Rock the Green announces sponsors for 2016 sustainability and music festival
Third near-zero waste festival to be held in September
MILWAUKEE – (June 16, 2016) – Rock the Green, a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to educate, engage and empower the community to take eco-actionable steps to live, work and play, announced today the sponsors for its third music festival to be held Saturday, Sept. 17, in Milwaukee. In addition to new sponsors, this year’s festival features a new venue, children’s stage and will focus on freshwater sustainability.
“The mission of Rock the Green is to protect and preserve our city’s natural resources, which would not be possible without the support and collaboration from our wonderful sponsors, volunteers and community organizations,” said Lindsay Stevens Gardner, founder and executive director,
Rock the Green. “Milwaukee is full of innovative and sustainable companies, and we’re thrilled to receive backing from these organizations that support our mission.”
The event’s new venue will be at Reed Street Yards on Freshwater Way, one of Wisconsin’s first eco-industrial parks. This year’s event is also reinforcing The Water Council’s work to position Milwaukee as a global leader in freshwater sustainability.
A range of local restaurants and food vendors will bring locally grown, sustainable and healthy food options in the Farm to Fork area, a pedal-powered stage will feature Wisconsin bands, and the Eco-Champs area will showcase local environmental nonprofits. There will also be a new Eco-Kids stage and interactive area complete with children’s activities, programming and music.
We Energies is supporting Rock the Green this year through a grant from the We Energies Foundation. The local electricity and natural gas utility supports a number of environmental initiatives, including Energy for Tomorrow, the company’s renewable energy program that creates electricity from natural sources such as wind, water and solar power.
“We proudly support Rock the Green’s initiatives and are excited to partner with the festival this year,” said Kevin Fletcher, president, We Energies. “At We Energies, we are focused on enhancing the quality of life for our customers. Our commitment includes compatibility of our operations with the environment.”
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), a new festival partner, is sponsoring the food grinding stations, where 100 percent of the festival food scraps will be ground up on-site. After the festival, MMSD will process the food scraps to turn into energy and Milorganite.
“It’s crucial that we work together as a community to protect the one Earth we have,” said Kevin Shafer, executive director, MMSD. “Teaching people things like composting and the importance of clean water are small steps that will help preserve our resources for future generations.”
Additionally, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee will serve as Rock the Green’s primary media partner and is located just two blocks from the new festival grounds. 88Nine celebrates music, arts and culture, neighborhoods, community organizations, diversity and community engagement throughout Milwaukee. Rock the Green, in partnership with 88Nine, will announce bands and ticket information mid-July.
New 2016 Sponsors:
Canned Water 4 Kids
Custom Reality Services
Educators Credit Union
Fairchild Equipment
General Capital Group
Harley-Davidson Foundation
Harley-Davidson Museum
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District/Milorganite
Patra Eco-Dinnerware
SBR Events
The Water Council
Triple Pundit
University of Wisconsin-System
WE Energies
Returning Sponsors:
88Nine Radio Milwaukee
A.O. Smith Corp.
Badger Meter
Big Systems
Branigan Communications
City of Milwaukee: Department of Public Works & Office of Environmental Sustainability
Direct Supply
Godfrey & Kahn
Goodwill Industries
Marcus Corp.
Mindpool Live
Natural Awakenings Magazine
Revole Promotions
RitzHolman CPAs
Shepherd Express
The Sigma Group
Visit Milwaukee
Visit www.rockthegreen.com for additional sponsorship opportunities and festival updates.
About Rock the Green
Rock the Green is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering the community to take actionable steps to live sustainably. Rock the Green accomplishes its mission through engagement and entertainment. Leveraging near-zero waste efforts, Rock the Green produces engaging events with a feather-light eco-footprint. Rock the Green educates through example, through spotlighting other environmental leaders in communities and by sharing experiences and eco-education with our fans. Rock the Green draws people to its mission via a world-class music festival that showcases near-zero waste best practices at a large-scale event. In addition to the award-winning music festival, Rock the Green hosts a variety of events and educational opportunities all year long. For more information about Rock the Green, go to www.rockthegreen.com.
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