Community
Print
Billie Eilish is hosting a climate-focused event called “Overheated” in London this summer.
Named after a song from Eilish’s 2021 album Happier Than Ever, the six-day event is bringing together activists (including Ugandan climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate), musicians (Sigrid features on the bill), and speakers, like Destiny Boka Betesa. A co-founder of ChokedUp, Betesa works to raise awareness of air pollution and the racial injustice surrounding it.
Alongside Eilish, Overheated’s founders include Support + Feed and REVERB. The former was launched by the singer’s mother Maggie Baird amid the pandemic and aims to promote plant-based diets. The latter is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the music industry’s impact on the planet.
The event’s slogan reads: “Overheated. Can’t be defeated. United for our planet.”
Billie Eilish pushes for climate action
Eilish, a vegan, is passionate about climate awareness. Her current Happier Than Ever tour has its own Eco-Village, where fans can learn more about climate action. It also features a pre-performance message from Baird. She urges viewers to take Support + Feed’s plant-based pledge and ditch meat for 30 days.
Diet change is a key way to fight the climate crisis. The meat industry is a leading cause of deforestation, water pollution, and contributes 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
In the recorded message, Baird says: “I know that you know that Billie and her whole family are very concerned about climate change and I know you are too. By taking a pledge to eat at least one plant-based meal a day for 30 days you will help save the planet.”
Eilish is also backing a new collaboration in the music industry called Music Declares Emergency U.S. Other artists in support of the group—which is the new US chapter of an existing European initiative and pushes for more governmental action—include Arcade Fire, Annie Lennox, Tom Odell, and Bon Iver.
A joint statement from the group reads: “The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time, and the power of music should take its place at the forefront of this important movement to create a safer, fairer, more sustainable world. The climate crisis is about science, not politics.”
Overheated is at the O2 Arena in London on June 10-12, 16, 25, and 26. Tickets are on sale now.
