The Vinyl Revival: How Sustainable Are Records Really?
In choosing to listen to your favorite tracks, as an environmentally conscious consumer, there are many environmental factors to consider. Read here to learn about how as the “vinyl revival” continues, it is important to be aware of the environmental drawbacks the industry has brought to the environment.
In a digital age, many have decided to turn back the clock, and purchase their favorite albums on vinyl. Is this “vinyl revival” as down to Earth as you may think?
What even is the “Vinyl Revival”?
While yes, along with vinyl, other physical formats have made their small resurgences in the recording industry; many of them have taken a backseat to the vinyl revival. In 2023, for vinyl records sales in the US surpassed CDs by a margin of $396.4 million. But why vinyl? For one, in 2021 total sales for vinyls spiked by 68%, almost directly as a result of the pandemic. On top of this, many famous artists took advantage of this trend and contributed to the “vinyl revival” by releasing their own albums in a physical format. For good reason too! Vinyl records offer an incredible profit margin for artists, which is pushed further as fans view records as a superior alternative to streaming.
However, the vinyl revival can be attributed to more than clever marketing from your favorite artists. Vinyl records spark a sense of nostalgia and cultural yearning for those who weren’t alive to live through a time when they were a primary form of media. Vinyl records have an “aesthetic” to them that is appealing to today’s consumers: everything from the earthy smell, the artistic appeal of album art on older records, and the distinct “warmer” sound that records provide when played. Icelandic artist Laufey is a wonderful example of someone who leans into this nostalgia, as she uses her formal music education to write songs that are heavily inspired by a time before our own. Many listeners, especially those of the younger generation, have grown to see vinyl records in a positive light and not merely a relic of the past.
Yet, while going to a local record store and sifting through boxes of musty records feels far from harmful to the environment, there is much more to consider regarding the “down to Earth” nature of vinyl records.
Where Do Records Come From?
To answer this question, it’s important to know where vinyl records come from and delve into the process of their production. The method for making vinyl records has remained mostly unchanged since they first began mass production in the mid-20th century. Pellets of PVC are heated and then pressed into the plastic flat disc we see today. Currently, most vinyl records in the US are made with PVC from the Thai Plastic and Chemicals Public Company (TPC) in Bangkok. This is referenced in the book “Decomposed” by Kyle Devine, who discusses that 90% of all U.S. vinyl in 2015 came from one Thai Company (In reference to the TPC).
The process of making this PVC is far from cozy, as one would expect from any synthetic plastic. TPC, in particular, has a bad history involving environmental sustainability dating back to the 1990’s. From dumping harmful chemicals in the Chao Praya River to disrupting local environments with their careless placement of discharge pipes, the TPC has been condemned by a multitude of environmental organizations. Their reputation raises serious questions on the worth of having a physical copy of your favorite albums.
In Comparison: Streaming Services
Is it really all that bad though? PVC is used in a multitude of other products, and vinyl records are certainly not the main culprit of PVC usage. On top of this, it’s important to take into account the sustainability of streaming music directly. As with any large company, power is power. The toll of Spotify and Apple Music (among other large streaming services) on the environment, just by keeping servers running, dwarfs the impact of pressing a batch of vinyl records for an album release. The act of simply consuming and experiencing media is detrimental to the environment. In comparison to online streaming, it may be more eco-friendly to drive to your local record store and pick up a few copies of the songs you have on loop. Not digitally streaming music through an app or website may lead to a marginally smaller carbon footprint.
In addition, vinyl records are made to last, which is why they are considered nostalgic in the first place. Think about how many records do last for decades after their original pressing, years after popular artists have come and gone. Of course, they only last if they are cared for, and due to their intrinsic value, vinyl records are especially looked after. Record owners are always warned of what might happen if a record isn’t properly maintained: scratching, significant distortion, and damaging your record player equipment.
Hope For Vinyl?
It’s difficult to gauge how much you are truly reducing by choosing one medium over another. There are many other factors to consider, including supporting an artist who may not express the most environmentally friendly behaviors. However, regarding the sustainability of vinyl, there are organizations out there aiming to make record purchasing less taxing on your environmental footprint. Recovinyl, formed in 2003, aims to recycle PVC waste and promote sustainable PVC production practices. In 2023 alone, they were able to recycle an impressive 737,645 tonnes of PVC. Of course, there are also many smaller record production plants across the world, with a mission of pressing vinyl with a “green” mindset.
Leaning even more sustainably, CBS News reports on Evovinyl, a product by Evolution Music Ltd, which is a fully compostable vinyl record created without PVC. Whether or not your favorite artist will choose to produce sustainably is up to them, but there is little stopping the creation of a sustainable vinyl records line — an important decision that could set a precedent for the music industry.
Recap
The reality in choosing to listen to your favorite tracks is that, as an environmentally conscious consumer, there are many environmental factors to consider. Each industry has their clear faults and a long negative history behind them. With the “vinyl revival” driven by ideas of nostalgia and cozy record stores, vinyls have gained a positive reputation as a better alternative to streaming services. Nonetheless, it is important to not turn a blind eye to the faults the industry has brought to the environment. It’s important to consider the factories abroad, dumping PVC waste into local rivers, as well as the factories that loudly oppose such practices.
Ultimately, educating yourself on the effects of pressing play on Spotify, or purchasing a new record from Taylor Swift’s website, becomes increasingly important to reflect upon in an age of increased media consumption.