’
“It’s been born out of a need.”
Expanding the program nationally
Mr Stratton said while he did not own the venue, installing a 6 kilowatt solar system made good business sense.
He said the system would provide sufficient power for the venue’s needs during the day and would pay for itself in three years.
“We’re really chuffed and we’ve put a lot of work into this and we’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re happy to share the education we’ve learnt to pass on to any other venues that are interested,”
Mr Stratton said.
Green Music Australia hopes to expand its Green Venues program nationally and expressions of interest will be open to any live music venue.
Other venues to receive the certification were ICC Sydney, Bondi Pavilion, Club 77, Brunswick Picture House, The Metro Theatre, King St Newcastle, Lansdowne Hotel and Anita’s Theatre, also in Wollongong.
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