The World is On Our Side (Twioos) is run by musicians and artists and creative people, and we aim to network with others who express creativity in unique ways. Let’s use our artistic expression to do some good in the world!

If you are a musician or you represent a band, or you are some other type of artist and you’d like to get involved with the Plastic Free Challenge, here’s how!
 

The formulas...:

 The "sustainable selfie"

Post your photos or videos and challenge others to do the same, always tagging the Plastic Free Challenge social page(s) and/or using the hashtag #PlasticFreeChallenge so your efforts can be supported and promoted by our organization. . 

Why Musicians?

Gigging musicians use alot of plastic water bottles, cups and straws, plastic grocery bags, Styrofoam clam shells and other forms of single-use plastic, as well as gasoline to get from show to show. Few make the connection that plastic is made from petroleum and it never bio-degrades. Plastic is filling our landfills and our oceans very quickly and attempts to recycle or clean it up are falling short. 

Plastic is also a contributor to climate change and other environmental problems. Chemicals in plastics cause disruption to our Endocrine system (our glands and chemical balance in the body) which is now being linked to many diseases in humans and other animals. Our soil and oceans and the animals that we eat are becoming increasingly more toxic. But there is something we can do about it. We can reduce how much disposable single-use plastic we use and lead by example by promoting this effort to our fans. We can have a huge impact and reach a wide audience.  We can create a demand for sustainable products and services by raising awareness.  We have this power and responsibility and it is up to us to preserve a livable future. 

Not Just a photo opp:

This is about you making real life changes and leading by example. That is why we call it a challenge. Things like bringing your own water bottle with you everywhere you go including shows, reusable shopping bags, your own take away containers and utensils, and remembering to say "no straw please" at the bar and at restaurants.  Make these sustainable habits part of your practice and include re-usable items with your gear. Think of this as a prideful responsibility and a tax for touring. 

We offer 4 main mini-challenges: (Dates for each of these is being determined for 2018) 

The #WaterBottleSelfie, #BYObag, #BringYourOwn Containers & Utensils, and the #LastPlasticStraw.  (#strawssuck, #stopsucking) 

The 4 challenges listed above all ask you to lead by example and then post photos or video to your fan-base to engage them in a conversation about sustainability. We call these "sustainable selfies." 

You can start practicing these habits now (as individuals and with your band) and even start to document your process. And we can post pics during the campaigns in conjunction with all the other people involved to maximize exposure. And remember sometimes a photo of how you fail at avoiding plastic is more powerful than how you succeed. People can relate. We're all learning here. 

In the works:

Songs For the Earth Songwriting Challenge 

We will host a challenge and contest to write environmentally themed songs. 

Want to write and record an environmentally themed original song or record a clever cover?  We can release and promote these songs together with a roster of musicians from around the world and with celebrity judges to select favorite submissions which will be promoted and included in a downloadable compilation album. 

Submit Your Song or Other Creative Work

Musicians should provide a sound recording or music video of an unreleased original song that you own. All submitted songs or creative works should highlight either the plastic pollution problem/solutions and/or similar environmental concerns or inspirations. If originals are not your thing, you are also welcome to record your own version of an existing environmentally themed song, but it is your responsibility to obtain legal copyright permissions for all "covers" recorded and submitted. 

We are in the process building this contest, of figuring out all the parameters and deadlines for song submissions etc. We plan to release a compilation and have prizes and perks and raise money for environmental organizations. We are looking for eco-entrepreneurs to join our team and help build this annual eco-songwriting challenge.

To get a bit more info or to sign up see the terms and guidelines for song submissions below.

Email plasticfreechallenge@gmail.com with feedback and inquiries.  . 

More Challenges for Musicians:

TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND PROVE IT

You commit to take the Plastic Free Challenge. You avoid using unnecessary and single-use plastics and provide photos or videos to promote your efforts at your social media pages and tag the Plastic Free Challenge campaign. We also ask that you invite your fans to join you in taking the #PlasticFreeChallenge.

All "photos and videos, artwork, etc. that you share with your fans, should be posted publicly with appropriate tags #PlasticFreeChallenge and/or @Twioos. 

Step 1: Put out a post on your social media that you are taking the #PlasticFreeChallenge and invite others to join you.  

