[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqu1uG7e7gI]

I was invited by EcoMaven Alex Steele to participate in U2’s Green Team–Seattle was the 5th city on the concert tour to implement an on ground crew to encourage recycling and educate on green initiatives designed to reduce the U2 tour carbon footprint.  Effect Partners, a Minneapolis, Minnesota company that is occupying the unique space of turning intentions into actions, orchestrated the U2 Green Team effort. Other Effect Partners projects include making recycled plastic shirts for the Black-Eyed Peas, “So Much to Save” initiative for the Dave Matthews Band and Jack Johnson’s “All at Once” encouraging individual action. Bono and U2 were even better than the real thing.

It was inspiring to see everyone ready to carry the banner, or in this case, recycling bags, for the cause. The crowd seemed to appreciate the opportunity to learn more and re-use the empty bottles they were allowed to enter the stadium with or make sure they got recycled. I look forward to hearing the numbers for recycling at the end of the tour.  As Jim from Effect Partners pointed out, ‘the size of the effort needed cannot prevent us from beginning.’