News Archives - BYOBottle

BYOBottle Celebrates Plastic Free July!

Posted on June 29, 2023June 29, 2023 by S K

BYOBottle Partners: Eden Sessions, Plastic Free July, Jack Johnson with Hollie Cook,
Algalita Marine Research & Education, Cali Vibes Festival, Plastic Pollution Coalition

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

BYOBottle partners celebrate Plastic Free July each year, shining the spotlight on success stories and music industry efforts to turn the tide on plastic pollution. From venues & festivals, to artists, fans and industry partners, we are taking collective action to promote innovation and reuse. You can take the Plastic Free July Challenge, find an event near you, or explore the Changemakers Toolkit. As a BYOBottle partner, we encourage you to spread the word about Plastic Free July and share how you are taking action to reduce plastic waste, whether at a show or in your daily life. Please enjoy these partner updates and BYBottle highlights!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

BYOBottle artists, The Lumineers and their fans avoided 52,000+ single-use plastic water bottles on tour with help from greening partner REVERB. Water refill stations were provided at shows, reusable bottles & mugs were given to band and crew, and fans could donate for reusable bottles. Advance calls with promoters led to 92% of venues allowing fans to bring reusable bottles.

BYOBottle partners continue to raise awareness and inspire action. Upstream, with help from r.Cup, organized a “Single-use to Reuse” Earth Day event in partnership with the the White House and EPA. In June, UNEP hosted World Environment Day, with the 2023 theme focused on Solutions to Plastic Pollution. BYOBottle celebrated World Ocean Day and helped spread the word about World Refill Day and the Global Reuse Summit, hosted by City to Sea. Upstream hosted The Reusies awards to honor reuse innovators working to develop a better way than throw-away…congrats to the winners!

BYOBottle founding artist Jack Johnson recently took the BYOBottle message on tour in the UK and Europe, incorporating plastic waste reduction into his EnviroRider and encouraging venues and festivals to join the BYOBottle campaign. Jack’s band & crew created a World Refill Day reel backstage to promote BYOBottle and reusables on tour.

Live Nation has rolled out the TURN reusable cup program at 100% of their venues in Atlanta, in addition to the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, and will be expanding to additional Live Nation festivals this year. Check out this new The Story of Stuff Project Solving Plastic video – The Reusable Cups Helping Concerts, Festivals and Sports Events Reduce Waste. r.World continues a partnership with AEG/Goldenvoice, NIVA and others, bringing reuse to venues and festivals across Los Angeles.

Welcome new BYOBottle Partners Eden Sessions and SunFest! SunFest provided water refill stations backstage for artists and throughout the festival for fans. As part of a #refillnotlandfill effort, Eden Sessions offers a reusable cup program for concertgoers. Cali Vibes, also a new BYOBottle festival, teamed up with r.Cup to successfully divert 100K+ single-use cups from landfills.

BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner REVERB has been busy on the road working with BYOBottle Artists Dead & Company, Dave Matthews Band, Guster and Phish to reduce single-use plastics backstage and promote BYOBottle and #RockNRefill. REVERB worked with the Billie Eilish tour to eliminate single-use plastic backstage and on tour buses, avoiding 114,000 single-use plastic water bottles through sustainability efforts. Plastic Pollution Coalition launched Flip the Script on Plastics to help the entertainment industry model real solutions to plastic pollution, both on set and in storylines. Support the effort by signing the Flip the Script pledge. You can also explore the PPC Resource Library and tune-in to their webinar series to learn more.

➤ BYOBottle Suggested Post:

Sample Social Media Post: Share a photo showing how you reduce plastic waste.

As a @BYOBottle Partner, we are rocking reusables in @PlasticFreeJuly to support the music industry effort to turn the tide on plastic pollution. #BYOBottle #PlasticFreeJuly

*Invite BYOBottle as a collaborator on your post!

