A Global Cultural Movement

Socially, logistically, creatively, Black Rock City is a great cultural experiment — one out of hundreds of ways people come together to create, innovate and share stories in the Burning Man global cultural movement, supported by the Burning Man Project nonprofit. Wherever you live beyond the dust, tap into it and help make it happen by connecting with your Regional Burning Man community.

How We and YOU Leave No Trace

In 2019, we made a giant leap with our Environmental Sustainability Roadmap, which outlines three important goals we wish to attain by 2030:

  1. No Matter Out of Place. Handle waste ecologically.
  2. Be Regenerative. Create a net positive ecological and environmental impact.
  3. Be Carbon Negative. Remove more carbon from the environment than we put into it.

These goals are in line with what we all need to do to ensure that Earth is a viable ecosystem. We believe that the Burning Man community has a pivotal role to play. 

The road ahead is ambitious, and we’re doing real work to get there. As it was in 2023 and 2024, the Man will be 100% powered by solar and renewables. The use of battery-coupled generators will be expanded on BRC’s internal grid, reducing our fossil fuel needs. Generators powered by diesel fuel are being replaced by solar generators and increasingly utilizing renewable fuels. More renewably-powered infrastructure, including additional solar-powered light towers and other solar-powered lighting, is being implemented. Last year, battery integration, solar power grid support, and renewable fuels saved or transitioned 50% of power grid fuel needs away from petroleum diesel.

Theme camps are joining in greening too. The Green Corridor will now have two locations, in the 4:00 and 7:00 sectors of Black Rock City. You can identify Green Corridor camps by flags with the Green Corridor logo. Stop by for a grouping of camps setting the bar for renewable energy, regenerative waste systems, and more!

In 2025, you will see even more environmentally-conscious art — many artists are working to power their art projects sustainably. Thirty-eight percent of 2025 Honoraria art projects demonstrated a significant effort towards sustainability in their proposals, via innovative solutions to power, materials, and transport, or the artwork’s message. 

We hope Burners around the world step up and help right the ship so Burning Man culture, humanity, and life on Earth can thrive into the future. As you prepare for your Burn and read through this Survival Guide, consider how you, your friends, and your camp can contribute to our shared goal to create a sustainable city. Will you prototype a new waste management or grey water system? Are you removing excessive packaging from everything you bring to the playa before you arrive? Using reusable construction materials? Minimizing kitchen and food waste? Doing Matter Out of Place (MOOP) sweeps at your camp and picking up MOOP when you see it on the open playa? Are you reducing power needs at your camp and thinking creatively about how you can share resources with your neighbors? Are you pulling up every last stake and lag bolt before you leave your campsite? Are you sorting your trash and recycling before you depart BRC for easy drop-off at collection centers on your way home? For lots of tips on greening your Burn, see the Leaving No Trace section of this guide.