Manchester, Tenn. — The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival announced large-scale greening initiatives for its 2008 event, set to take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tenn. Festival organizers continue to take steps toward mitigating the event's environmental impact and raising awareness about green issues. Clean energy initiatives, responsible product consumption, superior waste management, local sourcing and education programs are all part of the festival's aggressive environmental plan. "We work tirelessly to reduce the impact this festival has on the environment," says Bonnaroo sustainability coordinator Laura Sohn, "and we inspire the Bonnaroo community to do the same."

In partnership with the Clean Air Conservancy, Bonnaroo will buy enough carbon reduction credits to offset all emissions, making the festival a carbon neutral event. Attendees will be encouraged to enhance the effort by purchasing "Clif Cool Tags" wind energy credits to make up for emissions produced by their travel. The festival is also running a carpooling contest offering a chance to win VIP camping upgrades to vehicles with four or more people. To fight global warming throughout the year, Bonnaroo welcomes Carbon Shredders on site to help fans track their personal carbon reduction. Fans will be invited to make a pledge to reduce their energy usage and carbon footprint by 10 percent by 2010, a shift that will keep hundreds of millions of pounds of CO₂ out of Earth's atmosphere.

Bonnaroo will run an extensive recycling and composting program in partnership with Clean Vibes, an organization that has diverted 50 percent of the festival's waste from landfills over the past two years. This year, the festival will start a compost processing site right on the festival property, which will eventually be used to nurture new life on the grounds. "With no offsite hauling, we can reduce fuel consumption and close the loop on the festival's biodegradable waste cycle," says Clean Vibes owner Anna Borofsky.

Bonnaroo 2008 brings back the popular Planet Roo village, an area dedicated to preserving the environment and promoting healthy living. Non-profit organizations, eco-friendly vendors and performers will gather to educate patrons about what they can do to protect their own health as well as the planet's. Fans who stop by Planet Roo will have the chance to learn about alternative fuels and energy sources, eat organic food at a waste-free restaurant and hear festival artists discuss topics related to the theme "Social Change Through Music." Representatives from dozens of organizations such as Rock the Earth, Headcount, Farm Aid, and Oxfam will interact with fans and artists to raise awareness about environmental and political issues.

Recognizing that green issues are of paramount importance to the organization, its patrons, and the world at large, Bonnaroo is proud to present an event that is not only a good time, but also an example of an environmentally sound gathering that helps our planet remain hospitable to life.