Sustainability initiatives

Discover our environmentally friendly initiatives to reduce waste and promote sustainability.

A man standing next to a food waste bin.

Our award-winning sustainability program

Launched in 2016, our Take Note Initiative, now sponsored by OnPoint Community Credit Union, has helped the Hayden Homes Amphitheater become one of the greenest music venues in the country.

The first year of the program we cut our landfill waste by 50 percent, and in 2023, thanks to the leadership of Sustainability Manager Cassidy Cushing, our landfill diversion rate was 78 percent.

A button with the words take note in it.

Oregon's largest outdoor venue

How do we do it?

First off, all food and beverage vendors at the amphitheater use 100 percent compostable dishes, utensils, and cups. And we’ve banned the sale of single-use plastic water bottles. We offer free water stations throughout the venue and encourage concertgoers to bring in their own re-usable water bottles. Oh, and our amazing Green Team sorts all recycling, waste, and compost bins in the venue. And now we have a pair of solar charging tables from our partners at OnPoint - free to use, we might add - that keeps concertgoers' phones charged and ready to rock throughout shows. What else, partnership with Visit Central Oregon helped us secure 150 new bike racks creating 300 new bike parking spots for those choosing greener transportation.

​In 2023 our Green Team sorted through 159,612 pounds of waste, and were able to recycle, repurpose, compost or donate 124,934 pounds of that waste. This equates to a 78% diversion rate!​​

Not that we do it for the recognition, but in 2018 the amphitheater was one of only three U.S. venues to receive the Jack Johnson All At Once Sustainability Award. In 2023 we took First Place nationally for "Highest Scrap Value Returned" (300K+ cans), we received First Place nationally for the "Innovation Award" (Trashy Golden Ticket), and we placed Third nationally for the "Highest Diversion Percentage Overall".

Notable mention

Of the Green Team’s 130-plus members, roughly 115 were under the age of 18, and for every hour worked, the venue donates at least $1 back to that student’s school. Last year the venue was able to donate more than $28,000 back to Central Oregon schools.​

How we chose OnPoint

In 2023, we partnered with OnPoint to help take our sustainability efforts to the next level. Through their own Green Horizons efforts, OnPoint provides special rate discounts on electric and hybrid cards, as well as homeowners and businesses looking to install solar panels. They're also donating $100,000 this year to four Pacific Northwest environmental non-profits: SOLVE Oregon, The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, The Freshwater Trust and Forth. Like the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, OnPoint takes sustainability seriously and is helping build a more sustainable future for us all.

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