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U2 Under Fire For Huge Carbon Footprint of 360 World Tour

They could fly to Mars and back, it's claimed...

July 08, 2009 by Scott Colothan | Photo by Splash News / WENN.com
U2 Under Fire For Huge Carbon Footprint of 360 World Tour Add to My Fav Bands List

U2 have come under fire from environmental campaigners for the damage their mammoth U2360 world tour will cause to the world climate.

Somewhat hypocritically for a band who preach about saving the Earth, it's claimed that U2's colossal tour will create a carbon footprint big enough for the band to fly to Mars and back.

The ambitious world tour takes in 100 dates in 18 months and will see the Irish rockers clock up 70,000 air miles in their private jet alone.

Added with the vast 200 strong entourage needed to transport and put together their ambitious 'alien space station' stage set-up, plus the average 90,000 fans travelling to each of their shows, the environmental impact is vast.

Carbonfootprint.com’s environment consultant Helen Roberts told the Belfast Telegraph: ““The carbon footprint generated by U2’s 44 concerts this year (2009) is equal to carbon created by the four band members travelling the 34.125 million miles from Earth to Mars in a passenger plane.

“You also have to add the carbon emissions from the same number of concerts again next year.

“Just looking at the 44 concerts this year, the band will create enough carbon to fly all 90,000 people attending one of their Wembley concerts to Dublin. To offset this year’s carbon emissions, U2 would need to plant 20,118 trees.”

It all seems a far cry from multi-millionaire Bono's cry in Tokyo last year when he said: “My prayer is that we become better in looking after our planet.”

The band started the U2360 World Tour in Barcelona last week before moving on to the San Siro stadium in Milan yesterday. You can see highlights from the show below:

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(6)
  • Bono - what a prick.

    ~ by Murphy 7/8/2009 Report

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  • I don't thing U2 is the only band making big show like this. Others artists do that and so create a lot of pollution. And I don't say that because i am going to see them in Paris next saturday.

    ~ by Angélique 7/8/2009 Report

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  • The difference is this tour is much bigger than the vast majority of others. Also Bono doesn't practise what he preaches! At least Radiohead are apologetic when they travel

    ~ by Beam Me Up 7/8/2009 Report

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  • im tired about ambientalist, if you are green dont power on your pc , and dont **** us

    ~ by julio 7/10/2009 Report

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  • They have launched a new program about ofsetting for the tour. http://offsetoptions.cloudapp.net/u2-360/

    ~ by Adam 12/5/2009 Report

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