New York club night cuts single-use plastic as anti-plastic initiative expands
Bye Bye Plastic has brought its Zero Plastic Club model to New York, starting with a club night on 3 October hosted by BLOND:ISH. The Paris pilot involved 24 clubs and removed 323,983 bottles annually, 10.9 tonnes of plastic, and 20.55 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The New York event cut more than 450 lb of plastic, and the group estimates that 50 participating venues could eliminate over one million bottles each year.
Bye Bye Plastic, founded in 2019 by BLOND:ISH’s Vivie-ann Bakos and Camille Guitteau, uses an Eco-Rider clause that lets artists require venues to avoid single-use plastic. More than 1,500 artists and DJs have signed it. The Paris pilot involved 24 clubs and removed 323,983 bottles yearly, 10.9 tonnes of plastic and 20.55 tonnes of CO2.
The New York launch event on 3 October reduced over 450 lb of plastic. If 50 local venues adopted the model, organizers estimate more than one million bottles could be avoided annually, with a projected 21-tonne plastic-waste reduction. Participating venues receive audits, training and guidance over a two-year phase-out.
This effort may influence nightlife patrons, venue staff, artists, and waste systems by normalizing plastic-free options. If adopted widely, it could reduce litter and emissions linked to single-use plastics, while possibly raising operational questions for smaller clubs. Its cultural visibility may encourage other entertainment spaces to test similar practices, though actual outcomes would depend on venue participation, enforcement, and audience behavior.