Step 2: There are Easy Action Mini-Challenges set up for the general public that happen at different times of the year. You can take these 4 challenges and help us promote them. For example one mini-challenge is called the “#WaterBottleSelfie.” While selfies may be considered narcissistic by some, we flip that meaning and use them to promote sustainability and raise awareness. We ask all participating artists who take the Plastic Free Challenge to take at-least one selfie with a sustainable water bottle (preferably metal or glass) and post it during this mini-challenge. You will be instructed and coached through the entire campaign as needed. 

Suggested Script for a water bottle selfie post: Hello we're Giant Panda Gorilla Dub Squad and we are taking the Plastic Free Challenge! We are playing in Syracuse NY tonight at the Palace Theatre and we're taking a Water Bottle Selfie because we're done with the single-use plastic bottles that pollute and poison our environment. How about you?

Bonus points:

Make public announcements from stage at shows and offer and supply the PFC hand flyer to fans at your merchandise table. We also have PFC social media images and a downloadable poster in a public media pack folder that you can utilize if you want.

Networking Challenge:  ENLIST other Performers/Artists

Invite and enroll other recording artists or creatives to take part in this campaign. 

Feeling lazy? You can personalize and use this letter to draft other artists that we’ve already written for you. Help us grow this online campaign  and international community of environmental creatives. To successfully complete this challenge you are required to enroll at-least one other artist or band to sign up and submit a creative contribution to the PFC campaign. 
 

Please review our Guidelines for Submissions below and sign up to be a Sponsoring Green Musician or Artist now:

Musician and Artist
Sign Up Form

By choosing any of the options below, you are providing a pledge to complete your chosen challenge(s). 

Terms and Guidelines for song Submissions:

All submissions to the Plastic Free Challenge (PFC) campaign should be unique original unreleased works (unless otherwise discussed) to be used freely by the Plastic Free Challenge to promote you, other submitting artists and the contest. Your song needs to, be released in coordination with our organization during the PFC Green Musicians Eco-Songwriting Contest (date to be determined shortly.)  

Helping it go viral: Your submissions will be used partially to drive web traffic to the PFC social media pages and should not be released to other outside websites or mediums unless approved by the PFC, until after our dated campaign event expires. At your websites, we ask that you direct your fans and promote a link to the PFC web URL’s for them to see and hear all of the songs in one place. We want you to also provide us a music video or even a simple still photo with your song to get maximum exposure. Please coordinate with us which image(s) you want to use with your song at the time of your submission. We can provide a Google drive folder for means of transfer.   

Song Stipulations

A submitted song must either have lyrics or a visual written narrative that is environmentally themed. Your song can highlight either the problems with plastic and/or the solutions, or other similar ecology related themes. Just get as close as you can to the aim of the campaign. 

When to start promoting

We ask that you start promoting your participation with the PFC Green Musicians Songwriting Contest at a specified date to be announced. We are still developing the campaign and determining the best "release" date for our music. We will strategically release stimulating content and promote one another and sustainability. If we all promote this campaign correctly, it will go viral.

Promoting the Plastic Free Challenge

We will be promoting you and we ask that you return the favor. If you have a song or artwork to submit to us, we ask that you publish and/or even embed our hashtag #PlasticFreeChallenge or other links in or with your work. We ask this of you so that when people share your video or audio file, the Plastic Free Challenge campaign and it's message will be promoted along with your song. This is not mandatory but a request.  

Please provide a link to www.PlasticFreeChallenge.org or tag our social media pages www.Facebook.com/theplasticfreechallenge and/or @Twioos on Twitter and Instagram.  You can also use the hashtag #PlasticFreeChallenge in public posts that you use to promote your song and relevant content during the PFC Eco-Songwriting event.

Prizes:

We are seeking sponsors and celebrities to help expose this campaign. Prizes to be announced soon.  

Rights

You will maintain rights to your song submissions but will allow the Plastic Free Challenge to post and share your offered content for the duration of the campaign.

Once you have signed up you will be contacted by a liaison from the Plastic Free Challenge who will assist you throughout the process.

Sales and fund-raising for like minded charities

Our Goals:  We hope to provide an online store and/or affiliate marketing to sell your music and other artistic submissions. We will encourage customers to donate and round up payment amounts to help fund their choice of several worthy environmental charities that we are working with. Musicians and artists that submit sell-able content, will be able to choose to participate in our downloadable compilation and donate some or all of the proceeds earned. Price and conditions will be contracted between us prior to the sale of your creative content. 

We need your participation and contributions to make this event a success. If you have any further questions or need clarification please email PlasticFreeChallenge@gmail.com