Outlaw Partners News
2019 PBR pushes sustainability to new heights
Published
5 years agoon
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Outlaw PartnersBy Bay Stephens EBS LOCAL EDITOR
BIG SKY – This July’s Big Sky PBR was not only a success in terms of turnout and competition, but sustainability as well, diverting 1,800 pounds of recycling from landfill and nixing single-use plastic water bottles for eco-friendly alternatives.
And for an event with more than 7,500 total attendees, accumulating only 37 pounds of trash is pretty darn impressive, according to 406 Recycling’s Matt Elsaesser, who oversaw recycling operations for PBR.
While cardboard and plastic were taken to 406 Recycling’s headquarters in Helena, aluminum landed at the Belgrade branch of Pacific Steel and Recycling. Compostable cups will be ground up by a local composter to become soil and the 903 pounds of glass captured at the event will go to a cement plant in Montana City, which uses the crushed material as a substitute for sand.
“I like glass because it’s an inert material,” Elsaesser said. “It’s heavy to transport but has a lot of recycling value,” especially due to the global sand shortage reported by NPR, he added.
Similar to the successful diversion of plastic cups at the Peak to Sky Festival in earlier in the month, 406 Recycling used PVC pipes to encourage audience members to pour out liquids and stack their cups upside down, saving on volume and decreasing contaminants collected with the plastic.
“The quality control we got recycling was very good,” Elsaesser said. “The cleanup crews set aside recycling for us to pick up and the vendors were breaking down boxes [to save on volume].”
As far as Elsaesser knows, he devised the cup stacking system and it’s unique to 406 Recycling.
“One neat thing is when you look back at those volumes, there wasn’t a lot of plastic bottles,” Elsaesser said.
That was deliberate, according to Outlaw Partners Media and Events Director Ersin Ozer.
“Our goal [was] to significantly reduce single-use plastic water bottles at our events this summer, and we partnered with local community leaders to find solutions,” Ozer said.
In lieu of plastic water bottles, Outlaw teamed up with the Gallatin River Task Force, Big Sky Rotary Club and Montana Silver Springs to provide aluminum, reusable water bottles for both Peak to Sky and Big Sky PBR.
Together, GRTF and Rotary organized and ordered 900 28-ounce h2go Surge aluminum refillable water bottles, which were sold near water refill stations at both events by the organizations’ representatives.
“The Gallatin River Task Force was thrilled to partner with Rotary on this important issue of sustainability for our community,” GRTF Director of Development Ryan Newcomb said. “Sustainable solutions are key to water conservation efforts and both protecting and stewarding the Gallatin Watershed as a whole.”
Blair Mohn, secretary of the Big Sky chapter of Rotary and chair of the organization’s sustainability committee, was excited the water bottles came together so quickly and thinks more can be done in Big Sky.
“People want sustainability here,” Mohn said, adding that working with Outlaw to supply the water bottles is just one of many steps rotary intends to carry out to push forward green initiatives in the local community. “People want to preserve the integrity of Big Sky’s natural beauty.”
Montana Silver Springs, based in Philipsburg, Montana, also donated 50 cases of their aluminum bottled water—1,200 bottles—for Outlaw’s summer events.
Nolan and Cathy Smith have bottled beer in aluminum resealable bottles since opening Philipsburg Brewing Co. in 2012, but began bottling high-alkali spring water in the same style of containers in Oct. 2018.
“I just think it’s important to raise people’s awareness about plastic in our environment and if our bottles are [at these events], it puts the issue at the forefront of people’s minds,” Smith said in June.
Aluminum has the only true closed loop recycling process, meaning that aluminum cans can be melted down and made into new aluminum cans indefinitely, rendering it one of the most versatile recycling materials out there.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
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15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
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Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during
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Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during their regular Toddler and Preschool Storytime on Wednesday, March 20, at 10:15 a.m. The free program, presented by the Bozeman Symphony is especially for children ages 3 to 5. Children will be able to listen to Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actor Emma Rather, who will be joined by Bozeman Symphony Bassoonist Sam Macken. The goal of the program is to encourage a love of music, literacy, and discovery. Additional programs are scheduled at the Library on April 10 and June 12. For more information, visit www.bozemansymphony.org or call 406-585-9774.
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(Wednesday) 10:15 am - 10:45 am
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Bozeman Public Library
626 E. Main St, Bozeman, MT