Apple has committed to making improvements to London's Roundhouse theater in order to reduce the environmental footprint of the annual Apple Music Festival (formerly the iTunes Music Festival). Apple does not own the venue, but the FAQ for the event said that Apple was giving the Roundhouse an "environmental makeover."
Apple Music Festival is a month-long event with major acts playing alongside up and comers and some indie musicians. It's held at the Roundhouse theater in London, an historic landmark in the city.
Lisa Jackson, Apple Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, tweeted a link to the FAQ for the festival, and she pledged that Apple would leave the venue "better than we find it."
Apple Music Fest gives a gift to the Roundhouse: energy & Environmental upgrades.Leaving it better than we find it. http://t.co/DgjNRG08bZ
— Lisa P. Jackson (@lisapjackson) September 21, 2015
According to that FAQ, Apple will be upgrading the lighting, plumbing, and HVAC systems, and it will buy renewable credits to offset all of September's electricity use. The passage in question:
Are you taking good care of the Roundhouse?
You bet. To show our love, we’re even giving the 168-year-old building an environmental makeover. We’re making major upgrades to the lighting, plumbing, and HVAC systems; installing recycling and composting bins; arranging to turn used fryer oil into biofuel; buying renewable energy credits to cover the Roundhouse's September electricity use; and offering reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones. We expect these improvements to reduce the Roundhouse’s annual carbon emissions by 60 tons, save 60,000 gallons of water a year, and divert more than 1,600 kilograms of waste from landfills.
So what, you might ask. Apple makes a crap ton of money at the festival, right? That's not the case, at least not directly. While Apple develops good will for the event, tickets are free. Apple Music Festival is a loss leader to promote the company's various music endeavors.
Apple has never disclosed the terms of its month-long lease for the Roundhouse. It's possible that these upgrades will come out of what the company would otherwise pay—making it a wash for Apple's bottom line. It's also possible that Apple is doing this because the company is committed to the environment in ways few other companies are.
Either way, it's a bold step and statement from the company about the importance of the environment, even at major entertainment events.