Image via Sasquatch! Music Festival

Music festival season is upon us. One of the first on my radar? The Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge Ampitheatre in George, Washington, which takes place over Memorial Day weekend May 29-31.

Sasquatch! always has a stellar lineup and this year is no exception.The 2010 roster includes the likes of She & Him (reason enough to attend…do I even have to go on?), the xx, Dirty Projectors, MGMT, the National, Girls, and Vampire Weekend, just to name a few.

But Sasquatch! has got more goin’ on than just a cool name (second only to Bonnaroo!) and an enviable lineup. There’s some great green initiatives planned too.

Although not quite on the same level as some other festivals, Sasquatch is ramping up their efforts, taking even bigger green steps compared to last year. Here’s the highlights:

Carpooling. Esurance is promoting a Rideshare Rewards program that will give away some coveted prizes – like VIP passes for Saturday – to folks who sign up to carpool via their site. The first 100 cars filled to capacity to arrive at the show will also get premium parking.

Recycling. Last year, Sasquatch! festival-goers recycled enough plastic and paper to cover 20 football fields. This year, Sasquatch! hopes to increase the amount of recyclables diverted from the landfill.

Buying Carbon Offsets. In addition to being powered by 100% wind, the event will be certified carbon neutral by Carbon Harmony. Well, more like carbon negative. They’ll be offsetting 125% of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by all energy use as well as the fuel consumption of artists, attendees, staff, and vendors.

Showcasing Hybrid Vehicles. Honda, an official eco-partner, is also jumping in on the action. They’ll be showing off their hybrid vehicles in the Honda Hybrid Zone, sponsoring the Big Foot Solar Stage, and providing a bicycle-powered charging station for personal electronics.

Unfortunately, Sasquatch! is sold out. But you can read all about the green goings on at Sasquatch!’s Green page.

Image via Green Notes

You don’t have to be a rock climber or a mountain biker to enjoy the great outdoors. Musicians and fans love to play outside just as much as anyone else.

Think about it. How many major outdoor music festivals – not to mention outdoor venues on the regular touring circuit – are there? A lot. And it seems they grow in number and popularity every year.

All that music-related outdoor fun takes a toll on the environment. Clif Bar – the makers of those tasty, organic energy bars – gets it. Their Green Notes program helps resource-strapped emerging artists and sustainably-minded music festivals reduce their environmental impacts.

By downloading their Protect the Places We Play compilation, featuring artists like Michael Franti, Brett Dennen, and Missy Higgins, we can help too.  All proceeds from the album benefit Leave No Trace, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, and the National Environmental Education Foundation, organizations working to preserve our natural playgrounds.

Looking for more ways to go green? If you’re a musician, check out Green Notes’ green touring tips. Better yet, apply for some one-on-one assistance.

If you’re a music lover, support Green Notes’ roster of artists, which this year includes Ingrid Michaelson, Josh Ritter, and the Sam Roberts Band. You can also take their Pledge to the Planet and calculate the CO2 emissions eliminated from making simple changes like eating organic or riding your bike.