Beyond that, she recently announced her third album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, to be released May 17, 2024. She spent the days leading up to the announcement building excitement by adding all of her Instagram followers to her “Close Friends” list. Eilish had the most Instagram followers in 48 hours…with her count increasing by 7 million followers total.
While her debut album, when we all fall asleep…where do we go?, was a chart-topper in its own right, it landed Billie every GRAMMY it was nominated for at the ripe age of 18…Eilish has solidified herself as one of the most sought-after and revered popstars in the world.
Eilish recently caught media attention for quietly revealing her sexuality. In an interview with Variety, she states that she’s always liked girls…and assumed people always knew that. In a viral snippet from her new song, LUNCH, she details a love affair with a girl.
But people don’t only adore Billie for her catchy tracks that consistently top the charts. It’s not just her songwriting ability and unique vocals that keep us hooked. People love her because she’s unafraid to speak her mind.
Whether it be complaining about too many influencers being at an awards show, or calling out other artists for using unsustainable practices…Billie does not hold back.
Billie Eilish On Sustainability
Eilish home
rethinkingthefuture.com
The Eilish home is iconic for many reasons: it’s where Billie and Finneas recorded her debut album, countless other songs, and EPs, in an effort to conserve water there’s no grass, and the roof is covered in solar panels. And being environmentally conscious extends beyond the four walls of their home.
When the hottest young talent is discovered at such an early age like Eilish, record labels are chomping at the bit to sign them. It’s like when a D1 athlete is ready to commit to college…you have your pick.
But what Eilish and her mom, Maggie Baird, were looking for wasn’t about money or label-perks…they were seeking a solid sustainability program. And while that may seem like standard practice, most labels didn’t bring up environmental policies during these meetings at all.
After signing to The Darkroom via Interscope Records, the struggle didn’t stop there. Billie Eilish and her family have been consistent contributors to the fight against climate change.
Maggie Baird has since started Support + Feed, which focuses on the climate crisis and food insecurity. Support + Feed helped Eilish’s 2022 Happier Than Ever tour save 8.8 million gallons of water through plant-based meal service for the artist and crew members.
During Billie’s 2023 Lollapalooza performance, she aided the launch and funding of REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project – which guaranteed all battery systems used during her set were solar powered. The MCD’s overall mission is to lower – and eventually eliminate –the music industry’s carbon emissions.
But more recently, Billie Eilish called out other artists for releasing multiple versions of vinyls in order to boost vinyl sales. In an interview with Billboard, she says,
“We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging … which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money and gets them more…”
Artists convince fans to buy different versions of their albums by offering exclusive features on each vinyl. Take Taylor Swift, for example, who released five separate vinyl versions of Midnights, each with a different deluxe “Vault” track.
While Billie may not have been trying to shade one artist in particular, the point is that she’s fed up. After being the rare artist in the industry who go out of their way to remain environmentally conscious, Eilish sets the bar high.
How Eilish’s New Album Is Sustainable
Billie for "Hit Me Hard and Soft"
William Drumm
Social media users were quick to claim Eilish was hypocritical by announcing that HIT ME HARD AND SOFT will have eight vinyl variations. However, each vinyl is made from recycled materials – either 100% recycled black vinyl or BioVinyl, which replaces petroleum used during manufacturing with recycled cooking oil.
This just illustrates that Eilish wasn’t directing criticism towards other artists for using vinyl variants to gain album sales…but she does think there are better ways to do it that benefit the environment without hurting their sales.
SPEAKERS CORNER - Tech Founders Talking
A Future for Philanthropy and Innovation
We are living in a time of unprecedented crisis, with conflict, the fallout from COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change increasingly driving more people to the brink of poverty, displacement and survival. Over 100 million people are displaced around the world. And price inflation is reversing a great number of the development gains made in recent years, plunging millions back into poverty. In many countries, the space for free, open, and democratic civil action and discourse is shrinking.
In parallel, innovation across technology, science, and industry is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Companies and individuals are achieving truly astonishing feats that have the potential to change our world. Never before has the world's population been so globally connected.
While innovation is undoubtedly present in humanitarian and development contexts, so much more could be done to bridge the gap between innovators, philanthropists, non-profit organizations, and the people in need around the world. In fact, it’s often the people experiencing crisis who are the greatest innovators and can ideate and deliver the most effective solutions. But they need support – be it financial resources, access to technology, or training and mentorship.
It’s in this global, uneven context that I believe a "call to arms" is needed to convene the talent, resources, visionaries, and experts required to affect urgently-needed change at the scale needed in our world. We must think of fresh ways of working together. We must be open to exploring and accepting approaches and ideas that don’t fit the traditional mould. These may diminish the powerfuls’ might, challenge our traditional models, and even transform the very structures and hierarchies that we consider beyond questioning.
Now is the right time to consider opportunities and novel ways of working that can unlock and unleash the huge power of philanthropy when it engages the right stakeholders in a purpose-driven way. To address the global challenges we face, it’s necessary to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including philanthropists, non-profit organizations, and people in need. By working together, we can find innovative ways to tackle the crisis and create positive change. This will require a shift in mindset and a willingness to think outside the box.
