Pollstar (10/23/19) Brown, Eric Renner
Live Nation's Sustainability Rocks effort has maintained the company's leadership of promoting greener concert events. "I'm looking for ways that we can reduce the environmental impact of our concert venues," says Live Nation's Lucy August-Perna. "Obviously we've been super focused on waste production the last few years, but also things like energy use, water and, of course, fan, artist and community engagement." August-Perna and Live Nation President Tom See agree that artists have long been the primary drivers of sustainability in the music industry, with See noting "the more they advocate for getting venues to participate in sustainable activities, we all win at the end of the day." The Sustainability Rocks initiative enjoyed a second successful summer, with features like cheesesteak sandwiches made with plant-based "meat," phasing out single-use plastics and plastic straws, and installing water bottle refill stations. August-Perna admits that the push to have less than 10% of waste generated at concerts ending up in landfills by 2020 is a tough challenge, but progress has been made. "In just two years, we're now up to 50%," she says. Live Nation has hired sustainability coordinators to tailor sustainability practices, and ensure compliance at each of its venues.
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