How big is the problem of waste at live events? And how can we manage it better?

The Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is a zero-carbon venue that operates on 100% renewable energy and recycles over 90% of its waste. The arena also captures rainwater for ice-making in a 15,000-gallon cistern and promotes public transit, with a goal of 25% of guests arriving via sustainable transportation.

A few thousand miles away, Glastonbury Festival in the UK has banned single-use plastic bottles, saving over a million annually. It promotes reusable items, free water refill stations, and on-site recycling to encourage sustainable behavior.

Then we have bands like Coldplay that use solar power, kinetic floors, and biodegradable confetti to make its Music of the Spheres tour more sustainable. It plants a tree for every ticket sold and encourages reusable bottles.

So what’s driving these events and bands towards sustainable initiatives?

The Problem of Waste at Live Events

Live events generate more waste than meets the eye. Outdoor festivals are especially harmful to the environment. For instance, U.S. festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach produce 100 tonnes of solid waste daily. On a global scale, such festivals account for a staggering 43.5 million tonnes of waste sent to landfills or burned.

This waste goes beyond the common suspects of plastic cups and food wrappers. It includes wristbands, glitter, ponchos, toiletries, and even tents and sleeping bags. Many of these items are made from non-biodegradable polymers that can persist in the environment for centuries.

Poor sorting, limited composting infrastructure, and lack of attendee awareness often prevent biodegradable materials like food scraps and compostable dishware from being processed correctly.

A typical live event attendee produces 1.89 kg (or 4 lbs) of waste daily, with 85% ending up in landfills and only 15% compostable.

Event planners and attendees both have a role to play here.

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Better Waste Management in Festivals

Event producers such as Zero Waste Fest have diverted thousands of cubic yards of waste from landfills. They achieve this through clear waste sorting, recycling, and composting while promoting reusable materials and biodegradable options.

GOB’s partner Sound Future is also doing commendable work in this area. It has created a first-of-its-kind interactive directory to help artists explore sustainable solutions for live events.

The directory has over 300 vendors, offering everything from catering and merchandise to power supply and waste management.

Attendees can also make live events more sustainable by carpooling or using public transit. Bringing reusable items, reducing food waste, sorting waste, and supporting sustainable merchandise are other key actions that all of us can take to ensure a greener future for live events.

Waste and Emissions: The True Cost of Live Events

The Problem of Waste at Live Events

Better Waste Management in Festivals