Festivals Grab Green Cred

New Orleans’ Project 30-90 festival has gone “green” in a big way, building off the examples of similar events in Seattle, Chicago and elsewhere when it comes to protecting the environment and reducing its carbon footprint.

The Sept. 5 festival at River City Plaza, headlined by the Von Bondies and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, featured stages run on solar and wind power, paperless ticketing, pedicabs, recycling stations and biodegradable beverage containers and utensils.

Festivalgoers could also earn a carbon credit at a nearby landfill by adding $2 to the $30 ticket price.

Chicago’s Lollapalooza and Tennessee’s Bonnaroo festivals have at least one stage run by solar power and Lollapalooza also has a “Green Street” with eco-friendly vendors and “Rock & Recycle” among the featured activities.

Steve Schmader, president of the International Festivals & Events Association, said that the number of events going green continues to climb and at the IFEA meeting Sept. 21-25, a number of sessions will cover the many ways for events to be environmentally conscious.