Ross is a founder, CEO & consultant with over 15 years of diverse experience in music, media, entertainment, climate action & tech.
Sitting at the intersection of music, media, tech and climate action their professional ambition is rooted in spearheading a movement aimed at fusing culture, impact and commercial business into a harmonious beacon of sustainable lifestyles and behaviours, with roles including Talent Manager at RossPatel.com, Impact Consultant at LIVE Green, Board Director at the Music Managers Forum, Chief Strategy Officer at UMA Entertainment Group and Talent Buyer at Club Love. Read Ross’ answers below:
1. What is the proudest sustainability achievement or moment of your career?
The current LIVE Green sustainability clauses for Artist booking contracts and the upcoming inaugural Artivism conference in Pretoria, South Africa.
2. What was your worst ever sustainability-related decision, project or initiative and why?
I’m not sure there is ever a bad decision, if something doesn’t work out, use it to learn and refine the next attempt.
3. What are you excited about implementing this year?
Getting the LIVE Green Clause work together has been a cross-industry collaborative effort. It has the potential to massively scale up our industries’ sustainability efforts. Very excited about getting it out into the world.
4. Which environmental issue do you most care about?
Biodiversity
5. What sustainable change have you made in your personal life that you are most proud of?
I’ve been vegan for 8 years and 90% of my clothes and tech are secondhand.
6. What do you read, listen to or watch to stay in touch with green issues?
Drilled and Outrage + Optimism
7. What is the most memorable live performance in your life?
Rage Against The Machine, Reading Festival 2008
8. Was there a moment you committed to taking action on climate change?
The pandemic presented an opportunity to focus more on taking action.
9. What is the most important issue to tackle at your events?
Awareness, communication, culture and behaviour change.
10. What do you think is the most significant challenge for the events industry becoming more sustainable?
Policy, law, infrastructure, impact measurement standardisation.
11. Can you share something sustainable about/from another artists or event or company that inspired you to make a change?
A festival in Portugal used firm language to create a culture where people clean up after each other. There was zero waste on the site.
12. What is the secret to your sustainable success?!
No secrets, just care and compassion for the world and everything on it.
13. Tell us something you feel positive about right now that relates to the environment
Seaweed mixed with other plant-based materials can replace plastic and is compatible with the existing manufacture infrastructure.
14. Tell us a book, film or recent article you feel others should watch/read and why about positive change?
Doing Good Better. Incredible analysis and framework tools to help guide you in having the most positive impact possible.
15. Can you give people new to sustainability in events a top tip?
Read the More than Music report by Betternotstop.
16. What is the favourite festival moment of your career?
So many! Recently DJing at Shambala for Pinky Promise. The whole experience of Waking Life.
17. What habit or practice has helped you most in your personal journey in life?
Meditation.
18. Is there anything new or exciting you are planning or changing for the future that you can tell us about?
I’m planning an exciting campaign for an artist client in collaboration with a climate charity to raise money for them.
19. Will we save the world?
The world doesn’t need saving. The species in the world, however…. could use some help.
20. What would your sustainable super-power be?
To inspire powerful people.
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This Q&A originally appeared in our September 2024 Vision: 2025 newsletter. Sign up to receive monthly event sustainability news, case studies and guest blogs direct to your inbox.