Richie Hawtin and Minus Go Green

• Words: Jennifer Marston

Waxing poetic about the impending environmental crisis is common enough in Hollywood and the political arena, but electronic music is rarely found in the same sentence as phrases like "global warming," "green lifestyle," and "carbon neutral."

Enter techno icon and head of Minus and Plus 8 Records, Richie Hawtin. A quick peek at the label's site reveals the following message from the DJ and producer:

For the past 17 years, Plus 8, Minus, and myself as a performer have been part of the continued development of electronic music, a music that prides itself in always looking towards the future. So in the spirit of this tradition, I urge us all to look towards the future of our planet and make the necessary steps in our lives to ensure a bright and safe future for our next generations.

Not one to blabber away without backing up his statements, Hawtin has announced Minus' plan to become a carbon neutral company, with the initial focus resting on artist travel and manufacturing practices.

Hawtin, in a recent press release, cites offsetting CO2 emissions from plane travel as one solution, as well as seeking other means of traveling to gigs (bus, train, bike, etc.). Minus has also implemented the practice of packaging releases in recycled, plastic-free materials and utilizing the digital realm as much as possible.

While these aren't necessarily revolutionary tactics, the mere fact that a prolific and much-respected figure has spoken out on a topic rarely broached by the electronic music community is pretty heartwarming. So if you see the likes of Matthew Dear, Ricardo Villalobos, and Lindstrøm biking to their respective gigs, armed with CD promos packaged in paper, you'll know electronic music is catching on to the trend. Let's hope it does.