Our Commitment to Getting Greener!
For four decades Bumbershoot has strived to be an environmentally friendly festival. As a uniquely urban event nestled in the Pacific Northwest, one of the nation’s greenest locales, Bumbershoot maintains a reputation as an environmental sustainability trailblazer within the festival industry. With your help, we can continue to make Bumbershoot one of the most sustainable festivals around.
Every action has an affect on our environment—whether it’s a negative impact, such as driving a car, or a positive one such as, planting a tree. At Bumbershoot we take steps towards environmental sustainability by looking at our overall impact and ways we can offset or minimize those affects. What we can’t reduce, reuse or recycle—like artist and comedian travel and transportation emissions—is offset thanks to our partner Green Mountain Energy Company.
Here are some ways you can green your Bumbershoot experience:
Use Recycling Stations
Bumbershoot provides recycling stations throughout the Festival grounds to encourage people to think about what they throw away and recycle whenever possible. Bumbershoot recycles approximately 7.5 tons of waste annually and we continue to make reduction of Festival waste and recycling a top priority. Recycle your beer cup instead of throwing it in the garbage—it’s just the right thing to do. Budweiser recycling bins are available in each beer garden.
Use Composting Stations
Composting is nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. To reduce the amount of garbage and solid waste sent to landfills, compost stations will be set-up throughout the Festival grounds.
Bring a Reusable Water Bottle & Use the Free Water Stations
Single use plastic bottles are a big source of waste. To reduce the amount of overall garbage, Festival patrons are encouraged to bring their own personal, reusable water bottles and refill them for free at water stations around the grounds.
Use Alternate Transportation
Since Bumbershoot is situated in an urban environment, it’s easy to commute to the Festival by utilizing public transportation, taking Seattle’s iconic Monorail, biking, or (for some of us) walking. Bumbershoot encourages all Festival fans to consider arriving at the Festival by alternative methods. If you need to travel by car, consider carpooling or signing up for a Ride Share program.
More detailed information on alternate transportation options to the Festival:
- There are dozens of King County Metro buses that service the Seattle Center grounds. Check the Trip Planner on King County’s transit site to plan your car-free trip.
- Take a quick ride on the Seattle Monorail, a quick and easy trip from downtown Seattle straight to the Festival grounds at Seattle Center.
- Bike to Bumbershoot and use our free bike parking located on the south side of the EMP, off 5th Avenue between Thomas and Broad streets. Be sure to bring your bike lock and wear a helmet.
- Create a carpool or create a rideshare. Visit King County Metro Rideshare to sign up for their program. Attendees who carpool will receive discounted parking rates at Seattle Center lots.
And then… Offset
At Bumbershoot, we understand that there is an emission footprint associated with travel. This is why we are partnering with Green Mountain Energy Company, which has donated the total number of CAR certified carbon offsets to make the artists and comedians travel to and from Bumbershoot 100% carbon neutral. This commitment offsets approximately 483,000 lbs (219 metric tons) of CO2 emissions and has the same positive environmental impact as not driving a car over 535,000 miles, recycling more than 193,000 lbs of newspaper, or the carbon absorbed by over 724 trees in their lifetime.
Green Mountain’s partnership with Bumbershoot also extends to our fans. When you purchase your Bumbershoot ticket, you have the option to purchase a carbon offset through Green Mountain. For only $3, Green Mountain will purchase 220 lbs of certified carbon offsets on your behalf. That’s the equivalent of not driving your car 245 miles, recycling 540 aluminum cans, or the carbon absorbed by 1 tree in its lifetime.
Together we can make a big difference!