Please Tag BYOBottle – FB: @byobottlecampaign / Insta: @BYOBottle / Twitter: @BYO_Bottle

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Action: Support a Global Plastics Treaty

💧Featured Venue Sustainability: Eden Project/Eden Sessions

💧Featured Resource: Future Festival Tools

💧Featured Event: Plastic Free July

💧Featured Tour Impact Report: The Lumineers: Brightside World Tour

💧Featured Guide: Music Sustainability Association Resource Guide

BYOBottle Winter 2023 Highlights

Posted on January 27, 2023March 6, 2023 by byobottle

BYOBottle Partners: O’land fill & wash station, fans BYOBottle at Outside Lands, Plastic Pollution Coalition at Greek Theatre, reusables at Levitate Music & Arts Festival, r.Cup at Fiddler’s Green, reusable cups on Jack Johnson tour, Green Music Australia with Music Victoria Awards, Plastic Free July hosts Plastic Free Tea with BYOBottle partners

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

We are thrilled to report that momentum to reduce plastic pollution in the music industry is growing! Artists are joining venues, festivals, and fans to rally around BYOBottle and rock reusables to reduce single-use plastic waste. BYOBottle Non-Profit Partners are sharing out valuable resources and plastic-free messaging, and our Business Partners continue to expand innovative solutions for the events industry. We hope you enjoy these BYOBottle updates and highlights!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

BYOBottle founding artist Jack Johnson is promoting plastic free initiatives throughout his Meet the Moonlight Tour, and shared recent highlights in this North American Impact Report. While in Australia, Jack and fellow BYOBottle Artist Ziggy Alberts gathered with BYOBottle Non-Profit Partners Tangaroa Blue, Plastic Free July and Green Music Australia for a beach clean-up to raise awareness about solutions to plastic pollution. In association with Jack’s show in Sydney, Plastic Free July and Take 3 hosted a “Plastic Free Tea” bringing together music industry efforts with local non-profits, concluding with a backstage tour of Jack’s greening initiatives with Green Music Australia.

BYOBottle Festivals continue a commitment to turn the tide on plastic pollution. Cali Vibes Festival 2023, together with AEG and Goldenvoice, are piloting the r.Cup reusable cup system for poured drinks, eliminating single-use plastic water bottles, and inviting BYOBottle Non-Profit Partners Algalita, 5 Gyres, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Surfrider Foundation, Upstream and Rob Machado Foundation to engage with festival goers. BottleRock is eliminating all single-use plastics and provides reusable bottles to artists and staff, last year avoiding 180,000 single-use plastic water bottles. Levitate Music & Arts Festival reached new records in 2022 with the elimination of single-use plastic at all bars, and Outside Lands ditched disposable plastic water bottles, encouraging fans to refill for free at water stations.

Green Music Australia continues to spread the BYOBottle message throughout Australia, connecting with music audiences and industry members at events ranging from stadium shows and festivals to beach cleanups and awards nights. They have hosted BYOBottle activations as part of the Lost Paradise festival, Music Victoria Awards, and multiple concert tours.

BYOBottle Business Partners continue to promote innovative reuse solutions. r.Cup expanded reusable cup operations to venues and festivals in Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco, eliminating over 2 million single-use cups. Effect Partners implemented a BYOBottle program for the Roger Waters 2022 Tour, providing stainless steel coffee cups and water bottles for the production crew. O’land fill & wash stations have provided over 700,000 refills at events and music festivals, helping to reduce plastic waste.

Live Nation made incredible headway in 2022 in reducing single-use plastics across U.S. venues and festivals. Highlights include: 7.7+ million single-use plastic water bottles avoided by providing water refill stations and alternatives to single-use plastic water bottles. 38,000+ signature drinks were sold in reusable stainless steel pint cups. 1.2M+ single-use cups were displaced through the TURN Reusable Cup program – stacked end to end these cups would reach the top of the empire state building over 340 times!

BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner REVERB has been busy on the road working with BYOBottle Artists Dead & Company, Dave Matthews Band, Guster and Phish to reduce single-use plastics backstage and promote BYOBottle and #RockNRefill. REVERB worked with the Billie Eilish tour to eliminate single-use plastic backstage and on tour buses, avoiding 114,000 single-use plastic water bottles through sustainability efforts. Plastic Pollution Coalition launched Flip the Script on Plastics to help the entertainment industry model real solutions to plastic pollution, both on set and in storylines. Support the effort by signing the Flip the Script pledge. You can also explore the PPC Resource Library and tune-in to their webinar series to learn more.

