Swift’s Midnights Release is an Eco Nightmare Dressed Like a Daydream
Let’s talk about the ecological and human harm caused by excessive PVC production
By Elise Nye
Instagram | TikTok
Much like the 13th track title of her upcoming album Midnights might imply, Taylor Swift is something of a Mastermind. Her ability to evolve alongside her fans is unmatched and the vast world she has built for them spans fairy tales, high school football games, and the dazzling streets of New York and London all while providing intimate if ambiguous glimpses into her personal life. Taylor Swift fans are lucky – there are few artists that give their fans as much as she does. But how much is too much?
While social media puzzles and liner note secret messages are harmless ways to connect with fans, I am a bit concerned with Swift’s merch offerings. The effects of climate change are upon us and overconsumption of plastics in particular is something that we need to address ASAP. From an environmental standpoint, Swift’s practice of issuing several vinyl editions of each of her albums is a red flag.
Releasing limited edition record pressings is nothing new, but Swift has a history of milking this marketing strategy to boost record sales, knowing that her die hard fans will purchase the same album in every edition and format available. For her upcoming release, in addition to a tape cassette, Swift is offering Midnights in five different colored CD and vinyl editions: lavender, jade green, moonstone blue, mahogany, and blood moon.
Need an extra incentive to buy multiple copies of the exact same record? Swift and her marketing team have gamed this out: if you buy four copies of the album on CD or vinyl, you can mount them on your wall with a specially designed clock component (sold separately, of course) to create a functional Taylor Swift clock.
While this art piece will no doubt help Swift break some sort of sales record, this achievement will have negative ramifications for the health of humans and the environment. Vinyl is made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which is a dangerous substance. PVC is an incredibly common plastic that is alarmingly unsafe. Exposure to PVC can cause a host of health issues including cancer, hormone disruption, and damage to the immune system.
PVC can also have toxic additives including phthalates, substances containing lead, and fungicides to name a few. These additives can be released from a PVC item when it is cleaned or handled; they can also slowly evaporate into the air we breathe. While I’m not about to toss my vinyl collection, it’s important to know that having PVC in your home in the form of records or other products can negatively affect your health as well as that of your children and pets.
On top of being hazardous in personal use, the production of PVC is also incredibly destructive. It generates massive amounts of pollution in the surrounding environment, which causes sickness and death in humans and animals. Most PVC production in the United States takes place in Louisiana and Texas, specifically in communities that don’t have the resources or political power to stop it, which makes the production and consumption of PVC an enormous environmental justice issue. Overconsumption of vinyl records will almost certainly have a disproportionately negative impact on the health of poor Black communities if the PVC they’re made from is produced in the United States.
I’m very excited to see all that the Midnights Era has in store for us, but I am disturbed by the fact Taylor Swift is encouraging people to quadruple or even quintuple the environmental impact of this release before she even hops on a private jet for tour. While I encourage fans to invest in the music they love, if you’re dead set on purchasing four or more physical albums this fall, I urge you to scoot on down to your local record store and support some indie artists or check out climate friendly music initiatives like this DJs for Climate Action PVC-free record.
Last Updated: October 20, 2022
Editor: Karrie Witkin | Designer: Haley Burson | Photographer: Elise Nye | Copyeditor / Proofreader: Karrie Witkin
Keep Reading
