More
Meow Wolf blends immersive art with sustainability, focusing on eco-friendly materials, waste reduction, and community collaborations to minimize our environmental impact.
Photo by Jess Bernstein.
At first glance, Meow Wolf’s fantastical realms may appear to be disconnected from the natural world. Guests are invited to explore our exhibitions within the climate-controlled comfort of the indoors. Rain or shine, winter or summer, night or day, the immersive experiences we create go seemingly unchanged by the realities of Earth.
And yet, nature has long been a foundational muse for Meow Wolf artists. From the strange swamplands of Numina at Convergence Station, to Omega Mart’s surreal Projected Desert, our creations are infused with earthly enchantment–sparking soulful ease and child-like awe.
Our relationship to nature goes far beyond that of artist and muse. In order to protect this source of so much inspiration, Meow Wolf has embarked on a forever journey to embed environmental consciousness into everything we do.
One could say our sustainability journey is as old as Meow Wolf itself - dumpster-diving, recycling, and upcycling has been an integral element of our art-making since our earliest days
As Meow Wolf evolves, we continue to meet new challenges on our journey to grow sustainably, reduce our carbon footprint, and operate more efficiently. In response, we have created comprehensive, company-wide initiatives dedicated to measuring and reducing our environmental impact.
Each time we expand the Meow Wolf universe, we are confronted with the difficult realities of creating sustainably. Avoiding environmentally harmful materials in modern day artmaking can often feel like a balancing act–prioritizing our desire to build responsibly alongside safety, cost, and durability.
Meow Wolf creators look beyond materials traditionally used in largescale art installations to envision a more sustainable future. Artists like Emmanuelle John have begun the daunting but exciting challenge of finding plastic alternatives for future exhibitions. While we still have a long way to go, we have discovered some promising materials for use in future exhibitions.
Mycelium is a root-like network of fungus that has gained popularity as a sustainable building material. While fungus might seem like an unlikely alternative, it actually holds huge promise. Naturally fire resistant and biodegradable, our artists can “grow” mycelium into nearly any shape by packing fibers mixed with live fungus into a mold.
“Meow Wolf was born from the alchemizing of discarded materials to create new worlds. Not only are reuse and sustainability at the forefront of our core values as a company, but they are woven into every facet of our creation process. As a cutting edge arts organization, we have the opportunity to present our values to the world through what we do, and to carry them forward with the beauty and sacredness we imbue into all we create.”
- Emmanuelle John, Meow Wolf
We are excited to use mycelium and other sustainable materials like adobe, a time-honored mixture of earth, sand, water, and straw found abundantly in our origin city Santa Fe. The incorporation of mycelium and adobe is a testament to our commitment to reimagining the future of construction with materials that are not only eco-friendly but also innovative and rooted in local heritage. While the use of these materials is still in its infancy, discerning guests may find examples of them in upcoming exhibitions.
Ultimately, sustainable material use is a step toward reducing our collective impact on the planet and promoting a future where natural ecosystems can thrive alongside human development.
While Meow Wolf is best known for our immersive experiences, we also offer a wide variety of merchandise. Guests can take a small part of the Meow Wolf experience home with them - sparking creativity and wonder every day. We also use this opportunity to partner with local artists, dedicating 30% of every Meow Wolf gift shop to local vendors.
Of course, physical merch comes with its own unique set of sustainability challenges, but our team works to make our products and gift shop operations more sustainable. Whenever possible, we opt for recycled packaging and labeling materials and have removed plastic bags from our gift shops. Many of our products, like our Meow Wolf and Snaggy plush, are made from recycled plastic water bottles.
Sustainability is a team effort. From Las Vegas to Houston, our “Shrimps” (AKA Meow Wolf employees) have played a critical role in our efforts to make Meow Wolf greener. Passionate employees have come together to form a Sustainability Council tasked with partnering with local nonprofits, conducting waste audits, and assessing our energy usage.
These efforts have created big results - Shrimps across all five exhibitions have found creative solutions to our sustainability challenges. Convergence Station, for example, is getting scrappy with “Meow Wolf Makers”, a range of hands-on artistic workshops that has made use of over 100 pounds of materials previously destined for the landfill.
House of Eternal Return has focused on diverting as much waste as possible from landfills by partnering with local organizations Broken Arrow Glass Recycling and Reunity Resources Urban Farm. These collaborations have allowed us to recycle 9,600 pounds of glass and divert 6,100 gallons of compostable material each year.
At Omega Mart, we have increased the number of onsite recycling receptacles to ensure everything that can be diverted from a landfill is. This has resulted in an estimated 25 tons of recycled materials each year.
Our exhibits are also passionate about maintaining clean, beautiful neighborhoods. Meow Wolf Grapevine’s The Real Unreal is proud to have partnered with Grapevine Parks and Recreation to adopt and restore a 4-acre prairie that supports native wildlife.
Both Meow Wolf Grapevine’s The Real Unreal and Meow Wolf Houston’s Radio Tave are proud participants in the Keep Texas Beautiful & Don’t Mess With Texas campaigns, working to beautify the areas around our exhibitions and eliminate litter from local parks and public spaces.
By reimagining art through the lens of sustainability, we aim to honor the natural world. As we continue to evolve, we're integrating environmental consciousness into every aspect of our work—from the materials we use to the partnerships we cultivate.
We remain inspired by the natural world, looking to it not just as a muse, but as a model for innovative solutions.
