GreenLight Solutions at Oktoberfest: How Waste Diversion is Shaping the Future of Festivals

Festival Dates: 10/10/25-10/12/25
Oktoberfest is one of the world’s most iconic cultural celebrations. Originating in Germany and now celebrated globally, it draws huge crowds with live music, contests, food, and a full carnival atmosphere. But with large gatherings comes an often-overlooked consequence: massive amounts of waste.
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Raising the Bar for Festival Sustainability at City of Tempe’s annual Oktoberfest, GreenLight Solutions once again took the lead in reducing event waste—and the results were extraordinary.

In 2025, our Green Team achieved a 52% waste diversion rate, a major leap from last year’s 37%. Over just three years, we’ve gone from 32% → 37% → 52%, marking the highest diversion rate in Oktoberfest history. The impact didn’t stop there.
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Waste Diversion Stats: #Starving the Landfill

• 2023: 3.7 tons
• 2024: 4 tons
• 2025: 7.1 tons

This year’s performance represents a 78% increase in diverted waste from 2024, showcasing the power of teamwork, community partnership, and intentional sustainability planning.
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​Connecting Waste Diversion to Global Sustainability Goals
​All Green Team operations are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDG #12: Responsible Consumption and Production. By helping major events rethink waste, we are fostering a culture of sustainability that reduces environmental impact and supports circular systems.
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Despite intense weather—including microbursts and heavy rain—our team powered through. In total, we diverted nearly 21 tons of CO₂, the equivalent of:

• 54,000 miles driven
• 1.7M smartphones charged

​Weathering the Microburst: Volunteer Voices from the Storm
​Volunteer Matthew DePasquale described the experience as witnessing a, “30-yard long dumpster filled to the brim with recyclable materials”—all saved from the landfill and ready to be repurposed. He also noted that the team went back during the final two days--even in the rain—to ensure nothing recyclable was left behind. 

​This year’s efforts were especially impressive given that during the festival, Tempe was hit by a severe microburst in which straight-line winds of 80–90 mph tore through neighborhoods, prompting Mayor Corey Woods to declare a city-wide state of emergency. The storm left an estimated 500 trees lost within the city’s park system alone and required extensive cleanup and community coordination.

That level of dedication from the GreenLight Solutions team—delivering a major waste-diversion win even amidst a recovery period—truly embodies the spirit of our organization.

How Waste Diversion Supports Local Businesses
Reducing event waste isn’t only an environmental win—it also benefits local businesses and communities. Recycled materials can be transformed into new products, support local circular economies, and even contribute to feeding those in our community experiencing homelessness.
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The success of this year’s diversion efforts shows what’s possible when sustainability becomes part of event culture. Oktoberfest is now setting the standard for eco-friendly festivals in Arizona, and we’re excited to build on this momentum for years to come.
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​Thank You to Our Sponsors
Your support makes zero-waste events possible and helps advance sustainability throughout the Valley.

• Tempe Sister Cities: Nic Papagiorgio, Paul Sheard, Mike O’Hara
• City of Tempe: Allan VanVleet Jr, Patrick Saros

​GreenLightSolutions Green Team: Felicia Shupp, Tre Byrd, Alex, Boris, Brandon, Brennan, Caitlin, Chris, Christopher, Felicia, Gerald (Shaggy), Grace, Jazmine, Jonatan, Joseph, Joseph, Juan, Kyleigh, Matthew, Muhammad Luthfi, Nikolaus, Roland

​​Get Involved
​Hosting an event? Schedule a Discovery Session with GreenLight Solutions to explore how we can bring impactful sustainability initiatives to your event.

Want to join the team? Sign Up to become a Green Team volunteer or staff member and help lead zero-waste efforts across the Valley.
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Inspired by this impact? Become a Green Team Sponsor and help expand sustainability programs and waste-diversion initiatives throughout our community.

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Riya N.
Riya is a student at ASU majoring in computer science and interested in media design. She has experience in graphic design and editing, helping out with marketing for GLS, as well as software and data engineering. Her sustainability journey began as an intern for the non-profit, and she is actively involved in the Next Generation Service Corps, helping out the community in global and cultural awareness.