How to Green your Event or Festival

A green festival or event incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact of the environment.

Events and festivals around the world create enormous amounts of waste. Some

festival and event organizers are beginning to green their events to minimize their impact to the environment.

Much of the materials to aid businesses or organizations green their events is more strongly focused to green meetings and conferences rather than events and festivals.

What are the benefits of Green Festivals and Events?

Music Fans Actually Want Green Events!

• Over 80% think noise, waste and traffic have a negative impact

• Growing awareness of Co2 contribution of festivals

• 48% would pay more for greener events

• 36% say green is important when buying a ticket (www.GreenerFestivals.com)

Green Events Can Save Money!

A green event can save money! For example, collecting name badge holders for reuse at an event of 1300 attendees can save approximately R1500 for the event organizer .

Green Events Can Save Resources!

Using recycled materials, reusing items and reducing materials used can

significantly lessen the environmental impact of an event. For example at a 2200 person event, using biodegradable cups and plates instead of styrofoam or plastic can prevent nearly one tonne from going into a landfill.

It also provides other benefits such as:

• Cost Saving

• Customer Motivation

• Company Loyalty & Engagement

• Supplier Benefits

• Regulatory Requirements

• Risk Management

AND it’s The Right Thing to Do!

In the UK, Greener Festivals Awards have given 18 British and International festivals an award based on their environmental credentials.

How to plan a green event or festival

Pre-planning

Once you have decided you will be holding a festival or event, a series of decisions will need to be made regarding the number of participants, the location of the festival and the venue. In order to green this event, certain considerations must be factored in. The following provides a quick checklist that must be undertaken prior to planning the event.

Participants

• How many people will be participating?

• What is the impact of each person?

• What are the food requirements for each person?

• What are consumer expectations?

• What is the size of the event/festival?

Location and Modes of Transport

• Where will the needed participants come from?

• Is the selection of the venue the most convenient location for all?

• Is public transportation to the venue accessible?

• Can public transportation replace private transportation such as cars?

• Are the any incentives offered to participants to use public transportation?

• Are there various choices for transportation modes available?

Sourcing of Materials

• Is it necessary to have paper flyers/information?

• Do all rides or transport have to idle; can solar or other alternative power be used?

• Where are suppliers from? Could they be locally sourced?

• Where is food sourced from – locally? Organic? Are healthy choices available?

• Is educational information on the impact of the environment available and readily displayed?

• What recycling is available?

• What supplies are being reduced where possible?

• Can biodegradable or reusable items be considered instead of plastic or other non-renewable sources?

Accommodation and Venue

• Is accommodation for the participants in a convenient location in relation to the mode of transport (airport, train station, etc.)?

• Does the accommodation need to include a music or event center and/or other recreational facilities?

• Can the event be done in another location which has less impact on the environment?

• What recycling and renewable energy sources are available to the location?

• Does the local council help reduce waste or collect garbage regularly?

Once these questions are answered, the planning of a greener event can occur.

Planning and Implementation

The main objective is to think green every step of the way! Key questions to ask during the planning process are:

Is this product or service green?

How can I find out?

Is there a substitute for a non-green product?

Where can I find it?

What is the cost benefit of the green choices?

Transportation

Transportation has the highest carbon footprint and careful consideration should be giving to how participants will travel to the venue.

• Air travel has the highest carbon footprint and if possible, an alternative should be considered.

• Rail and coach travel are less intensive and as the terminals are centrally located, it further reduces the need for taxi transfers.

• Try to reduce the use of on-site vehicles and use electric or bio-diesel powered vehicles.

• Consider using shuttle buses powered by green energy to get participants to the venue.

• Car pooling should be encouraged for local participants.

• Minimize the need to commute by choosing a venue convenient to most local participants.

• Provide information about how event goers can use public transit by showcasing maps, bus and subway routes for participants.

• Encourage alternate human-powered transportation, such as walking or cycling. Make it fun by giving a prize to the most eco- friendly participant.

