NASHVILLE |DATE: JUNE 19, 2008
FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON/LIBBY HENRY/CHELSI SCHRIVER
VANS WARPED TOUR®
AND EARTHECHO INTERNATIONAL
TEAM UP TO EXPAND
“WARPED ECO INITIATIVES”
Once again, the VANS WARPED TOUR® 2008 Presented By AT&T has teamed with EarthEcho International (www.EarthEcho.org) to implement various “eco initiatives.” WARPED and EarthEcho International aim to highlight the tour’s environmentally-friendly practices and to translate these into actions that their audience can easily adopt.
Here are some of the ways the VANS WARPED TOUR is working to expand their strong commitment to environmental responsibility:
* Biodiesel: It takes 55 busses and 15 semi trucks to transport the 950+ people and gear that travel across the U.S. and Canada with the VANS WARPED TOUR. Last year, 115,917 gallons of b20 biodiesel blend (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) were pumped onsite, saving 23,183 gallons of diesel. Since 2006, the VANS Warped Tour has reduced its use of petroleum by 30%.
* Solar Stage: The Kia Kevin Says solar stage runs entirely on solar power, reducing zero carbon emissions, while pumping out incredible sound for 8 to 10 bands every day. In fact, it’s the only touring stage in the U.S. powered entirely by the sun. The Warped Eco Initiative tent is also running on solar power.
* Clean Catering: Feeding the bands and staff on the VANS WARPED TOUR is a huge operation–one that used to produce thousands of thrown-away plates, forks, cups, etc. The answer? Washable dinnerware. “The first week we switched to reusable tableware, 400 plates were accidentally thrown away,” explains VANS WARPED TOUR founder Kevin Lyman. In addition to doing lots of dishes, TaDa Catering provides compostable corn and potato starch “plastic” boxes and cutlery for take away.
* Recycling: Some concert sites don’t offer recycling, sending tons of plastic bottles and other items that could be recycled straight to landfills. Thanks to the help of its fans, the VANS WARPED TOUR recycles at every show. This adds up to tens of thousands of pounds of trash diverted from landfills every summer.
EarthEcho International will highlight the environmentally-friendly practices of the Warped Eco Initiatives and translate these into actions that can be easily adopted by the tour's audience. Here’s how this will work:
* On-Site Participant Engagement: At every venue and every show in 2008, EarthEcho International will use the VANS WARPED TOUR’s Warped Eco Initiatives as introductions to sustainable behavior. Bands and sponsors will promote green practices among the larger attendee base by offering a variety of opportunities for audience members to take direct action during the event. These will include: on-site recycling of everything from plastic bottles to cell phones, clothes and toy swaps, and swag to reward online participant engagement (more information below). In addition, bands will be signing autographs and playing acoustic sets at the Warped Eco Initiative tent. Keep a look out for Warped Eco Initiative flags throughout the show that mark opportunities to take action.
* Online Participant Engagement: Web applications will be used to leverage the event participants' common experience into a nationwide campaign of community action—so the positive impact doesn't end when the music does. Audience members will have a chance to win hot swag from VANS WARPED TOUR sponsors and bands by sharing details on the environmentally-friendly practices they are undertaking in their own communities. Fans will share information via www.EarthEcho.org/Warped.
* Community Event: EarthEcho International will coordinate a volunteer watershed cleanup at NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary on August 12 for interested sponsors, band and crew members.
* Eco-Adventure: To encourage and thank event participants for engaging in onsite and online activities, EarthEcho International will offer entry into a drawing for an incredible eco-adventure, to be held October 10-13 in St. Croix, USVI. The expedition is an enriching opportunity for contest winners to witness first-hand the issues that many marine ecosystems face today, including overfishing, industrial waste runoff, coral bleaching, conservation, and the importance of enforcement and protection in MPAs. St. Croix is a small island and an excellent location at which to demonstrate the impacts of our actions on a local level. Participants will leave this experience with information and resources to become powerful agents for change in their own communities.
By engaging bands and sponsors to provide on-site opportunities for direct action, EarthEcho International is helping the VANS WARPED TOUR to become a gateway to reusing, renewing, and recycling.
For more information, visit www.EarthEcho.org/Warped and www.warpedtour.com.
The Vans Warped Tour® is made possible through the support of title sponsor Vans® and presenting sponsor AT&T, as well as KIA Motors, Fuse, Rockband, truth®, Monster Energy and Hansen's Sodas, Lost Beverage, MySpace.com, Hurley, Music Saves Lives, Xbox, Rockband, Facebreaker, Ernie Ball, Trojan, Alternative Press, Declare Yourself, FM World Charities, Sonic Bids, Guitar Center, Hasbro, Sirius Radio, NAMM and many others.
VANS WARPED TOUR Press Contacts:
MSO: (818) 380-0400
Kristine Ashton-Magnuson kashton@msopr.com ext. 233
Libby Henry lhenry@msopr.com ext. 224
Chelsi Schriver cschriver@msopr.com ext. 231
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VANS WARPED TOUR® AND EARTHECHO INTERNATIONAL TEAM UP TO EXPAND “WARPED ECO INITIATIVES”