➤ BYOBottle Suggested Post:

Sample Social Media Post: I’m excited to support #BYOBottle to help turn the tide on plastic pollution in the music industry! The momentum to rock reusables is growing. Join the effort at byobottle.org

Please Tag BYOBottle – FB: @byobottlecampaign / Insta: @BYOBottle / Twitter: @BYO_Bottle

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Campaign: Green Music Australia’s Party with the Planet

💧Featured Festival Sustainability: Cali Vibes 2023

💧Featured Resource: Julie’s Bicycle Resource Hub

💧Featured Podcast: Upstream Indisposable Podcast

💧Featured Tour Impact Report: Jack Johnson North America Impact Report

💧Featured Webinars: Plastic Pollution Coalition webinar series

National Independent Venue Association Partners With r.Cup to Reduce Garbage at Concerts

Posted on January 4, 2023February 18, 2023 by S K

Anyone who’s been to a concert in the past couple of decades knows the sound: the crunch of dozens or hundreds of plastic cups littering the venue floor at the end of the show. How much less waste would there be if those cups — which number in the millions every year — could be washed and reused instead of dumped in a landfill?

In an early major step in the right direction, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has announced a partnership with r.Cup, a sustainable platform that provides reusable cups in an effort to replace single-use plastic cup use. NIVA members in r.Cup operating cities can reduce their environmental footprint with r.Cup’s reusable cup system while raising funds for the National Independent Venue Foundation.

NIVA members in Denver, Seattle, and soon Los Angeles and Milwaukee have the opportunity to use r.Cup’s services rather than using disposables in their venues to help protect the environment with lower greenhouse emissions. Through this partnership, r.Cup will also donate $.01 to NIVF for every cup utilized by a NIVA member.

Live Nation announced a similar progra m at its venues last September via its partnership with Turn Systems.

“NIVA is uniquely positioned to encourage our members to adopt sustainable practices, in particular to reduce single-use plastics through this innovative program,” said r.Cup COO Cody Cowan. “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.”

According to the announcement, R.Cup is a full-service reuse system that provides a variety of cups and containers, collection bins, delivery and pick-up logistics, sanitizing services, program training and more. After every event, r.Cup collects, washes, sanitizes, inspects and then repackages cups to be used again. R.Cup is the first national reusable platform of its kind and has diverted millions of single-use cups and foodware from landfills, eliminating two million tons of C02 emissions in over 90 cities, 30 states, and 12 countries. In North America alone, the live event industry contributes over 4 billion single-use and disposable cups each year filling landfills.

While organizations such as Reverb and artists like Dave Matthews and Billie Eilish have made major strides toward a greener live-music environment in recent years, there’s little question that venues and festivals in Europe are far ahead of the U.S. in such efforts. Variety spoke with the organizers of Norway’s remarkably forward-looking Oya festival last year about their methods, and how they can be adopted by venues and festivals everywhere — see the article here.

[Read Full Article Here]

Live Nation to Introduce Reusable Cups at Venues and Festivals, a Major Step Toward ‘Zero-Waste Concerts’

Posted on September 6, 2022February 18, 2023 by S K

Anyone who’s been to a concert knows the sound: The crunch of hundreds of plastic cups underfoot, which are used once and thrown away, creating countless acres of garbage.

Live Nation Entertainment has made a move to reduce that waste at its venues and festival via a strategic investment in Turn Systems, which operates a leading reusable-cup system that also includes collection bins and mobile washing systems. According to the announcement, a single reusable Turn cup has the potential to displace up to 100 single-use cups and can break even on its environmental impact in as few as three uses. (For more on Turn Systems, see the company’s website.)

As the primary option for beverages at participating Live Nation events, fans can easily use the return-bin system instead of a traditional trash or recycling bin. Similar systems have been successfully deployed at major European festivals for many years.

