Ultra will extend ‘Mission: Home’ environmental sustainability initiative
Recently, Ultra Music Festival announced they will extend their ‘Mission: Home’ initiative that is dedicated to decreasing the environmental impact of the festival to all future events. This news comes just as they delivered a report on the success of the initiative pertaining to the latest edition of Ultra Miami this past March.
A “leave no trace” policy, a decrease in the amount of single-use plastics, and an enhanced recycling program were just a few of the factors involved in this comprehensive campaign.
After a hectic 2018 that included the severance of their contract with Bayfront Park, Ultra was determined to demonstrate their commitment to the city of Miami as they searched for a new venue. Upon securing Virginia Key, Ultra launched the ‘Mission: Home’ initiative to prove the sustainability of the festival long-term. And even though the event voluntarily left Virginia Key, the results of the initiative were very impressive.
“We are happy to announce that our ‘Mission: Home’ sustainability initiatives including our Leave No Trace policy, single-use plastic reduction efforts, and recycling program will continue in 2020 and beyond,” Vivian Belzaguy, Ultra’s senior manager of sustainability, said in a statement.
Ultra 2019 earned an “A” on a report card compiled by VolunteerCleanup.org, Surfrider Miami and Debris Free Oceans. The “Mission: Home” initiatives prevented the use of 526,000 single-use plastic items. The entirety of their recycling loads was accepted by the recycling centers in the area, and 31% of the waste created during the event was diverted from landfills. See the full extent of the success of this initiative via the infographic below.
As more news of the rapidly declining health of our climate surfaces, the sustainability of these enormous music events comes more into question. Ultra is one of the most prominent event promoters on Earth, hosting massive events on six continents. With the success of the “Mission: Home” initiative, they are setting a positive example for promoters around the world that these events can adapt to a shifting environmental landscape.
Photo Credit: Rukes
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