Academy partners with NRDC, LADWP, Staples Center to reduce impact on environment
GRAMMY.com
(For a complete list of 50th GRAMMY Award winners and nominees, please click here.)
Further proving its stature as one of the nation's most relevant and progressive cultural institutions, The Recording Academy partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and Staples Center to significantly reduce the environmental impact of its milestone 50th Annual GRAMMYAwards telecast and related events.
The GRAMMYs' first-ever greening initiative — which included the use of renewable energy to power Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center and a variety of other energy-saving solutions — was led by The Academy in collaboration with the NRDC and the LADWP.
The effort included the LADWP's provision of a month's worth of renewable wind power to Staples Center, substantially exceeding the energy requirements of the multi-day event and offsetting carbon emissions of the Pre-Telecast and arrivals; incorporating hybrid and other types of fuel efficient automobiles into the event's fleet; promoting recycling and reducing waste generated by the annual event; and using recycled materials in paper products (including the GRAMMY program books, invitations and other print materials), to protect biodiversity and further reduce greenhouse gases.
The project, which will be further enhanced at future GRAMMY Awards telecasts, will continue to target ecologically significant impacts including global warming, pollution and energy use, paper products, set design, transportation, and food service.
"With the help of NRDC and the LADWP, we have integrated environmentally intelligent practices into every aspect of the GRAMMY Awards and GRAMMY Week activities," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "'Going Green' is an extension of our mission to positively impact the lives of musicians, industry members, and society-at-large, and we are committed to doing our part to make our world healthier and help combat the threat of global warming."
NRDC, the nation's leading environmental research and advocacy organization, was instrumental in helping oversee every aspect of this collaboration with The Recording Academy to assure that ecologically intelligent practices were implemented. The Academy and NRDC arranged for the LADWP to conduct an energy audit of Staples Center and advised the production team on changes that could be made to reduce the use of fossil fuels, encourage the use of recycled paper, prevent waste, and offset carbon emissions.
The results included: performance of a comprehensive energy audit of Staples Center by the LADWP and the preparation of an enhanced energy efficiency plan; renewable energy used to power Staples Center and Los Angeles Convention Center; renewable energy credits purchased by Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offset carbon emissions from the Pre-Telecast and Arrivals; use of ecologically superior paper for telecast and non-telecast event materials such as envelopes, press materials, programs, invitations, and certificates; flex fuel and hybrid vehicle transportation provided by GM for presenters and staff; comprehensive recycling system instituted for event waste; reusable service materials and accessories as well as post-consumer tissue products included at crew meals and craft services; organic and environmentally-friendly food (including seafood, dairy, and produce) featured at the GRAMMY Celebration after-party; and un-used food donated by Wolfgang Puck to Angel Harvest.
Collectively, these choices enabled the GRAMMY Awards and Staples Center to reduce their contribution to the accumulation of global warming gases in the atmosphere by more than 1,100 tons.
For more information on environmentally sound practices, visit the NRDC's Web site.
