NASHVILLE |DATE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON/LIBBY HENRY-COFFEY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS PAY OFF;
ECO CONTEST WINNERS SET TO EMBARK ON “EARTHECHO INTERNATIONAL ECO ADVENTURE SPONSORED BY STANDFORD FINANCIAL GROUP”
TO ST. CROIX IN OCTOBER
This summer’s VANS WARPED TOUR® 2008 Presented By AT&T was host to 622,427 attendees during its 46 shows across North America. In its 14th year, the tour had an average daily attendance of 13,869, marking an increase from 2007. As the VANS WARPED TOUR continues to grow, efforts continue to produce an environmentally and socially conscious event.
Warped Eco Initiative (WEI) and EarthEcho International (www.EarthEcho.org) again worked together to reduce the tour’s impact on the environment, involving bands, fans, tour sponsors and crew. 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. The environmental focus includes: recycling, biodegradable plates and utensils in catering, biodiesel fuel used in all production busses and trucks, solar powered stages and tents, battery and cell phone recycling programs and an August 12 Monterey Bay Volunteer Clean Up Day.
"Each year we try to do a bit more and a little better with our Eco Initiative,” said tour founder and producer Kevin Lyman. “Teaming up with EarthEcho International has helped us attain this. It was nice this year to have bands showing up the first day asking where their recycling bins were for their buses. This was the first year this happened; it must be sinking in."
Fans and bands took part in a summer-long “eco competition,” vying for a spot on the EarthEcho International Eco Adventure to St. Croix October 10-13, sponsored by Stanford Financial Group. Winning band Alesana will be joined by a winner from Salt Lake City and one who is a student from Stanford University, along with a winner from tour sponsor Epitaph Records. The Color Fred and The A.K.A.s were also eco contest winners, but are unable to join the trip. During the competition, concert-goers were permitted to submit an entry form once for every 10 pieces of recyclables that they gathered at the VANS WARPED TOUR. The WEI Onsite Eco Team was fully integrated into the tour and worked closely with bands, fans, sponsors and crew throughout the summer, and ultimately drew the winning fan names, as well as deciding on the sponsorship and band winners.
The EarthEcho International Eco Adventure is an enriching leadership development opportunity for contest winners to personally witness the issues that many marine ecosystems face today, including overfishing, industrial waste runoff, coral bleaching, conservation and the importance of enforcement and protection in Marine Protected Areas. St. Croix is a small island and an excellent location at which to demonstrate the impacts of individual actions on the environment. Participants will leave the experience with information and resources to become powerful agents for change in their own communities. During the trip, attendees will enjoy activities including: kayaking at Salt River, sailing, snorkeling, and hiking around Buck Island National Monument, touring the St. George's Botanical Gardens, visiting the Virgins Islands Sustainable Farm Institute in the rainforest and a visit to the Mt. Victory Eco Camp.
Stanford Financial Group, whose global headquarters is in St. Croix USVI, launched its “Go Green” program earlier this year. Its goals are to reduce waste and resource consumption within Stanford while reevaluating the Stanford businesses at all levels to incorporate environmental responsibility within Stanford’s sound business practices. Ultimately, the program plans for Stanford to be carbon neutral by the end of 2009 through a combination of program projects, educational programs, research sponsorships and carbon offsets. Chairman Sir Allen Stanford added, “We are proud to partner with EarthEcho International to support their program event on St. Croix as an excellent way to raise awareness and educate people on the issues facing all of us today.”
Here are some other statistics about the VANS WARPED TOUR’s 2008 environmental efforts:
Biodiesel:
- Biodiesel fuel was used in all production vehicles (18 trucks, 18 busses, 3 generators, 2 mules).
- 103,290 gallons of B20 fuel was pumped on site
- CO2 emissions were reduced by 333,028 lbs.
- Straight diesel usage was reduced by 21,858 gallons
Recycling:
- Hundreds of fans volunteered their time at shows to gather recyclables.
- 40,000 lbs. of recyclables were collected, accounting for a CO2 reduction of 400,000 lbs.
- Over 1,200 batteries were collected, preventing potential groundwater contamination and leaking heavy metals
- Hundreds of cell phones collected for Cell Phones For Soldiers
Solar Power:
- VWT continued to expand on its solar initiatives by utilizing a solar stage for the Kia Kevin Says Stage and solar panels (canopies) to power the entire Not For Profit area.
- Solar stage used an estimated 662kWh of solar produced power
- Solar canopies had a production capacity of more than 200KW
- Between the two, this produced an additional estimated savings of 380 gallons of diesel, resulting in a CO2 emission reduction of 8,360 lbs.
For more information, visit www.EarthEcho.org/Warped and www.warpedtour.com.
About Stanford Financial Group:
The Stanford Financial Group of companies provides private and institutional investors with global expertise in asset allocation strategies, investment advisory services, award-winning policy and equity research, international private banking and trust administration, commercial banking, investment banking, merchant banking, institutional sales and trading, real estate investment and insurance. Stanford companies currently serve clients from 140 countries on six continents with assets under management or advisement of more than $50 billion. Stanford Financial has made it a priority to invest in the communities in which it operates across the globe through signature corporate philanthropy initiatives with nonprofit organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and countless local and national charities that strengthen communities.
Securities products and services are offered in the United States through Stanford Group Company, member FINRA/SIPC. Stanford Financial Group is not a legal entity, but a registered trademark that encompasses the global network of independent, but affiliated, privately held and wholly owned entities. More information can be found at www.stanfordfinancial.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-Coffey | Lhenry@msopr.com | ext. 224 | ||||
| Chelsi Schriver | Cschriver@msopr.com | ext. 231 | ||||
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