The music festival that has been a cornerstone of California’s entertainment scene for decades, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, has always been a hub for creativity and self-expression. However, this year, the festival has taken on a new mission – to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainability. Since its inception in 2004, the non-profit organization Global Inheritance has partnered with the Coachella festival to share a mission of raising environmental awareness. The group, led by Eric Ritz, executive director and founder, aims to inspire change through individual and collective efforts. The programming at the festival includes a variety of activities designed to be engaging and educational. One of the most popular programs is the Carpoolchella contest, where four or more festivalgoers carpool to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions and decorate their car with eco-friendly decorations for a chance to win VIP tickets for life and festival merchandise. **

Reducing Waste, Increasing Awareness

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The organization will also host several guest speakers, including Nic Adler, co-founder of Monty’s Good Burger and vice president of Golden Voice Festivals, and stand-up comedian Ed Greer. Other panel topics include AI’s impact on music and creativity, how a meatless diet can help reduce our footprint, and how to find a job in the sustainability field. During weekend one, the first Gen Z member of Congress, Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost, returned to the festival to speak on a panel about how people can get directly involved with grassroots activism. He also introduced Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who spoke before Clario took the stage and called for young people to fight back against the rollback of environmental regulations and other issues. The organization will also host a food challenge, where contestants will do a blindfolded taste test to try to distinguish the difference between plant-based food and meat. If they guess correctly, they could win VIP tickets for next year’s festival and other prizes. **

A Growing Movement

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According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is weighing a series of executive orders, possibly to be announced on Earth Day, that are meant to target environmental groups. One order is reportedly meant to target the tax-exempt status of environmental nonprofits in a similar way the administration has gone after tax-exempt status for Ivy League institutions. Denae Ávila-Dickson, a spokesperson for the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led activism group, said that since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the group has seen an increase in youth organizers. “President Donald Trump is rolling back critical environmental protections,” Ávila-Dickson said. “He’s defunding the agencies that keep our water drinkable and our air breathable, the agencies that are able to identify and address climate disasters. People are concerned for their homes, communities, and the people they love.”
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Individual Actions Matter

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Madison Betz, of Phoenix, said she’s been consciously using her reusable water bottle after learning how many end up in landfills. This is her third time attending Coachella, and she said she appreciates the festival’s effort to reduce waste and offer water refill stations. “There’s so much plastic everywhere, and sometimes it’s plastic over plastic, like in stuff that gets delivered, and that all has to go somewhere,” she said. “You can’t help but wonder how much of that will just flow into our oceans or communities in the future, and that will affect us. We should be working to fix that, rethinking these things every day.”
Eric Ritz, the founder of Global Inheritance, emphasizes the importance of individual actions. “For companies, groups, and individuals that aren’t necessarily doing environmental programming or thinking about sustainability, Earth Day is a nice reminder that people should pause and consider the planet,” Ritz said. “Ideally, it’s a time of reflection, where you ask yourself, ‘What are you doing for the planet? Have you made improvements in your life to help reduce your footprint or lower emissions?'”

The impact of Earth Day can be seen at the Coachella festival, where environmental awareness and sustainability are being promoted through various activities and initiatives. This year’s programming includes a variety of activities designed to be engaging and educational, from the Carpoolchella contest to guest speakers and panel discussions. The festival’s efforts to promote sustainability are a reminder that individual actions and collective efforts are crucial in promoting a more environmentally-friendly future. By hosting activities such as the Carpoolchella contest and offering water refill stations, the festival is encouraging festival-goers to make a positive impact on the environment. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and sustainability, events like Coachella can play a significant role in raising awareness and inspiring change. By promoting environmental awareness and sustainability, the festival is contributing to a larger movement that aims to protect the planet for future generations.