Sustainability
Presented by: 
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world, and as such, Denver Arts & Venues understands the responsibility to not only maintain its natural beauty, but to operate as a sustainable venue. As part of the City of Denver’s Environmental Management System, Red Rocks Amphitheatre has been certified to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14001 since 2009. As part of this certification, our operations team adheres to policies and procedures designed to minimize the environmental impact of everything we do.
Waste Diversion
With over 1 million visitors annually, we understand the potential impact of our waste on the environment. During the concert season, Red Rocks typically achieves a 50% waste diversion rate, meaning half of the waste that is generated onsite is either reused, recycled, or composted. This could not be achieved without our dedicated waste sorting team, who picks through the waste after every event to ensure that the maximum amount of recycling and compost is captured.
We strive to reduce the amount of materials used in our operation, which is why we recently partnered with r.World and introduced reusable cups at our venue. Using r.Cups over and over again is a better alternative since reusable cups uses fewer materials and less energy than single-use cups. Remember that r.Cups are designed to be reused at the venue, so make sure to put your r.Cup in a recycling container or designated r.Cup bin.
Energy and Water Conservation
Our team constantly identifies opportunities to reduce energy consumption at Red Rocks. The Visitor Center, for example, reduced electricity use by more than 20% between 2019 and 2023. This was largely due to renovations that better insulated the building, incorporated LED fixtures for all lighting replacements, and swapped all kitchen equipment to Energy Star rated electric appliances. As we continue to stay current with the latest building efficiency trends, an existing condensing unit is currently being replaced with an electric heat pump, and we have plans to replace a second unit in the near future.
As part of the Visitor Center remodel and as routine maintenance takes place, we ensure that all faucets, toilets, and urinals are replaced with the most efficient fixtures available.
Green Cleaning
Red Rocks is committed to responsible purchasing. Approximately 90% of the cleaning products used at Red Rocks are Green Seal or equivalent. We also installed an Orbio Cleaning system which turns tap water and salt into a high effective cleaning solution to reduce our use of chemical cleaning supplies. Use of these products protects our workers, patrons and the water quality.
Sustainable Sourcing
Red Rocks reuses, upcycles, and procures locally sourced products whenever possible. The newly reopened Ship Rock Grille features a menu heavily focused on locally sourced items, and the dining tables and chairs were made by an in-state woodworker. In addition, the showcase artwork in the restaurant is a stunning mosaic replication of a photograph taken by a former employee.
Electric Vehicles
Four ChargePoint electric vehicle charging stations are located in the Trading Post parking lot, and four additional chargers are available in the Upper North lot by the Visitor Center.
Thank you to our sustainability partners:
Xcel Energy is the presenting sponsor of Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s Sustainability page
Eco-Products, Inc. is Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s Official Zero-Waste Partner
