Eighty companies from the audio industry are currently donating gear to auction in support of rainforest conservation around the world. Organised by Danish sound designer Luftrum, the Audio Industry for Rainforests fundraiser includes studio software, plugins, effects, sample libraries, and hardware.
Companies contributing to the fundraiser include U-He, Spectrasonics, Eventide, Native Instruments, ADAM Audio, Mutable Instruments, and many more. Each bid starts at $5, with some of the gear retailing over $1000.
Want to buy gear for a good cause? Head over to this Audio Industry for Rainforests fundraiser, with heaps of gear on offer and all proceeds going to the protection of rainforests.
For the past eight years in October, Luftrum has asked developers in the audio industry to donate software or hardware to an auction where all proceeds go to charity. Companies have donated DAWs, synth licenses, sample libraries, Eurorack modules, hardware synthesizers, studio effect bundles, and much more. Previously, fundraisers have raised over $185,000 for Save the Children and $17,000 for Plastic Oceans.
This year, Luftrum decided to raise funds for rainforests, getting in contact with WWF Denmark. The funds will help combat deforestation and fires, supporting local and indigenous communities. They will also go towards campaigning for stronger action from governments and support work in monitoring, rescue and, recovery care of wildlife. 50% of the funds raised will be directed to local organisations with field operations in the Amazon and the remaining will go to the rainforests in Indonesia.
Where previously the fundraiser was hosted on the forum of KVR Audio, this year it has been moved to RallyUp – a charity campaign platform that provides an easy to use auction tool. So far, more than $16,000 has been raised.
Luftrum, who describes himself as an avid coffee consumer, and a sound designer who can’t play the keyboard, but “can make good synth presets”, describes the pursuit on his website:
“Everyday I am grateful, that my own kids are not born into poverty. They will never lack basic needs as water or food but in other parts of this world there are dads just like me, who love their daughters and sons just as much as I love my children – dads who have witnessed their own children die of hunger or from a simple curable disease! We owe to give back of the resources we have, to those who depend on us.”
The fundraiser comes as many high-profile musicians, including Thom Yorke, Brian Eno, and David Byrne, have recently signed a support letter for the Extinction Rebellion movement. In the letter, the musicians maintain their support for climate change action, whilst acknowledging the hypocrisy of the ongoing carbon footprint attributed to the arts industries.
The Audio Industry for Rainforests fundraiser ends on October 31st. To check it out, head over to the RallyUp website.
