In February 2023, Goldenvoice, a division of AEG Presents, set out to use its lifestyle and reggae festival in Long Beach, CA, Cali Vibes, to pilot a new sustainability program and technologies that could be expanded across the AEG Presents festival portfolio. The team’s strategy centered on improving the festival’s environmental impact and carbon footprint through trackable operations improvements while also educating attendees on the importance of sustainable operations.
Recognizing that reducing waste and GHG emissions for a large temporary event was challenging, the Goldenvoice team engaged the sustainability firm Three Squares, Inc., to help oversee the planning and execution of the program. The Three Squares team implemented a comprehensive waste minimization strategy that reused, donated, composted, or recycled onsite items, whenever possible, and utilized local infrastructure to send the remaining material to the local waste-to-energy facility. Additionally, the Festival partnered with reusable cup company, r.Cup, to replace single-use cups in beverage service, and with upcycling company Rewilder to repurpose scrims, banners, and other festival items into new consumer apparel.
- Diverting approximately 127,000 single-use cups, 2,100 pounds of plastic waste, 14,000 pounds of CO2e, and almost 8,500 liters of crude oil through the use of the reusable r.Cup system.
- Using 100% bioplastic-free compostable service ware by all food and beverage vendors to support the compost program.
- Donating approximately 2,000 pounds of food and 400 pounds of material to local Long Beach community organizations.
- Upcycling 2,500 square feet of fence scrim, banners, and t-shirts into consumer items such as tote bags and staff shirts, diverting approximately 165 Tons of CO2e.
- Reducing carbon emissions by 43 tons CO2e, an approximately 75% reduction, by using R99 renewable diesel in generators and heavy equipment instead of traditional diesel.
- Using solar battery generators powered activations to avoid GHG, NOx, and PM 2.5.
- Reducing emissions by 289 kg CO2 through the use of 1,454 bird scooter rides for attendees to travel to and from the festival.
- Eliminating the sale of on-site single-use plastic water bottles, which were substituted with aluminum canned water, and offering attendees water refill stations.