NIVA Partners With r.Cup To Reduce Single-Use Plastic Usage 

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has teamed up with r.Cup – a partnership that will reduce single-use plastic usage at live events by implementing the sustainable platform’s reusable drinkware program in indie buildings across the country. Plus, a percentage from every cup sold will go to NIVA’s nonprofit National Independent Venue Foundation.  

“NIVA is uniquely positioned to encourage our members to adopt sustainable practices, in particular to reduce single-use plastics through this innovative program,” Cody Cowan, Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement. “Not only does this program align with our green initiatives, it helps raise funds for our organization so we can continue our work supporting independent music and comedy venues in communities across America.”

As the first national reusable platform of its kind, r.Cup provides a variety of cups along with collection bins and then after every event the cups are collected, washed, sanitized and then repackaged to be used again. Since being founded in 2017, r.Cup has diverted millions of single-use cups and foodware from landfills, eliminating an impressive two million tons of C02 emissions in over 90 cities, 30 states, and 12 countries.

r.Cup is providing its reuse system to NIVA member venues in Denver and Seattle and it will soon be available to venues in Los Angeles and Milwaukee.  

Tackling the environmental impact of live events remains a huge challenge for the industry. As an announcement from r.Cup points out, in North America alone, the live event industry is responsible for over 4 billion single-use and disposable cups filling landfills each year. 

r.Cup was founded by Michael Martin, who serves as CEO of r.Cup and is also the founder and CEO of Effect Partners. For more than three decades Martin has helped lead the way when it comes to music industry greening including his work with the  non-profit Concerts for the Environment and producing multiple nationally broadcast Earth Day events.  He’s worked with hundreds of artists and tours including U2, Roger Waters, Jack Johnson, and Rolling Stones, as well as developing the sustainability/marketing strategies for brands including Live Nation, AEG, Toyota, UPS, Target, Clif Bar, and Apple Computer.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with NIVA to accelerate reuse with their vast network of independent venues and promoters,” Martin said. “Together, we’re helping NIVA members reduce their environmental impact while also raising funds for the NIVA Foundation. With around 1,000 members, the environmental impact potential is huge by bringing reuse to many of these legendary, historic and beloved venues across the US.”

r.Cup is donating $.01 to the National Independent Venue Foundation for every cup utilized by a NIVA member. The foundation’s mission is “to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live performance venues and promoters throughout the United States by supporting a transparent, competitive marketplace serving a diverse and inclusive community of artists, fans, and industry workers.” The nonprofit seeks to fundraise to build and maintain initiatives in support of the mission, such as its Emergency Relief Fund.

Visit https://rcup.com/, https://www.nivassoc.org/ and https://www.nivf.org for more information.