Hollywood Bowl Green Initiatives

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and Los Angeles County, partners in the management of one of America's great amphitheaters and urban oases, know that it's not enough to say you're green – you have to practice AND preach it. Over one million people per year visit the Hollywood Bowl, and it's our commitment to share our environmentally-sound and conservationist practices with each and every one of them – and we invite them to share in the responsibility of keeping this natural treasure beautiful – naturally.

Getting there the Green Way

Let's face it – the Bowl wasn't built with your car in mind, and the growing popularity getting to the Bowl via public transportation proves that sometimes it's best to leave the car at home. We partnered with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to bring you these programs starting in 1953, and that partnership is still going strong. Together with the MTA, we've implemented "Know Before You Go" to help Bowl patrons in getting to the Bowl the green way, and if you choose to arrive on two wheels instead of four, you can even park your bike for free.

What We're Doing

The Bowl's "Green Team," made up of LAPA and LA County staff members, is charged with spearheading the Bowl's green initiatives and conservation efforts, but we're open to suggestions. That's where you come in.

Recycling

Did you know the Bowl is a leader in recycling green waste? It would be easy to throw away all the waste that's a natural by-product of keeping the venue green and growing – but active environmental stewardship isn't about doing the easy thing. We don't toss it – we clip it, we chip it and we reuse it to help keep the Bowl green.

Not only are there recycling bins located throughout the venue to handle the recyclable waste that builds up during our concerts, but we're not content to let recyclable items languish among non-recyclables. Our dedicated Bowl staff roots out the stuff most people might miss and makes sure it gets to the recycling bin.

Every Drop Counts

Water conservation is a big deal here in Southern California, so it's no surprise that a leader in resource management like the Bowl takes an active and engaged role in doing its part to save this precious resource. You may have noticed some funny-looking toilets in the Bowl restrooms since 2007 – that's when we installed waterless urinals and flush-reducing toilets. Sounds like a small step, right? Think again – with that investment, the Bowl reduced its water consumption by 3.5 million gallons in that first year alone.

Speaking of upgrades, we've also installed a nifty little thing called a "satellite-based irrigation system," which tracks rainfall around the Bowl itself and irrigates accordingly, based on the recent amount of rainfall and the needs of the local fauna rather than a simple timer. Again, this simple, common-sense based decision has reduced our water use by 10%. Just like you, we don't water unless it's needed.

Keeping it Clean

Short of putting a dome over the Bowl, there's no way we can completely stop airborne pollutants from affecting the Bowl – especially when it comes to water runoff, where pollutants can wreak havoc on drinking water for both humans and wildlife. We can, however, do everything we can to keep runoff clean, so we've installed stainless steel grates at water intakes, as well as installed special filters so we can clean the water we use for irrigation and for keeping the Bowl (including Bowl vehicles) clean and operating efficiently.

Keeping it Natural

A natural amphitheater like the Hollywood Bowl is a rare thing, and a habitat that's a haven for people, flora and fauna alike – in the middle of an urban area like Los Angeles is even rarer. Here's what we do to make sure everything has a home at the Bowl.

Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

We have been certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a designation granted to organizations that implement an environmental management plan.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program goals include:

• Outreach and Education
• Resource Management/Water Conservation
• Wildlife and Habitat Management

Taking Steps to Protect the Flora and Fauna

The LA Phil and LA County staff, musicians and Bowl patrons aren't the only living creatures that go to the Bowl in droves every year. Dozens of animal and bird species and hundreds of native plants call the Bowl home as well, and we see it as part of our job to make sure they're cared for in the best way possible. Not only do we foster native animals by maintaining as natural an environment as possible, we've also emphasized the use of native plants throughout the Bowl, which use less water than imported plant species as well as helping in revitalizing the animals who live in and around the Bowl.

Hollywood Bowl Flora and Fauna

Mammals at the Hollywood Bowl:

• Coyote (Canis latrans)
• Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
• Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
• California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi beecheyi)
• Mule deer (Odocoileus haemionus)
• Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginianus)
• Eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)
• Brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)

Birds at the Hollywood Bowl:

• Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
• California quail (Callipepla californica)
• Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna)
• Western scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
• Common Raven (Corvus corax)
• Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
• Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
• Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
• Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
• Band-tailed pigeon (Patagioenas fasciatus)
• Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)
• American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Snakes and lizards at the Hollywood Bowl:

• Gopher snake (Pituophis melanoleucus)
• Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
• Southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)
• Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana)

Native plants at the Hollywood Bowl:

• Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
• Black Sage (Salvia mellifera)
• Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)
• Monkey Flower (Mimulus purpureus)
• Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
• Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
• Barberry (Berberis fendleri)
• Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry (Ribes speciosum)
• Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
• Meadow-rue (Thalictrum flavum)
• Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
• Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei)
• California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
• California Lilac (Ceanothus oliganthus)
• Elderberry (Sambucus cerulea)
• Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia)
• Phacelia (Phacelia grandiflora)
• White Nightshade (Solanum americanum)

What You Can Do

We've told you how we try to keep the Hollywood Bowl a place of natural beauty for future generations of all species – now here's how you can help.

Know Before You Go

Take the bus. Ride your bike. Park and ride. Leave the car at home and get there the green way - you'll enjoy your concert more and you'll help cut down on traffic around the Bowl and carbon emissions. It makes sense.

More Info

Do Your Part

The picnicking tradition is one of the things that makes the Bowl unique. Enjoy the tradition responsibly by using and reusing   reuse your food/beverage containers and bags, recycle when possible and deposit the rest in the proper containers. Leave the Bowl green for the next generation.