Ultra Music Festival Earns Rare “Greener Festival” Certification, Setting a New Environmental Benchmark in the U.S.

Ultra Music Festival has reached a historic milestone, becoming the largest U.S. festival in more than a decade to earn the internationally respected “Greener Festival” certification from A Greener Future. This recognition comes as Ultra celebrates the fifth anniversary of its sustainability program, Mission: Home, which has rapidly evolved into one of the most comprehensive environmental initiatives in the global live events industry.

Since its launch in 2019, Mission: Home has educated 8.2 million people, diverted nearly 400,000 pounds of waste, and redistributed over 84,000 pounds of food, beverages, and materials to community partners. The 2025 edition marked the program’s strongest year yet, with 61 sustainability initiatives implemented during Ultra’s sold-out 25th-anniversary celebration.

A milestone five years in the making

This new certification adds to Ultra’s growing list of accolades:

• 1st Place SUNsational Award (Sustainability Program category) at the Florida Festivals and Events Association Convention — Ultra’s third win in five years.

• Inclusion in IQ Magazine’s 2025 Green Guardians, alongside artists such as Coldplay and Massive Attack.

• Verification by Debris Free Oceans as the most extensive sustainability program among major U.S. electronic music festivals.

• Recognition at the World Sustainability Awards, including a 2023 win and a 2024 finalist position.

With the Greener Festival certification, Ultra has now received 11 sustainability honors in just five years.

Transformative waste management and reduction

Ultra’s environmental performance continues to break new ground:

• A lifetime 45% waste-diversion rate across Mission: Home.

• Introduction of a glass-recovery program with Glass for Life.

• Nine independent waste-diversion streams managed by experts Clean Vibes, which achieved 100% recyclable acceptance at local facilities.

• Extended compost operations in partnership with Renuable.

• Continued soft-plastic recycling with Lady Green Recycling.

Ultra also maintained strict source-reduction policies, including free water refill stations, bans on Styrofoam and straws, and fully plastic-free food and GA bar service — eliminating over 2.6 million single-use plastic items since 2019.

Meaningful community impact in South Florida

Mission: Home remains deeply connected to Miami’s local community:

• 14,000 pounds of food donated to The Caring Place — nearly 12,000 meals.

• Over 50,000 pounds of beverages shared with partner organizations.

• 54,000 pounds of post-construction wood repurposed through Recreate Miami and Florida Wood Recycling.

According to The Caring Place’s Food Service Manager, the contributions help feed 1,200 people every day.

Education, conservation, and engagement

Ultra expanded its sustainability influence through:

• A fan survey conducted with Scripps Institution of Oceanography graduate researchers.

• An active Eco Village featuring five environmental organizations.

• Wildlife-protection initiatives with Love the Everglades Movement and ocean-pollution experts at SOP Technologies.

• The return of Leave No Trace programs, runoff protocols, storm-drain safeguards, and nature-education installations.

Mission: Home also launched new community partnerships in 2025, including Ultra’s first-ever Bayfront Bark pet-adoption event and an ongoing collaboration with Fandiem, which allows fans to support Lotus House, the largest women’s shelter in the U.S., in exchange for a chance to win an exclusive trip to Ultra 2026.

A vision for the future

As Ultra prepares for 2026, Mission: Home continues to expand its reach — protecting Biscayne Bay, supporting Miami communities, and inspiring environmental leadership across the global festival sector. Ultra’s sustainability journey demonstrates that massive live events can evolve, innovate, and create meaningful change that echoes far beyond the music.