Written by: Briana LaCost
I just wrapped up my fourth year at Deep Tropics…and friends, this was hands down the hottest one yet (and I’m not just talking ambient temps). Blazing days had us dancing in the sweat of our skin, reminding us just how urgent it is that we do our part in helping festivals reduce their carbon footprint.
Thankfully, Deep Tropics isn’t just about the heat, it’s about heart. It’s been dubbed “the greenest festival in North America” for a reason. They crushed 87–96% waste diversion, even in 2024, achieving 87% diverted waste, composting the rest, and working toward a fully renewable energy-powered event (EDM.com, Happy Eco News). This year they edged closer to ditching diesel generators entirely, aiming to run off renewable energy and battery systems (EDM.com, Happy Eco News).
Single-use plastics? Gone. Every plate, cup, and utensil on site was compostable, and they implement an “infinity cup” system: stainless steel reusable cups you clip and reuse all weekend (EDM.com, Happy Eco News). They even partnered with TerraCycle to reclaim “impossible items” like cigarette butts and microplastics (EDM.com).
Want to feel like your wristband is planting trees? With the Eco-Band program, every band funds tree-planting—this year, they even funded fruit-bearing trees in Kenya via Trees for the Future (Festival Insider). Overall, over 100,000 trees have been planted since the festival’s inception, making Deep Tropics climate positive (Happy Eco News, NewsChannel 5).
They didn’t stop there—solar-powered bars, mobile solar trailers, and auditing with Green Disco and A Greener Festival made sure every step was measured and improved (Festival Insider). The pre-festival Sustainability Summit and Deep Culture Speakeasy delivered conversations around regenerative culture, wellness, and climate action (EDM.com, East of 8th, Happy Eco News).
Fuego Lineup for House and Bass Heads
If you live for house or bass, Deep Tropics is your sonic utopia. This year, the curation was on another level with charting heavyweights like Subtronics, Liquid Stranger, HEYZ, Chris Lake, Chris Lorenzo, and Disco Lines lighting up stages. And that legacy? It’s legendary: past editions delivered us Sofi Tukker, Kaskade, Zingara, Tape B—artists that became part of our festival DNA.
PLUR in Every Beat
Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. For four years, I’ve witnessed Deep Tropics not merely preach PLUR but embody it through its green ethos, welcoming energy, and community-first culture. It’s rare to find a scene where you can dance your heart out under neon lights and also feel like you’re actively healing the planet, and that fusion is what keeps this festival alive, evolving, and deeply moving.
This weekend has left me sun-kissed, soul-filled, and deeply grateful to be part of a community that’s dancing and dreaming bigger, for ourselves and our Earth. Until next year, I’ll be carrying this magic forward, one compostable cup and one PLUR-filled heart at a time.