Leadership / 12.14.22

The Year in Sustainability: What's Doable and What's Next

Access Staff

Pollstar (12/12/22) Borba, Ryan

Venues are increasingly accommodating artists' demand for sustainability, and in many cases spearheading the cause for sustainable infrastructure. This year, State Farm Arena in Atlanta became the world's first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Zero Waste platinum certified sports and live entertainment venue, diverting more than 90% of fan-produced waste away from landfills. Arena executives say zero-waste is now an everyday business requirement, while executive vice president of arena programming Trey Feazell observes that "more and more, sustainability is important to more bands, and this is another way of separating us from our competitors." Other key sustainability initiatives include Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, billed as the first carbon-zero facility of its kind. The effort has led to Green Operations & Advanced Leadership (GOAL), a sustainability partnership between like-minded venue operators devised by Pollstar and VenuesNow parent Oak View Group, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, Fenway Sports Group and architect and prominent green building advocate Jason McLennan. Member venues can monitor their performance against scientifically supported standards in energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, indoor air quality and health and wellbeing.

Read the full story from Pollstar.

Tags: Leadership , Sustainability