[Read Full Article]

BYOBottle Summer 2022 Highlights

Posted on July 22, 2022March 8, 2023 by S K

BYOBottle Partners: All At Once Water Stations at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, TURN with Live Nation,

Rob Machado Foundation at BeachLife Festival, Adalita, Bettercup at WOMADelaide, Steelys Drinkware

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

Join millions of people around the world in reducing plastic waste this Plastic Free July! Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps people around the globe be part of the solution to plastic pollution. It’s a great time to consider how you can take plastic waste reduction to the next level and show your music community that you’ve made a commitment to ditch single-use and choose reusables this Plastic Free July!

Please enjoy these BYOBottle resources and highlights!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

BYOBottle Partners Beachlife Festival & Rob Machado Foundation teamed up to offer free water refill stations to festivalgoers in Redondo Beach, and Rock the Ocean shared out the reusable message at Tortuga Music Fest in Florida. Australia’s WOMADelaide kept over 100,000 single-use cups out of the waste system with help from Bettercup, who washed over 20,000 cups/day. Caloundra Music Festival, the first festival in Australia to ditch disposable plastic water bottles, continues a BYOBottle commitment, encouraging fans to bring their own bottles and refill.

r.Cup is partnering with Roger Waters and other artists to provide reusable cups at shows this summer, as part of the artists’ commitment to green touring and eliminating single-use waste. Live Nation is launching the TURN reusable cup program at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville for all shows this summer, and continues to pursue single-use plastic free concessions.

Jack Johnson collaborated with Live Nation on his Meet the Moonlight Tour to offer a signature cocktail, served in a Steelys reusable pint cup. The tour also provides free water refill stations, promotes reusables, and encourages fans to join BYOBottle and take action in support of plastic free initiatives, through a Propeller campaign and at each show. The tour also teamed up with Klean Kanteen to gift custom reusable bottles to All At Once Non-Profits and local crew.

Save the date for Upstream’s 2nd Annual Reuse Awards, September 29th – The Reusies, a virtual awards show for reuse heroes innovating solutions to a world without waste. You can also explore a new sustainability database, launched by the Music Sustainability Association to serve as an aggregation of resources for the music industry. Green Music Australia just released Sound Country: A Green Artist Guide as a comprehensive resource to help musicians implement sustainable solutions across all aspects of their music career, including case studies and checklists to implement eco-friendly practices.

REVERB is working with artists including Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Dave Matthews Band to reduce single-use plastic backstage and encourage fans to RockNRefill with free water stations and reusable water bottles. BYOBottle Business Partner O’Land is launching a challenge to save 1 million plastic bottles this summer in Montreal, in the wake of the federal announcement of a ban on single-use plastics.

➤ BYOBottle Suggested Post: Plastic Free July

Sample Social Media Post: I support #BYOBottle to help turn the tide on plastic pollution in the music industry. This @PlasticFreeJuly Iʻm rocking my reusable water bottles to reduce plastic waste! #PlasticFreeJuly

Please Tag BYOBottle – FB: @byobottlecampaign / Insta: @BYOBottle / Twitter: @BYO_Bottle

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Campaign: Plastic Free July

💧Featured Event: The Reusies – Reuse Awards 9.29.22

💧Featured Resource: Music Sustainability Association Database

💧Featured Fan Action Campaign: Propeller – Jack Johnson All At Once

💧Featured Video: Roadmap to Reuse

💧Featured Green Music Guide: Green Music Australia: Sound Country

Explore BYOBottle Fan Actions and Stay Connected by following and tagging BYOBottle on Facebook, instagram and twitter!

BYOBottle Winter 2022 Highlights

Posted on February 1, 2022February 1, 2022 by S K

BYOBottle Partners (from top left clockwise): Steelys Drinkware, festivalgoer with pint cup, Jack Johnson reusable station, r.Cup (photo Trey Karson), Tinpan Orange, water refill at BottleRock, fans at Outside Lands water station, REVERB #RockNRefill

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

Thank you for your continued commitment to rock reusables in support of BYOBottle and the music industry effort to turn the tide on plastic pollution! The BYOBottle campaign continues to serve as a resource to share news and best practices promoting reusables and waste reduction at concerts and festivals. Enjoy these recent BYOBottle partner highlights!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

• BYOBottle partners Outside Lands festival and Steelys Drinkware continue a collaborative effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. Outside Lands offers free water refill stations, promotes reusable water bottles and pint cups, and has one of the highest festival waste diversion rates in the country. BYOBottle festival BottleRock encourages festivalgoers to bring their own reusable water bottles, offers convenient water refill stations, and helped eliminate 182,000 single-use plastic water bottles in 2021!

• BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner Plastic Pollution Coalition has launched a “Flip the Script on Plastics” campaign to change the culture around single-use plastics portrayed in film, tv and media. We know that life imitates art, and by showing package-free, reusable and refillable systems in popular television shows and movies, we can influence culture and model alternatives to single-use disposables.

• BYOBottle business partner r.Cup is excited to announce its latest r.Cup Wash Hub facility in Denver, providing sustainable reusable cup and serveware services. AEG recently installed r.Cup’s reuse system at four venues in Denver – completely eliminating thousands of single-use and disposable cups each week.

• BYOBottle artist Jack Johnson is promoting BYOBottle as part of his Summer 2022 Tour, working with promoters and venues in support of innovative plastic free campaigns. The REVERB #RockNRefill program helped BYOBottle artists Dave Matthews Band and Dead and Company to reduce plastic waste on tour. Check out the 2021 Impact Report showing how Dead and Company eliminated 19,000+ single-use plastic water bottles!

• Surfrider has developed a Bioplastics Toolkit to provide background on why bioplastics are problematic and provide guidance on how to avoid them, as well as BioPlastic Guidance for Ocean Friendly Restaurants to share tips. Upstream has published findings showing Reuse Wins over single-use. Explore the Reuse Wins Report to learn how reusable food serviceware beats disposable by every environmental measure.

• BeachLife Festival promoted the BYOBottle campaign, encouraging fans to bring their own water bottles to refill at Rob Machado Foundation water stations to reduce plastic waste. They also gave a shout out to BYOBottle artists in their 2021 lineup Ben Harper, Larkin Poe, G. Love and Brett Dennen for rocking reusable water bottles.

• Oceanic Global now offers a Blue Standard Certification for plastic-free and sustainable business operations as well as plastic-free verification for consumer goods and packaging. Businesses can apply to be a blue-list vendor. You can also explore Oceanic Global’s updated Music Industry resources.

➤ BYOBottle Sample Social Media Post:

We rock reusables in support of #BYOBottle to help the music industry turn the tide on plastic pollution.

Please Tag BYOBottle – FB: @byobottlecampaign / Insta: @BYOBottle / Twitter: @BYO_Bottle

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Campaign: Flip the Script on Plastics

💧Featured Video: Humanity’s Impact – How Many Plastic Bottles Do We Produce?

💧Featured Toolkit: Surfrider Bioplastics Toolkit

💧Featured Resource: Oceanic Global’s Blue Standard Music Industry Edition

💧Featured Podcast: People over Plastic

BYOBottle Summer 2021 Highlights

Posted on July 1, 2021July 8, 2021 by byobottle

BYOBottle Partners: Plastic Pollution Coalitionʻs #RefillRevolution at Bonnaroo (photo: Brandise Danesewich),
Zach Gill (photo: Nikki Michail), Jade Imagine, HydroFlask & Ohana Festival, Vapur, Rob Machado Foundationʻs Water Refill Stations at BeachLife Festival, Max Wattʻs House of Music, REVERB #RockNRefill at Cali Roots, Steelys Drinkware

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

Join fellow BYOBottle partners and millions of people around the world in reducing plastic waste this Plastic Free July! It’s a great time to share your BYOBottle commitment to rock reusable water bottles and help the music industry turn the tide on plastic pollution. Plastic Free July is full of ideas and inspiration to reduce single-use plastic and help shape reusable habits, throughout the month of July and beyond!

