One of our favorite music festivals, Bonnaroo, is making some pretty impressive strides past their already impressive sustainability goals. The festival issued a statement this week that claimed they are stepping it up a notch this year....which is nothing to scoff at, given their extremely proactive stance at last year's festival.

Here is the good stuff the festival did last year:

• Over 50% of waste diverted from land fills
• 60% of festival waste recycled or composted:
• Total waste recycled: 94,340lbs / 47.17 tons
• Total food waste and biodegradable products composted: 20,600lbs / 10.3 tons
• Total waste sent to WasteAway: 600,400lbs / 300.2 tons
• Implemented paperless ticket request system
• 67% of the festival's diesel consumption was locally sourced bio-diesel.
• Offset festival emissions through Bonneville Environmental Foundation
• Attendees encouraged to purchase energy credits to offset their emissions for travel to the festival
• 90 security horses used on site, replacing 12 security vehicles
• Incorporated alternative fuel vehicles into the festival rental transportation fleet

and THIS is the good stuff they plan to do this year!

• Concession food served with biodegradable wraps, plates, cups and cutlery manufactured from renewable resources
• Using tree-free posters
• Using 100% recycled paper (30% post-consumer) for all of the program and administrative needs
• All wood stakes and lumber used on-site are logged and milled locally
• Whenever possible, recycled lumber, FSC lumber, and CF light bulbs are used on site
• Encouraging food vendors to source their produce and meat from local farmers
• Reducing the use of Velon, a petroleum-based material used to decorate the tents, from 100% to 30%
• Festival golf cart pool reducing number of golf carts by 25%
• Hired year-round greening and sustainability coordinator
• Planet Roo Ambassadors share the festival's greening mission with attendees and assist with general information and support. Ambassadors help Bonnarao attendees learn more about what we each can do in our lives and businesses to reduce pollution and become more efficient in our daily practices.
• Waste-free café in Planet Roo
• Social change documentary tent showing features and shorts about sustainable living
• Solar Stage powered entirely by solar panels
• Social Change Through Music panels at the Solar Stage

The festival will continue to offset all emissions associated with running the festival. In addition, this year, they partnered with Clif Bar to encourage attendees to purchase "Clif Cool Tags" wind energy credits to make up for emissions produced by their individual travel. Similar to Coachella, the festival is also running a carpooling contest offering a chance to win VIP camping upgrades to vehicles with four or more people.

If you're going to Bonnaroo, check back with us afterwards to tell us how you think the festival stood up to its plans. We're excited to hear from you!

Labels: Bonnaroo, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Clif Bar, festivals, native energy, sarah