The 5 Biggest Music Sustainability Stories of 2025: Merch, Indie Fests & More

On a federal policy level, 2025 was a nightmare year for the environment. The Trump administration’s proposals have included the rollback of protections on millions of acres of wetlands and streams; the allowance of new oil and gas drilling across 1.3 billion acres of U.S. coastal waters; the pausing of the expansion of clean energy infrastructure; withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord for the second time; and more. 

Meanwhile, many people watched in horror — or lived the horror in real time — as climate change-related disasters ravaged communities across the country. The Los Angeles wildfires in January decimated entire neighborhoods, including the homes of many in the city’s music community. In July, severe flooding in central Texas killed more than 130 people, while October’s Hurricane Melissa killed over 100 people in the Caribbean. 

It’s been altogether difficult to witness, although simply witnessing it all isn’t necessarily the point. As Maggie Baird, one of the music industry’s leading environmental advocates and Billie Eilish’s mom, told Billboard in October while quoting Joan Baez, “Action is the antidote to despair.”  

To that end, many in the music industry took matters into their own hands this year by leveling up their sustainability efforts across touring, merchandise, waste management and more, with more artists, companies and organizations coming together to work on problems collaboratively. 

“The main thing I would say about this time is that it’s a moment for radical collaboration,” Baird continued in October. “Every organization I know and work with, we’re just like, ‘How can we be better together?’ We have to multiply — exponentially.” 

These are the five biggest music sustainability stories of 2025.