A Greener Way to Gather…

Outdoor concerts and events bring people together for good times, but they also generate significant greenhouse gas emissions—often far more than organizers realize. The Climatepalooza Certification interactive form is an easy-to-use tool that helps organizers of outdoor events better understand and reduce their climate impact. The goal is to provide organizers with actionable insights and a meaningful certification — for audiences, sponsors, and communities — reflecting the full picture of an event’s progress toward sustainability.

Four key criteria - Among the main contributors to an event’s climate footprint are: 1) attendee transportation; 2) event power sources; 3) artist, crew and equipment transport; and 4) food/beverage containers and waste. By breaking these factors into measurable categories, the Climatepalooza Certification tool makes it easier to identify where the biggest impacts occur and where improvements can make the greatest difference.

Attendee transportation — The way people travel to and from a venue generally accounts for the majority of an event’s footprint (≈55%) and is therefore weighted most heavily. The Climatepalooza Certification form employs AI-powered predictions, based on event location and accessibility, to estimate how many attendees will travel to an event by low-carbon options like public transit, cycling, walking or shuttles versus higher-carbon options such as private cars. Organizers can then refine these estimates with their own knowledge of the audience or planned transportation programs.

Event Power Sources — How an event is powered is also a significant contributor to its climate footprint (≈30%). Many outdoor events still rely on diesel generators for power, but much greener options are readily available. Battery generators charged with renewable power are an easy alternative, and utilities often offer power sourced from renewable sources. The Climatepalooza Certification process is a user-friendly way for organizers to understand how their choices for sourcing power will significantly impact their event’s overall footprint.

Artists, crew and equipment — Also relevant is the means of transport for artists, crew, and equipment to the event (≈10%). Artists traveling by bus or making use of electric vehicles or rail can dramatically reduce their personal footprint at an event.

Food/beverage containers and food waste — A final set of related factors are food and beverage packaging and the management of food waste (≈5% total). Facilitating the use of refillable containers is ideal for purposes of an events carbon footprint and also avoids waste. Recyclable aluminum and compostable containers are an excellent alternative for those without refillable containers. Avoiding single use plastics helps reduce the carbon footprint of an event and is also highly visible and pertinent to overall environmental impacts. Composting or otherwise redirecting food waste away from landfills can also materially reduce avoid up to 2.5% of the greenhouse gas emissions that might otherwise be produced.

To learn more about the climate impacts of the different choices for your event, and to obtain a certification, visit Climatepalooza Certification today!

For a deeper dive into the research regarding climate impacts of outdoor festivals, concerts and other events, check out these studies/articles:

  1. Vision:2025 / Julie’s Bicycle / Powerful Thinking (2015; updated 2020) — The Show Must Go On. Industry benchmark on UK festival impacts, referencing two prior reports and a third report underway (energy, travel, food, waste, water).

  2. Tyndall Centre & Massive Attack (2021) — Super-Low Carbon Live Music: a roadmap for the UK live music sector. Offers decarbonization pathways for live music and festivals.

  3. Collins & Potoglou (2019). Factors influencing visitor travel to festivals: Challenges in encouraging sustainable travel. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 27(5), 668–688.

  4. Brennan, Collinson Scott, Connelly & Lawrence (2019). Music festival communities and environmental sustainability: A Scottish case study. Popular Music, 38(3), 396–416.

  5. Collins & Cooper (2017). Measuring and managing the environmental impact of festivals: The contribution of the Ecological Footprint. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(1), 148–162.

  6. The Power Behind Festivals (2012), A guide to sustainable power at outdoor events.