Sustainability at Austin City Limits Music Festival 

Austin City Limits Festival (2019) rose to new heights on the charts of rarity which made this particular year go down in history. For starters, it was laughably the coldest weather in ACL history (winking at climate change). Several new headliners had their debut ACL performances. However, not many people are aware of the festival’s new efforts on sustainability which also made history.

Through the support of Austin City Limits fans, the music festival has generated over $35 million to support a profusion of parks, trails and green spaces through their noteworthy partnership with Austin Parks Foundation according to 2018 statistics. That number is thought to increase with this year's soaring number of ticket sales as a portion of the profits from each festival ticket goes back to Austin Parks Foundation. The rock star beneficiaries of these donations by ACL include, Govalle Park, Butler Park, Auditorium Shores, Eastlink, Zilker, Grant and more. Now that I have established that the annual festival is another favorable occasion to maintain green parks and a clean environment, here are a few ways the festival is living up to its mission of sustainability.  

While most festival goers were concerned with getting adequate views to see their favorite artists (*cough cough *Lizzo) and optimizing the art installations for photo opts, ACL staff were concerned with minimizing waste, lowering the carbon footprint and supporting sustainable businesses at the festival. An example of this is the new BYOB policy that ACL so cleverly implemented. The policy of having their music patrons bring their own reusable water bottles to fill at “hydration stations”, uniquely reduced the consumption of single-use plastics. As a result, less plastic is thrown away and won't ever see a landfill.

Like many live-music lovers, I was busy catching concerts across the festival grounds. From headliners like Gary Clark Jr., Lizzo, Kacey Musgraves and The Cure, it was hard not to be on my feet dashing from one stage to another to witness unforgettable performances. Nonetheless, there were instances where I would stop and admire the festival’s creative recycling initiative for this year. ACL conducted a fine job of designating recycling bins and trash cans for people to easily toss their finished bottles and cans into the bins. While littering was still prevalent at the festival, those who wanted to recycle had no trouble finding a bin to do so. In addition, ACL started a program called “ Rock and Recycle” which encouraged concert attendees to participate in picking up trash around the ground in exchange for a free graphic t-shirt. This is a trendy incentive for keeping the park clean. In 2018, 34 percent of waste was diverted from landfills, so the numbers for this year could be on track for an even greater outcome of sustainability.

 The question of how to get to the festival is a huge concern for many. Zilker Park, the festival location, is smack dab in the busiest part of the Austin with heavy traffic and limited parking. ACL is aware of this, and this year, they took a unique approach to cut down carbon emission while making their festival more accessible to those traveling near. ACL joined forces with Green Mountain Energy to offset CO2 emissions during the 2019 music festival and promoted a low-emission route to and from the festival. Many festival goers also chose to carpool (with Uber Pool), bike, walk, or take public transportation, which also helped offset Co2 emissions. 

The festival put an emphasis on wanting plant based, organic, and locally sourced meal options for its patrons. Not only was this beneficial for local food businesses, but the enterprise also facilitated in diversifying the food palette of attendees. In particular, Bai Water, a partner of the festival, made a conscious effort to be accessible among the mass festival goers. What I discovered to be particularly interesting about the brand is that Bai makes sure to utilize the previously-discarded shelling of the coffee fruit (a key ingredient in their drinks) and harvests the bounty of antioxidants, to formulate delicious blends such as Panama Peach, Kula Watermelon, and Malawi Mango. Their products were a popular selection amongst thirsty music lovers. 

  Aside from the multitude of successful and memorable performances, ACL made an impact through manufacturing a unique festival experience where people were entertained as they kept the environment sustained. For those interested in attending next year, your purchase of a ticket does not only mean an encounter with exceptional music, but an opportunity to be a mechanism for sustaining Austin's green spaces.

Photography by Keelyn Costello