As festivals announce line-ups and concerts roll out in the coming months, it’s important we focus on supporting an equitable and sustainable music industry for everyone. BYOBottle will continue to serve as a resource to promote engagement campaigns, partner innovations, and best practices for the safe use of reusables and water refill stations at live events. Please enjoy these BYOBottle resources and highlights!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

On Earth Day, Live Nation announced a new Green Nation Touring Program to help artists adopt sustainable practices that prioritize people and planet. Live Nation just completed a global sustainability study, in which 82% of music goers strive to maintain an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. A key element will be providing concertgoers with sustainable options at shows. Green Nation has enlisted BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner Julie’s Bicycle to collaborate on new tools and a green tour certification.
June was a busy month for celebrating and taking action for the environment! BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner UNEP hosted a virtual concert in honor of World Environment Day including BYOBottle artists Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, and Jack Johnson. On June 8th, we celebrated World Ocean Day with BYOBottle Non-Profit Partners The Ocean Project and Oceanic Global, and on June 16th BYOBottle promoted World Refill Day to reduce plastic waste.
BYOBottle festivals are renewing their commitment to reduce plastic waste by offering water refill stations to artists and fans, including Ohana Festival and BeachLife, as well as Lollapalooza, Sea.Hear.Now, and Austin City Limits. Check out the 2019 case study documenting how Strawberry Fields Festival in Australia is moving toward zero waste.
BYOBottle business partner r.Cup has been working to help the live events industry reopen with reuse, rolling out a SMART Cup System to tackle the 4+ billion single-use cups used at live events each year. To help in your own reusable product research, check out the newly updated BYOBottle Reusable Vendor List or explore the UPSTREAM Reuse Business Directory.
BYOBottle was featured as part of A Greener Scene – an online sustainability series hosted by Green Music Australia, and REVERB recently launched Music Climate Revolution to empower the music industry to take action for climate. UPSTREAM is taking nominations for “the reusies” – awards to honor standouts in the reuse movement including innovative reuse companies, impactful leadership, and activist of the year.
Algalita, Plastic Pollution Coalition and many plastic-free partners are spreading awareness about the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which outlines plastic reduction strategies for a healthier, more equitable future. Plastic is an environmental justice issue disproportionately affecting people of color and low-income communities by polluting the air, water, and soil. This bill represents the most comprehensive set of policy solutions to plastic pollution ever introduced in the US.
BYOBottle partners are working to innovate and share best practices around safety of reusables, and promote Reopen with Reuse campaigns. Check out Surfriderʻs Bringing Back Reusables blog and join the Reopen with Reuse virtual rally on July 1st. Learn more about COVID-19 reuse safety from r.Cup, or explore Oceanic Globalʻs COVID-19 Plastic Free Reopening Guidelines for Live Events.

➤ BYOBottle Suggested Post: Plastic Free July

Sample Social Media Post: We support #BYOBottle to help turn the tide on plastic pollution in the music industry. This @PlasticFreeJuly we are rocking our reusable water bottles to reduce plastic waste! #PlasticFreeJuly

Please Tag BYOBottle – FB: @byobottlecampaign / Insta: @BYOBottle / Twitter: @BYO_Bottle

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Campaign: Plastic Free July

💧Featured Event: Reopen with Reuse Rally July 1st

💧Featured Resource: BYOBottle Reusable Vendor List

💧Featured Case Study: Rewash Revolution: Zero Waste with Strawberry Fields

💧Featured Report: UPSTREAM Report: Reuse Wins

💧Featured Video: BYOBottle Artist Tavana – Plastic Island ft Paul Izak

Music Video: BYOBottle Artist Tavana – Plastic Island featuring Paul Izak. This incredible stop motion video features unaltered plastic pieces collected from beaches in Hawaii to bring attention to the global issue of plastic pollution.

➤ Are you innovating? Are you working to address safety at live events by creating touchless or contactless refill options? Please reach out and share so we can highlight your reuse and refill innovations! Send updates and photos to info@byobottle.org and we will aim to feature your BYOBottle efforts on our socials and in future promotion & newsletters!

Download the BYOBottle Communications Library and explore BYOBottle.org. Stay Connected by following and tagging BYOBottle on Facebook, instagram and twitter!

