ABSTRACT
This chapter presents four case studies of the intersections between music and sustainability in the area of environmental sustainability. This is the first of the classical ‘three pillars of sustainability’ and, based on interviews that the authors have undertaken in previous research projects, this is the area that most people think about first when their thoughts turn to sustainability. A discussion of musical instrument making forms the first case study. The second case study looks at the relationship between composition and environmental sustainability. The third case study brings to attention the environmental problems related to individual and groups of musicians touring. The final case study is again quite different, investigating a new sub-discipline of music, ecomusicology, that focuses on the relationships between music, or sound in general, and the environment.
