From Guitar Strings to Green Initiatives: Music World’s Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

Taylor Balkom, a talented photographer, recently captured the efforts of Music World in Hazel Dell to reduce their environmental impact. The co-owner and general manager of Music World, Matt Gohlke, became aware that an estimated 1.5 million pounds of instrument string metal end up in landfills each year due to the lack of acceptance through local recycling programs. This prompted him to partner with TerraCycle and guitar string manufacturer D’Addario to organize string-exchange events at Music World.

For the past three years, Music World has hosted free string exchange events coinciding with Earth Day. During these events, D’Addario provides 40 sets of strings each year, and Music World staff replaces the old ones while TerraCycle recycles them. Restringing an instrument can cost $40, but this event not only benefits the community but also raises awareness about recycling and reducing landfill waste.

Although this year’s event has concluded, Music World continues to accept and recycle old music strings year-round. One satisfied customer, Derek Neiman, who has been a loyal customer for over a decade, decided to take advantage of the promotion and have his guitar restrung at Music World. Neiman praised the shop for always doing a great job. Photographer Taylor Balkom’s contribution captured the effort put forth by Gohlke and his team towards reducing their environmental footprint.