“More Rock. Less Plastic.”

The eighth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival wraps up tonight. The festival, inspired by the thirty-odd-years-and-running PBS special Austin City Limits, has grown in size and scope, expanding its initially regional focus and drawing musicians and crowds not just from Texas but from across the country and the globe. Nicknamed ACL, this weekend of rock is beginning to rival established music festivals such as Lollapalooza (in fact run by the same company, C3 Presents).

While fans were entranced by the likes of Pearl Jam, The Decembrists, Dave Matthews Band—just to name a few—they were also being encouraged to go green. According to the New York Times, C3 donated $2.5 million to physically green up Zilker Park, where the festival is held. Beyond that, ACL has sought to go green on a different level.

As ACL itself touts on the ‘Greening’ section of their website, “The Festival is once again 100% carbon neutral event.” So, even thousands upon thousands of fans stampeded their way to the concerts this weekend, ACL left no carbon footprint on Mother Earth. This was achieved by purchasing carbon offsets from Green Mountain Energy. You may have noticed, for example, when purchasing plane tickets online, that you’re given the opportunity to pay for a carbon offset. Shelling out even more money for your trip may not be the most appealing idea you’ve ever heard, but that burning jet fuel is just spewing out more C02 into the air we all breathe. Offsets aren’t just for plane trips, either—they can be bought to cancel out the negative effects of our daily lives—driving our cars, heating our homes, using electricity. The money goes to alternative sources of energy and pays to plant trees, which naturally convert carbon dioxide back into oxygen. Environmentally conscious companies can buy offsets too, for big events like the ACL. ACL also offered event-goers the chance to pay an extra $3 to offset the toll they would take on the environment by traveling to and attending the festival.

Mother Nature Network reported that in addition to the carbon offsets, ACL has created an environmentally conscious festival. For example, no styrofoam or plastic bags were allowed into the event. Attendees were encouraged to take part in the festival’s “Rock and Recycle” program, which offered a chance at prizes such as the hybrid Honda Insight for people who participated in “eco-mindful activities” like recycling, riding a bike, using a refillable water bottle, et cetera.

Austin has been known as a hippie town, where all sorts of music and creativity have flourished. Luckily, environmentalism is not just for hippies anymore; it’s for all of us. We can still throw wild parties and enjoy music, travel, food, and life—and we can do so guiltlessly, with fresh air to breathe.

image from Wikipedia.