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RICHIE HAWTIN & MINUS announce combined Envi ronmental Awareness Initiative: minimize your IMPACT In response to the times we live in, and due to the ever-increasing amount of proof regarding the impact of human activity on our planet, I am pleased to announce our current environmental initiative. The aim of this strategy is to one day become a carbon neutral company. I also hope that our efforts will both encourage and inspire other musicians, DJ?s & entertainment related companies/individuals to find their own ways to limit their impact on global climate change. The initiative focuses on two areas: air travel and MINUS?s manufacturing practices. Richie Hawtin | AIR TRAVEL Air travel, with its high levels of CO 2 emissions, is one of the most significant contributors to climate change. As an international performer I find there are few realistic alternatives to flying thousands of miles per year travelling between performances and online or ?virtual? performances are currently no substitute for a ?real? physical public performance. My personal belief is that this has a calculable impact on our environment and therefore since January 1st of this year, in cooperation with Berlin based Atmosfair (www.atmosfair.de), we have been offsetting all of my flight carbon emissions. In addition, these offsets have been recently extended to cover all air travel made by Minus employees. Carbon Offsetting is the concept of buying carbon credits against one?s CO2 emissions to become carbon neutral. These carbon offsets are then used to contribute toward Atmosfair?s various environmentally conscious worldwide projects that adhere to the internationally accepted Gold Standard certification rules (www.cdmgoldstandard.org). I feel that carbon offsetting should be used in conjunction with other courses of action to minimise our global footprint. Therefore we are continuing to investigate alternative ways of reducing our combined CO2 output through alternative travel choices such as the use of public transport, cars, trains, bikes and combined artist bus tours such as the ?Minus Min2MAX 2006 USA Bus Tour?. We have also introduced other personal and internal office initiatives such as ?green? sustainable electricity suppliers. Minus | MANUFACTURING IMPACT In realistic terms we are still a music company whose revenue is generated from manufacturing items that are unfortunately harmful to the environment. Most of this damage can be attributed to the manufacturing of vinyl records and compact discs. While we will continue to support the older paradigm of music lovers and release most major releases on vinyl and/or CD, we have meanwhile focused our attention on the packaging of these products. All new 2007 Minus/Plus 8 vinyl & CD releases have been packaged in either sustainable FSC (www.fscus.org) certified papers and/or a combination of recycled papers. In addition we have also introduced a new CD packaging design that contains no plastics. We are also taking steps to introduce these types of papers into other areas of the company, and encouraging many of our worldwide partners & promoters to also be more conscious of the available alternatives. For example, the recently introduced Minus/Beatport promotion download cards created on biodegradable corn stock (www.natureworksllc.com). We will also continue to strengthen our support of digital download technologies that promote a more environmentally friendly music distribution system. Currently we are introducing the entire Minus catalogue on our new online store (www.m-nus.com), as well as working with our partner Beatport (www.beatport.com) to ensure viable digital alternatives to purchasing physical goods. Listen differently, download digitally! As there is always new research and data in the ever changing area of global climate change, we will continue to evaluate our position and the steps that we can make towards being as e nvironmentally friendly and as neutral as possible. Sincerely, Richie Hawtin, President Minus Inc. / Plus 8 Records Ltd. / Minus Multimedia GmbH |
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