Event 2: Ecochella

Last Friday, I attended Ecochella, here at UCLA in the Sunset Recreation Center. The event is put up by a student organization called E3: Ecology, Economy, Equity. Ecochella is a music festival put on by this group every year, but what makes this particular music festival special, is its focus on the environment and sustainability. 

Enjoying the show! (second from left)

Eight bands were invited to play, and they were all UCLA student bands. I was surprised at how good these bands were, and they all had a folk-y feel, which I felt fit in with the theme of sustainability. The stage was fully equipped with speakers and lights and the works, but they were all powered by these bikes pictured below. In order to make the entire festival emission, carbon free, students were invited to design stationary bikes that would generate electricity when ridden. Just the concept of a bike-powered concert was amazing to me and I was in awe to see how well these bikes worked.

Artist Ellen Levy tells us that art has the potential to expose the public to scientific discoveries and innovations. But as I saw at Ecochella, art can also inspire and motivate the public to action to change serious scientific problems, such as climate change. Art can no doubt be used as a tool, and a medium to acclimate the public to science and technology, but it can also inspire action. Here at Ecochella, technology and innovation was used to drive and quite literally power art!

Flower crown making station

E3's booth advocating clean e-waste

Surrounding the stage, there were also multiple booths, all sustainability related. There was a booth selling succulent plants, which are eco-friendly as they don't require a lot of water, as well as beautiful. There was a flower crown making station, which highlighted the importance of keeping our beautiful plants and flowers thriving in this environment.

Overall, I think that Ecochella did a wonderful job creating a concert and creating this artistic feat, while integrating technology and raising awareness about climate change and the need for sustainable practices. I would recommend that any student (bruin card required) come check it out next year!