Summer's 10 Hottest Green Music Tours

Rocking Out and Inspiring Change

Forking over the green beans for concert tix isn\'t easy, especially with the pinch of steep gas prices. But here, in no particular order, are some eco-friendly and dollar-worthy tours that are burning up the country from coast to coast. Hurry before shows sell out. (Dates are subject to change, so click through to find the latest info.)

Radiohead

Save the Date: In Europe for June and July, but back on U.S. soil in August for a final date in Santa Barbara, CA, on the 28th.

Here\'s Why: Radiohead\'s opening act, Liars, sez it best on MySpace: \"We\'re not sure if there\'s any information made public about the efforts Radiohead go to reduce their environmental impact. But there should be. At the outset we were all given tour water flasks. Plastic anything is like contraband. Every bus and truck runs on bio-fuel. There is no idling, rather some new-fangled way to deliver electricity cleanly. They don\'t do airfreight, either. The list goes on. Everything is supremely managed to reduce the \'footprint.\' \" View schedule

Coldplay

Save the Date: Catch them stateside July and early August with the \"Viva La Vida\" Tour.

Here\'s Why: Chris Martin and mates were carbon footprinting their tours before it was fashionable by planting mango trees in impoverished locales in India. View schedule

Jack Johnson

Save the Date: In Europe \'til August, then back in the U.S.A.

Here\'s Why: The tireless eco-supporting Hawaiian surfer dude not only has his own eco-village at every venue but his concert rider includes fluorescent light bulbs and water-efficient showers backstage, separate bins for waste and recycling (with biodegradable bags), an eco-crew to check tire air pressure for attendees and a requirement that all leftover food be donated to local food banks. View schedule

Bumbershoot Festival

Save the Date: August 30 to September 1 in Seattle, WA. See Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, Jakob Dylan, Keyshia Cole, Lucinda Williams, Flobots, Band of Horses and many more.

Here\'s Why: Bumbershoot is the eco trendsetting festival, and every year they raise the stakes with hydration stations to reduce bottled water usage, organic cotton merchandise, tons of recycling bins and even an eco-art show. View schedule

Dave Matthews Band

Save the Date: Look for DMB all over America from now through September.

Here\'s Why: Every time the man tours, he ups the eco-ante. Last year it was biodiesel trucks and buses, carbon offsets for travel, eco-friendly merch and an eco-village for fans. Green tour mavericks Reverb estimate more than 3 million pounds of CO2 reduced or eliminated. This year, look for carpooling services and an eco-footprint reduction contest for fans. View schedule

Virgin Mobile Festival

Save the Date: August 9 and 10, Baltimore, MD. Rolling Stone named Baltimore \"hot\" in the music scene, so it\'s no surprise that headliners Kanye West, Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Nine Inch Nails and the Stone Temple Pilots are on this bill.

Here\'s Why: Last year\'s event had \"Green Angels\" onsite monitoring eco cleanup. Look for compostable everything -- all trash will be recycled, food will be shipped locally and buildings and props will be made from sustainable materials. Power will be solar. View schedule

Los Lonely Boys/Los Lobos

Save the Date: From July 4 through August with The Brotherhood Tour.

Here\'s Why: Los Lonely Boys never say no to playing at eco-events and have a cut on Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur; Los Lobos just played the zero-waste Harmony Festival. Let\'s hope the boys plant some green in their \"Brotherhood\" scene. View schedule

Melissa Etheridge

Save the Date: In the U.S., now through September with the Revival Tour.

Here\'s Why: Not only does Ms. Etheridge\'s site sport a green tip on its homepage, the longtime activist watches her carbon footprint by selling eco-friendly merch, for starters. View schedule

Vans Warped Tour

Save the Date: Through August 17.

Here\'s Why: EarthEcho and Vans are teaming up to make \'08 the greenest punk tour yet with a solar stage and tents, clean catering and \"go green\" fan contests. View schedule

John Mayer

Save the Date: Now through August 31.

Here\'s Why: John Mayer once again partnered with the nonprofit enviro group Reverb and branded his tour AKOG (Another Kind of Green) to showcase his green efforts, from biodiesel buses and eco-friendly merch to erecting an eco-village for the fans. View schedule

And Don\'t Miss...

Styx/Boston:\r\nOur eco-minded Styx buddies double-team with Boston for July and August and are on their own in September.\r\n
Motley Crue: Crue Fest \r\nThis is our nod to Tommy Lee for his Battleground Earth on Planet Green channel.

Even More...

More to check out... (and if they\'re not eco-friendly, make \'em so -- carpool, recycle your trash and let conservation rule):\r\n
Steely Dan \"Think Fast\" Tour\r\n
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant \r\n
Heart, Journey, Cheap Trick\r\n
James Taylor \r\n
Tom Petty, Steve Winwood\r\n
Rock the Bells Hip-Hop Festival with A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, Rakim, the Pharcyde, Santogold and Q-Tip. \r\n
Santana