The Ultra Music Festival in Miami, a hotspot for electronic music enthusiasts, recently snagged the Sustainability Team Award at the World Sustainability Awards. This honor, handed out in Amsterdam, highlights the festival’s outstanding efforts in weaving sustainability into its fabric. With its win, Ultra Music Festival emerged as a standout among 220 contenders from 35 nations, underlining its dedication to environmental care.
This recognition shines a light on the festival’s achievements, like cutting down on single-use plastics by nearly 90%, diverting a staggering 180,000 pounds of waste from landfills, and making meaningful contributions to local communities through food and drink donations. At the heart of these efforts is Mission: Home, a vibrant initiative led by a passionate team that’s all about getting everyone involved — from festival attendees to partners — in sustainable practices. This program has successfully captured the attention of 6.5 million followers worldwide.
Since kicking off in 2019, Mission: Home has put a spotlight on reducing waste, preventing pollution, preserving nature, engaging the community, and taking action against climate change. The 2023 festival at Bayfront Park was no exception, rolling out 40 new initiatives focused on making a difference. Among its notable achievements, the festival, with the help of Clean Vibes, managed to divert over 184,000 pounds of waste, ensuring all recycling efforts were embraced by local facilities.
A partnership with Replenysh also played a key role, recycling 81,040 pounds of materials locally, which not only streamlines the recycling process but also lessens the environmental impact compared to conventional methods.
Ultra’s dedication extends beyond environmental efforts to include community support, with over 7,500 pounds of food donated, equivalent to more than 6,200 meals, to The Caring Place. This comprehensive approach to sustainability solidifies Ultra Music Festival’s position as a pioneering force for environmental stewardship in the event scene, earning acclaim from organizations worldwide.
