Minnesota Stories:

Green Rock

“I love the easy access to all of the surface fresh water. I love the smell of pine. I love the changing seasons. I love how clean the metro area is in comparison to so many others around the U.S. I love the attitude and warmth of the people in this state. I love the ecological contrasts you can find across the state, from north to south and east to west. Of course, our families live here too, so it’s great to be close to loved ones, too.”

Though these hardly sound like the musings of a rock star, these are the words of Craig Minowa, whose band Cloud Cult has been in the national spotlight, while he continues to work for Minnesota’s environment. Conservation Minnesota had a chance to catch up with Craig, who continues to work with the Organic Consumers Association when Cloud Cult isn’t on the road.

When would you say you first became more conscious of environmental issues — especially within the musical community?
I first became a music-related environmentalist in 9th grade when I took part in a community-wide litter cleanup project to generate money for a UK tour our orchestra was about to embark on. I was blown away by how much junk was in the ditches and in the rivers. It woke me up to pollution-related problems, and so I began researching various environmental issues and never turned back.

What inspired you to found your nonprofit record label — Earthology?
When I completed a Cloud Cult album in the late 90s, I started looking around for environmentally friendly CD packaging. Nothing existed at the time, so I decided to develop my own models.

How is Earthology environmentally friendly?
We use 100% postconsumer recycled content and have helped a number of other CD manufacturers develop similar models.

How does Cloud Cult take this philosophy on the road?
 We pay to have enough wind power fed into the grid to provide electricity for our stage shows, hotels and other related needs. We purchase carbon offsets and have planted hundreds of trees to absorb our CO2. In the past, we have used biofuels and had solar panels on the van. In 2009, we will be doing a mass transit tour to promote passenger trains.

Would you say any of your music is influenced by your concern for the environment? The first couple Cloud Cult albums had strong environmental lyric themes. I started singing more about issues related to mortality and spirituality after that.

Do you think green practices — such as the ones utilized by your band and record label — are spreading more throughout the musical community these days?
Yes. In fact, it’s getting to be quite trendy to be “green.” When we started, it was actually an un-cool thing to do, because most of the urban youth in the late 90s thought it was cool to be cynical and pessimistic. Environmentalism requires optimism and hope, which I feel in the youth today.

Is Minnesota more receptive to your environmental concern than other states?
There are certainly areas that are more receptive than others. Minnesota is great, as is the West Coast and cities like Denver. No matter where we go, it seems the college campuses are strongly receptive to that message.

When acting as a steward for the environment, a strong coalition of people is integral to success. Does Earthology team up with other environmental groups?
Yes, we have worked with a wide variety of nonprofits, as well as business sponsors and grant funders. The environmental movement’s success requires inclusiveness.

Learn more about Cloud Cult at www.cloudcult.com.