Rocking out to raise awareness has been a part of band history for decades altogether now. Mahindra Independence Rock carried forward that tradition this past November, as part of Seagram’s 100 Pipers Play For a Cause, specifically drawing attention to reducing plastic use, planting trees and ocean conservation.

At the comeback edition of India’s beloved rock gathering Independence Rock on November 5th and 6th in Mumbai, Play For A Cause teamed up with Indus Creed, Zero and Parikrama to get festival-goers to do their bit – however small a gesture, be it using a rice husk cup or planting seed paper – for the environment.

Often coupled with Play For A Cause’s call to “be remembered for good,” I-Rock’s top acts adapted three different causes each which resonated with them. Indus Creed shone a light on the importance of our vast oceans, with the festival doubling down on reusable cups made from rice husk and trading in plastic straws for steel ones. Zero lived up to their name and picked the apt cause of zero waste and waste prevention. Mahindra Independence Rock also partnered with environment sustainability firm Skrap to implement zero-waste services. Parikrama batted for a green future, which ties into Seagram’s 100 Pipers’ mission to plant one million trees and promote the regeneration of green spaces around the country. A guitar pick wrapped in an envelope made of seed paper was handed out to attendees, to help reach the tally of a million plants.

These initiatives took off at I-Rock as part of the celebrations that brought in Indian rock’s favorite artists on stage once again, just as the long-running festival has been remembered for decades now. Outside of the festival, Play For A Cause, Mahindra Independence Rock and the bands also launched digital campaigns and videos which built a sustained interest.

Lead Image: Abhishek Gupta