“Leave it better than we found it”

In partnership with Leave No Trace, we work hard every year to leave the desert and planet better than we found it. We accomplish this by reducing and eliminating as much negative environmental impact from the event as possible while also finding and executing new practices each year that benefit the planet directly.

Our four pronged approach

1. Waste reduction

Every year we find new ways to reduce waste. Some steps we’ve taken to reduce and eliminate waste include: free water refill stations, digital tickets, reduced packaging on lanterns, and reduced or eliminated packaging on merchandise items.

2. Biodegradability and/or compostabilty

Whenever possible we use biodegradable or compostable materials during the event. All of the sky-lanterns, lantern packaging, cups and plates in our food court, are either biodegradable or compostable.

3. Cleaning and maintaining Jean Dry Lake Bed

After the event we retrieve the biodegradable lanterns from the surrounding desert as well as any pre-existing litter that we find in the desert around Jean Dry Lake Bed. On average 1-2 tons of pre-existing litter each year.

4. Offsets

Despite our best efforts some carbon impact is inevitable. So as a last resort we purchase carbon offsets for any remaining carbon impact including every generator and vehicle that we use in the setup, execution, and cleanup of the festival. And we encourage participants to purchase carbon offsets for their travel to and from the festival.