This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Woodstock always will be remembered as a defining moment of the late 1960s, and as with most anniversaries, it’s fun to look back and see how things have changed. Two noted improvements when it comes to such large-scale outdoor concerts are the availability of recycling and access to bottled water.
Today, one of the hallmarks of a successful festival is an efficient recycling system. A great example of this occurred in June, when a new generation of concert-goers filled the town of Manchester, Tenn., for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The grounds became, as with Woodstock, a city within itself. Through the cooperation of attendees and the hard work of the “Clean Vibes” crew, more than 65 percent of all waste, by volume, was diverted from landfills. Virgin Festival is yet another great example of how the environment is considered when planning a multi-day, multi-stage event for such a tremendous crowd. In fact, earlier this month at the Virgin Festival in Alberta, Canada, attendees were encouraged to pick up recyclables around the festival grounds and trade them in for “awesome stuff.”
Another great beverage industry innovation that helps concert-goers stay hydrated is bottled water – something that wasn’t around in the days of Woodstock. Hydration is extremely important – especially for people out in the hot sun for three days.
But our industry also recognizes the importance of sustainability. Our industry is constantly innovating to further reduce its environmental footprint. In fact, the beverage industry uses fully recyclable packaging and is constantly working to reduce the amount of plastic used to make that packaging. Our members are building energy-efficient bottling plants and also support comprehensive curbside recycling programs. They are expanding their delivery trucks to include more hybrid fleets, which stimulates local economies and creates green jobs for American workers.
Of course we’re always looking at the beverage angle here at Sip & Savor. So when we look back at this anniversary, we think of how the beverage industry has contributed, in its own small way, to the safety and sustainability of some of America’s most exciting moments in history. The times, they may be a changin’. But you can count on the beverage industry to be there with great tasting non-alcoholic beverages for everyone.