The use of mobile technology is an apt example of one grassroots innovation that has the potential to truly create change. In many developing countries, mobile phones are widely available and can provide a valuable tool for connecting people with the resources they need.
By leveraging this technology, organizations can provide people in crisis with access to vital information and services, such as medical care, food, and shelter. While this has been around for a while, there’s now an opportunity for rapid acceleration in the delivery of services via telecommunications infrastructure. That’s everything from access to financial credit, to distributed ledger banking, to training of community midwife volunteers in remote and underserved regions.
Another way to bridge the gap between innovators and those in need is to provide funding and support to individuals and grassroots organizations. This can help empower people to come up with their own solutions to the challenges they face and take ownership of their own development. By providing access to resources and expertise, philanthropists and non-profit organizations can help foster innovation and drive positive change. We can then see a multiplier effect when we combine these resources with the expertise, skills and radical thinking that exists amongst innovators, companies and next generation philanthropists. This combination can be a potent force for change at scale.
But where can this impetus come from? The United States has long been a leader in the humanitarian space, providing significant funding to organizations that are working to address global challenges. The US is also home to the world’s most successful and innovative private sector companies. It’s no coincidence that the progress we see in technology, pharmaceuticals, health and food science comes from American businesses.
This leadership, across the public and private spheres, can be leveraged to support and encourage the development of startling approaches to addressing crisis and promoting development. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders and working together, we can unlock the power of philanthropy. No longer should we be content with building a school and placing a plaque on its wall – we should accept no less than every child in the world having access to a full and free education. With the relentless wave of connectivity washing over continents and countries, this is no longer a distant aspiration – it is possible in the short term if we collectively pursue it.
However, it is not only the responsibility of philanthropists and non-profit organizations to drive innovation and beneficial change. Governments also have a crucial role to play in creating the conditions for innovation to thrive. This includes providing the necessary infrastructure, such as reliable electricity and internet access, as well as creating a supportive legal and regulatory environment. Across the world, as we see increasing political instability, civil society squeezed and in extreme cases, states collapse, geo-political actors must recommit themselves to ensuring the provision of stable, free societies where the wellbeing of citizens and vulnerable communities is prioritised above all else.
In addition to the efforts of philanthropists, non-profit organizations, and governments, there are many examples of innovative solutions being developed and implemented by grassroots organizations and individuals. One such example is my own organisation, the Irish non-profit humanitarian agency, GOAL.
GOAL has been working for over 45 years to tackle global challenges, including the provision of humanitarian assistance in conflict and disaster contexts. We currently operate in 14 countries, including Syria, Ukraine, and have in recent months being scaling up our response to the Venezuelan crisis where we are supporting refugees and migrants in Columbia.
The organization has a strong track record of implementing innovative solutions to address the needs of the communities it serves. For example, GOAL has developed a mobile-based platform that allows communities to monitor their own food security and alert authorities to any potential shortages. This low-tech solution has proven effective in improving food security and reducing the risk of famine in the communities where it has been implemented.
In addition to low-tech solutions, the organization also recognizes the potential of high-tech innovations to drive positive change. GOAL is a member of the United Nations' Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, which is focused on harnessing the power of data and technology to drive sustainable development. This partnership brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and academia, to develop and implement innovative solutions to global challenges, in particular those framed around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs are a set of 17 goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, with the aim of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring peace and prosperity for all by 2030. The tech community has the potential to make a significant contribution to achieving the SDGs. The rapidly advancing field of technology offers many opportunities for innovation that can drive positive change in areas such as health, education, and sustainable development.
For example, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning algorithms can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare delivery, enabling doctors and nurses to provide better care to more people. In the field of education, technology can provide access to high-quality learning materials and resources, even in remote or underserved areas.
In the area of sustainable development, technology can help to improve the efficiency of resource use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support the transition to renewable energy sources. For example, the use of smart grids and other technologies can enable the integration of renewable energy into the electricity grid, increasing the reliability and affordability of renewable energy.
The tech community can also contribute to achieving the SDGs through partnerships and collaborations with other stakeholders.
Ultimately, the key to driving sustainable development and addressing global challenges is the development and strengthening of resilient communities. Resilient communities are better able to withstand and recover from crisis situations, such as conflict or natural disasters. They are also more likely to be able to take advantage of opportunities for growth, development and innovation.
There are many factors that contribute to the resilience of communities, including access to basic services, such as healthcare and education, and the presence of strong social networks and support systems. However, technology can also play a crucial role in building resilience. For instance, mobile technology can be used to connect communities with the resources they need, register instances of abuse or corruption or deliver health care services in hard to reach places.
The global challenges we face require a coordinated response from a wide range of stakeholders, including philanthropists, non-profit organizations, governments, and the private sector. By working together and harnessing the power of both high-tech and low-tech solutions, we can drive innovation and support the creation of resilient communities that lie at the heart of sustainable development.
