The sweet irony of Sup Pop records is that the defiantly indie Seattle record label came to prominence during the era of Generation X disaffected slackerdom. Now eighteen years old and still repping some of the finest indie artists, the label has gone 100% green energy. That means that all energy consumed by the company is considered to be 100% from renewable sources (such as wind or solar) as certified by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
“I was made aware of the program by one of my co-workers. I was, quite frankly, shocked by how easy it is to support renewable energy. Green Tags are a simple way for anyone to choose wind energy, which, in turn, lowers dependence on burning fossils fuels for energy,” said Jonathan Poneman, president of Sub Pop Records. “Green Tags fulfill an important commitment to both the planet and the Pacific Northwest, where Sub Pop is rooted.”
Naturally, it takes an small independant business to initiate such a change. With significant entrenchment (re: investment) in fossil fuel infrastructure, Big Business must meet its quarterly shareholder profit commitments. As such, Big Business is unwilling to invest in longer term, environmentally responsible initiatives that do not provide a “tangible” value to their investors. So the question is, how to we incent Big Business to follow Sub Pop’s lead? Since voting with our wallets seems to be the loudest form of consumer power, I guess we gotta go out there and buy a shitload of records.
The full press release after the jump.

Sub Pop Records Sets New Industry Standard by “Greening” Label with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Best Known for Representing Upcoming Artists, Label Becomes the First to Purchase Green-e Certified Green Tags
Seattle, Wash. (July 31, 2006) – Sub Pop Records, the music label that has given rise to bands ranging from Nirvana to The Shins, announced today that it has purchased enough Green-e certified Green Tags, also known as renewable energy credits, from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to equal 100 percent of the company’s energy use. To date, Sub Pop records is the first Green-e certified record label company in the United States.
“I was made aware of the program by one of my co-workers. I was, quite frankly, shocked by how easy it is to support renewable energy. Green Tags are a simple way for anyone to choose wind energy, which, in turn, lowers dependence on burning fossils fuels for energy,” said Jonathan Poneman, president of Sub Pop Records. “Green Tags fulfill an important commitment to both the planet and the Pacific Northwest, where Sub Pop is rooted.”
Earlier this year, Sub Pop Records’ recording artist Kelley Stoltz released Below the Branches as the first album to be green powered and incorporate the Green-e label on its packaging. Like Kelley Stoltz, Sub Pop Records is promoting climate recovery by supporting new renewable energy, such as wind and solar power.
“Sub Pop has been synonymous with helping talented new artists support their passion for creating music,” said Patrick Nye, director of sales of Bonneville Environmental Foundation. “Now, Sub Pop Records is directing the same energy toward new, renewable sources of power.”
Both Sub Pop Records and Kelley Stoltz hope to influence other artists and music fans to consider what they can do to shift our nation’s energy model to clean renewable technologies.
About Sub Pop Records
Sub Pop Records started eighteen years ago with releases from bands that were relatively unknown at the time, including Mudhoney, Nirvana and Soundgarden. The label continues to champion new artists that have quickly become part of the music lexicon including The Postal Service, The Shins, Iron and Wine, Wolf Parade, and Band of Horses. Sub Pop is based in Seattle, Washington. Visit www.SubPop.com.
About the Bonneville Environmental Foundation
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to restore watershed ecosystems and further the development and use of new renewable energy resources. Through revenues generated from the sales of green power products such a Green Tags, BEF funds projects that restore damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy products from solar, wind and biomass. BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 2000 and has helped establish national standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental groups and the Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively with but independent of both. www.b-e-f.org or www.GreenTagsUSA.org.
About Green-e and the Center for Resource Solutions
Launched in 1997, the Green-e Renewable Energy Certification Program is the leading independent certification and verification program that sets standards for renewable energy options. The Green-e logo serves as the national symbol for consumer protection and “seal of approval” indicating high quality, verified renewable energy. Green-e provides an easy way for consumers to find environmentally friendly energy options that fit their budget and present much less environmental impact than electricity generated primarily by fossil fuels. To learn more about certified renewable energy available in all 50 states, visit www.green-e.org, or call 888.63.GREEN.
Green-e is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions, a national nonprofit organization that works to make it easier for people and organizations to use renewable energy as a tool for mitigating climate change. CRS designs and operates national and international programs that support the increased supply and use of renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, low-impact hydroelectric power, and other clean energy sources. To learn more about CRS, visit: www.resource-solutions.org.