Festival Footprints: Ultra’s ‘Mission: Home’

In the buildup to the annual Ultra Music Festival in March, the resonance of beats is not the only thing echoing through the air; the festival grounds hum with a commitment to environmental stewardship. At the heart of this green revolution stands Ultra’s ‘Mission: Home‘ Sustainability Program, which has taken over 30 initiatives that have now received accolades at international, state, and local levels.

‘Mission: Home’ focuses on waste reduction, pollution prevention, nature preservation, community engagement, and climate action to “protect our home, reduce our environmental impact, and inspire our community to respect the planet.”

According to National Geographic, about eight million tons of plastic waste go into the oceans from coastal nations each year.  Ultra is teaming up with Clean Vibes, an event waste and recycling service, to keep Bayfront Park and Biscayne Bay clean during the festival.

Ultra wants to engage with its massive audience by encouraging fans to “leave no trace” and “volunteer” to reduce waste disposal.  People can sign up to volunteer with Clean Vibes in exchange for festival admission. A refundable deposit is required for both single-day and three-day positions.

The festival is not just creating memories; it’s composing a legacy of environmental consciousness for generations to come as it further sustainability initiatives in pollution prevention, nature preservation, community engagement, waste reduction, and climate action.

Bianca Sanz is a bilingual journalist at Florida International University who has a passion for video creation. She was a writer, anchor and producer for Immaculata La-Salle High School's LionsTV and editor of its newspaper, the Royal Courier. Sanz will graduate from the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media with a bachelor’s degree in digital communications and media in Spring 2024.