Rothbury reaches new heights in sustainability

By Nick Frazier

Rothbury Festival is still more than two months away but already it is building some major buzz among music fans around the continent who are making plans to trek to western Michigan for the July 3-6 event. Festival organizers at AEG Live and Madison House Presents have assembled a group of musicians as talented as they are diverse, but equally interesting are the event's ambitious plans to break new ground in “green” festival practices—both in the management of the event as well as its content.

These days, lots of festivals are talking the talk about sustainability, but Rothbury seems to be walking the walk as well. Sure the music is the festival’s main attraction, with headlines acts The Dave Mathews Band, Widespread Panic, John Mayer and Snoop Dogg playing late into the night. But the heart and soul of the festival is in its mission to relate a message of environmental conservation to its attendees.

The informational content will be delivered in a Think Tank program of keynotes, panels and workshops on clean energy solutions and climate change. Leading scholars, scientists, youth leaders, writers, entertainers and politicians will participate. Announced participants include curator Stephen H. Schneider, Eban Goodstein, Hunter Lovins and Winona LaDuke

On the green practices side, the festival aims to be a “zero impact” event. In addition to policies on things like recycling and carpooling, special green initiatives include a “green ticket” option that includes a donation to offset carbon emissions made in traveling to the event, donation of solar equipment to local schools, a "green team" volunteer program and personal ashtrays to discourage littering. The organizers have obtained entirely compostible food service utensils, further reducing the gathering’s impact on the planet.

We'll have to see how successful Rothbury's green initiatives prove to be. If a media giant like AEG Live is spending money and effort on such progressive efforts, it may just a matter of time until ecologically conscious festivals become the norm.