BYOBottle Fall 2020 Highlights

Posted on December 21, 2020July 1, 2021 by S K

Photos – BYOBottle Partners: Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper, Ohana Festival (Eddie Vedder, Fore the Waves), Jade Imagine
Dave Matthews, Phish, Jack Johnson and Lukas Nelson
PPC #RefillRevolution at Bonnaroo, SWMRS, Kasey Chambers, Brett Dennen at Lobero Theatre, Nathaniel Rateliff

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

As we wind down 2020 and enter the holiday season, we want to take a moment and send thanks and support to all of our incredible BYOBottle Partners around the world! As the music industry continues to face and respond to unprecedented challenges, we are inspired by the BYOBottle artists, venues, and festivals getting creative to share music with their communities. We are proud to see our non-profit and business partners working hard to create helpful resources and to adapt and innovate. We are grateful to the BYOBottle fans, enjoying virtual concerts in their own homes, but remaining committed to reducing single-use plastic in their daily lives.

This newsletter includes partner highlights and featured resources, including valuable reopening guidelines on the safety of reusables at live events. Explore the Simplify the Holidays campaign to reduce waste, and learn how to support NITO’s efforts to Save Live Music. The BYOBottle campaign is proud to have the support of 234 Artists, 75 Venues & Festivals, and 80 Non-Profit & Business Partners worldwide!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights:

Safety of Reusables: BYOBottle contributed to Oceanic Global’s publication COVID-19 Plastic-Free Reopening Guidelines: Live Events + Professional Sports, which includes best practices for reusable cups and water refill stations. The Sustainable Events Alliance recently published the Global Best Practice Guidelines: ‘Reusables’ Hygiene at Events to help us build back better. For more tips, check out UPSTREAM’s Reuse vs Single-Use: Safety and new Learning Hub, or the r.Cup COVID-19 Safety and Reuse resources.

Business Innovation: BYOBottle Business Partners, including US Pure Water, FloWater, WE-Refill and O’land Fill & Wash Stations are taking steps to address safety during COVID-19, developing touchless water refill station solutions with motion sensors or foot pedals. r.Cup is promoting a “new cup every time” reusable model and just launched r.Ware – a reusable food to-go ware system to tackle take-out waste generated by COVID-19.

Save Live Music: Support the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) and their ongoing advocacy to ensure the survival of small independent music businesses. Learn more about Crew Nation – the global relief fund for music crew members, and the Save Our Stages effort to support independent venues.

Non-Profit News: Over 550 organizations joined the #PlasticFreePresident initiative to urge President-Elect Joe Biden to take executive action to solve the plastic pollution crisis. BYOBottle welcomes newest Non-Profit Partner Global Inheritance, working to educate and encourage music fans to cut plastic out of their lives. We are also excited to announce that Kristal Ambrose, founder of Bahamas Plastic Movement, won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her youth engagement and plastic free policy work. Congrats Kristal!

Simplify the Holidays: Want your holidays wrapped in more meaning and less stuff? Explore Simplify the Holidays for tips to reduce waste this season. Check out REVERB’s Green Gift Guide, including sustainable merch ideas from BYOBottle partners Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band and California Roots Festival. Shop locally, and support BIPOC-owned small businesses. Check out Kokua Hawaii Foundation’s holiday blog for inspiration on creative gifts and decorations, or explore Plastic Pollution Coalition’s 2020 Thoughtful Giving Guide.

➤ BYOBottle Features:

💧Featured Resource: COVID-19 Plastic-Free Reopening Guidelines: Live Events

💧Featured Video: O’land Touchless Water & Handwash Stations

💧Featured Action: Support the Presidential Plastics Action Plan

💧Featured Campaign: Simplify the Holidays

Wishing you a Healthy & Happy Holiday Season from the team at BYOBottle!

BYOBottle Summer 2020 Highlights

Posted on July 2, 2020July 2, 2020 by S K

BYOBottle Partners: Shook Twins, Plastic Free July, Steelys at Outside Lands,

BYOBottle Artists Ben Harper & Jack Johnson with Deva Mahal at Byron Bay Bluesfest, Fruition, Keb’ Mo’

Greetings BYOBottle Partners!

