Burning Man Project published the 2030 Environmental Sustainability Roadmap on July 20, 2019 with three goals: to Handle Waste Ecologically, Be Regenerative, and Be Carbon Negative by 2030. 2023 saw substantial progress:
- 671 camps (53%) worked towards the Sustainability Roadmap.
- 868 camps (69%) sorted waste into compost.
- 539 camps (43%) used renewable power.
- 252 camps (20%) used carbon dioxide removal towards being carbon negative.
- 217 Art Projects (65%) worked towards the Sustainability Roadmap.
2024 is already shaping up to move us more aggressively towards our Roadmap goals than any event before. This call will highlight projects in Black Rock City and beyond. Fly Ranch is a year-round embodiment of the Roadmap, and we will discuss LAGI at Fly Ranch, our solar-projects, bees, and participatory land stewardship. Our partnership with Gerlach and Washoe County for renewable energy will help make Gerlach climate-resilient.
The urgency of our sustainability efforts and climate adaptation and the need for swift and substantial efforts will become more important as the climate emergency continues to intensify. As we wrote in the Roadmap: “We can and should leverage the knowledge and reach of the Burning Man community and 10 Principles to proliferate and inspire others to create transformation in their own communities, organizations, and countries…The future of our survival begs us not to ask how can we afford to do this, but rather, how can we not?”
Our MC is Director of Civic Activation at Burning Man Project Christopher Breedlove. He will introduce us to ideas, projects, and people leading our sustainability efforts:
- Director of Fly Ranch Matt Sundquist will introduce Kooyooe Pa’a Guides Founder Autumn Harry who will speak about her work as a Fisherwoman, Land Defender & Indigenous Rights Advocate.
- Director of Regeneration George Reed will speak about BRC Regeneration projects.
- Associate Director of the DPW Chris Neary will speak about sustainable BRC infrastructure.
- Associate Director of City Planning Bryant Tan will speak about Theme Camp sustainability and introduce Bao Chicka Wow Wow to talk about their camp sustainability efforts.
- Complex Art Project Manager Peter Platzgummer will speak about sustainability in art. He will introduce the Temple of Together to share about their sustainability efforts for the 2024 Temple at Black Rock City
- Pablo Gonzalez Vargas will share about Mayan Warrior sustainability efforts.
- Astera Climate Fellow Dakota Gruener will speak about carbon dioxide removal projects and our Be Carbon Negative goal.
- Members of the Lodgers team will speak about their progress and prototypes of their Fly Ranch project.