Radiohead’s eco-message

Rock band Radiohead say they are sending out an environmental message by holding their concerts in city centres near public transport stops.

Their aim is to reduce the number of people turning up to their gigs by car and have sent a message to fans asking them to use trains and boats instead of planes.

Their lighting system is much more energy efficient, doing away with high-wattage spotlights and using more LED and fluorescent lights to give their concerts a “unique ambience”.

Fans buying T-shirts – at €28 each – will find a label telling them they are made of a mix of organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles.

The band played at Bercy in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, and will perform two nights at the Roman arena in Nimes this weekend.

The band attempted to reinforce their message by offering free concert tickets to the first 50 journalists to turn up at their Paris offices at a certain time last Thursday by velib, the capital’s popular free bike scheme.

Unfortunately for Radiohead’s eco message, or the green credentials of Parisian journalists, only 14 turned up, and some of those on foot.

Paris has been making positive steps to reduce energy consumption besides the velib scheme.

Two metro lines (2 and 5) will see new trains taking over from the inefficient 1970s carriages gradually taking over in the next two years.

These trains – costing almost a billion euros to the city - are both more modern-looking and also use 30% less energy.

Air France has also announced that it wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 10% per traveler by 2012.

Photo: Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke, by Michel Zappa