We, as a music industry, look forward to coming together again in person soon. While we wait for tours to get back on the road, it gives us a chance to consider our practices, so that the music scene can emerge more resilient, sustainable, and equitable than ever before. BYOBottle represents a diverse and dynamic community and we continue to promote respect for people and the planet. The music industry and BYOBottle partners have joined millions around the world to say #TheShowMustBePaused and to take an urgent step of action to promote systemic change and equality. We will continue to listen, learn, connect and take action in support of the black community and racial justice everywhere.

In April, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the 1-year anniversary since the global launch of the BYOBottle campaign. We find ourselves in quite a different reality than one year ago – exploring a virtual music scene and connecting with each other digitally. We are grateful to Green Music Australia who created this campaign in Australia and to all of the incredible global music industry partners who have joined the momentum to turn the tide on plastic pollution. We are proud to have the support of 233 Artists, 75 Venues & Festivals and 79 Non-Profit & Business Partners worldwide!

➤ BYOBottle – Highlights & Actions:

BYOBottle partners have joined millions to help turn the tide against systemic racism. Air Copeland, the Executive Director of BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner 5 Gyres is sharing powerful messages and encouraging allies to dive deeper and explore this Anti-Racism Toolkit. Plastic Pollution Coalition published a Solidarity Statement and resource list, highlighting the powerful connection between environmental justice and social justice. BYOBottle artists G. Love, Nahko and Lettuce are part of the upcoming Justice Comes Alive virtual music festival June 28th to harness the power of music, and support black and indigenous led organizations combating racism.

Thanks to our BYOBottle partners getting creative in sharing music while live shows are shut down. BYOBottle founder Jack Johnson joined fellow BYOBottle musicians Ben Harper, G. Love, and Lukas Nelson to celebrate at the Kōkua Festival 2020 – Live From Home. The livestream was a benefit for BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner Kōkua Hawaii Foundation, as well as COVID-19 relief efforts promoting food security in Hawaii. Lukas Nelson is also recording Quarantunes sessions, Remember Jones hosts a virtual Cocktail Hour, and Dave Matthews Band offers a drive-in concert series with a charity spotlight. Lollapalooza is sharing out Lolla from the Vault performances benefitting Crew Nation. REVERB is posting Picks of the Week highlighting streaming artists, and Live Nation is promoting Live From Home.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can all have cleaner oceans and communities. Learn more and take the Plastic Free July Challenge. On June 25th, BYOBottle Non-Profit Partner Plastic Pollution Coalition is hosting a webinar, “Getting Ready for Plastic Free July” to discuss alternatives to single-use plastic and share tips for engagement.

BYOBottle Non-Profit Partners have been sharing important resources about the safety of reusables. UPSTREAM created Reusable Resources for the Moment including the recent announcement: 115 Health Experts Addressing Safety of Reusables during COVID-19. Check out the Surfrider Foundation blog: Plastic Pollution During the Pandemic: Reusables are Still Safe, as well as the Green Music Australia article: Reusables Are Still Safe to Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

It Ain’t Easy Being Green: How Jack Johnson Continues To Raise The Bar For Sustainable Touring

Posted on April 22, 2020May 1, 2020 by S K

(Francisco Rendon, Pollstar)

Jack Johnson is credited by some as setting a “Gold Standard” for sustainable touring – though he acknowledges it’s a continuing learning process as technologies and best practices evolve and conditions change. He cites Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews Band and U2 as sources of inspiration, and has tried things he learned performing at events like Farm Aid and Fuji Rock Festival at his own Kokua Festival. One initiative Johnson is currently excited about is the Hawaiian organization Chef Hui, which during COVID-19 is allowing people to pick up food and is donating meals and facilitating financial support for first responders and people in need, while developing the capacity of local food production on the islands, where the vast majority of food is shipped in. There year he is hosting Kokua Festival 2020 – Live From Home on April 25 to celebrate Earth Day. Pollstar caught up with Johnson on the eve of the 50th Earth Day to learn more about the green touring initiatives he continues to pioneer.

Why Tour At All? “The simple math states that staying at home and not touring is the greenest thing I can do. But if I quit the road, the touring industry continues on, and I decided I wanted to participate and be part of this industry and try to make it greener.”