• If your event is large, consider contacting your local public transportation provider and see if you can negotiate a transit pass for the event or at least ensure regular service.

Venues

The accommodation sector has been making great strides in greening their facilities and the event organizer should research the property’s environmental practices in advance of booking. This can be done through asking for their environmental policy and finding information on their green strategy.

• Hold the festival or event at the same location where the majority of participants can access from where they will be staying (for tourists and locals).

• Hold the event at a central location, within walking distance of local points of interest.

• Choose a venue that has an explicit environmental policy and green strategy.

• Meet with a senior manager and discuss your needs before you make the selection.

• If the services you are asking for are not available, encourage them to adopt.

• If your event is outside, ask the city or community hosting it what are their waste and energy reduction policies.

• Look into the amount of noise you will create. Work with the local community to ensure they are aware of the impacts and how you can reduce them.

Food, Beverage and Catering Services

Meet with the venue’s catering manager to ensure that all the food services meet your requirements for a green event.

• Ensure all beverage trucks use full food containers where possible (e.g. bottles rather than individual serving sizes).

• Use ceramic or other packaging instead of Styrofoam or individual packages.

• Ensure recycling as well as litter containers are available close to food trucks.

• Avoid bottled water where possible. In some cities, local water trucks are available and will come to your event to promote local tap water.

• Ensure suppliers use only eco friendly cleaning products.

• Offer suggestions on how to reduce water consumption.

• Ask suppliers to use renewable energy sources rather than diesel generators where possible.

• Use cloth rather than disposable cloths if applicable.

• Use biodegradable cups. These are preferred over recyclable plastic.

• Purchase products and services that meet environmental specifications wherever these are available such as fair trade coffee, organic and locally grown foods.

• Offer foods according to seasonal fruit and vegetables available locally.

• Use domestic liquor brands if possible.

• Consider what type of food service would have the least waste – buffet, sit-down, a-la-carte.

• Provide information on the source of all food and beverages, especially if fair trade or local.

• Donate leftover food to a charity.

• Compost all used food. Ensure that compost bins are visible to all participants.

Registration

• Print all documents on both sides of the page – if not possible, provide environmental education on back sides of paper.

• Minimize the registration form or use electronic registration.

• Use recyclable or re-usable name tags for volunteers and staff where possible.

• Work with sponsors to promote eco-friendly awareness.

Venue Equipment and Furniture

There are numerous ways to reduce your environmental footprint in your head office or event facility headquarters.

• Photocopiers should have the “double-sided” function and the use of this function should be encouraged.

• Provide wireless for participants to use on-site and email presentations or information in advance if applicable.

• Use recycled paper wherever possible.

• Only offer fair trade, organic and locally sourced food stuff for your venue.

• Use renewable energy generators rather than electric generators.

• Have recycling as well as composting bins available for all staff and volunteers.

• Ensure your environmental policy is clearly available for all to see.

• Work with local environmental and wildlife charities and organizations to ensure minimal land and wildlife disruption.

• Post information about being environmentally friendly – giving reminders to your participants is a good way to encourage recycling and waste reduction.

Exhibits, Presentations and Event Materials

• Provide venue summaries or other materials electronically wherever possible, on a disc or through a web page.

• Print all documents double-sided on non-bleached, non-de-inked paper.

• Use reusable tokens rather than disposable paper tickets for rides or other selling of services if possible.

• Make available electronic presentation formats rather than paper information flyers.

• Remind participants, as part of festival introductions or wrap-ups, that recycling and waste reduction opportunities are available for them.

• Reuse envelopes and paper wherever possible.

• Encourage sponsors to provide promotional material through environmentally sound ways.

• If bags or other gifts are being distributed, use biodegradable, recyclable and ethically sourced goods.

Energy and Water

• Promote energy and water efficiency to participants while attending and staying at the venue.

• Buy green power for the event if available in the area, in Cape Town you can purchase Renewable Energy Certificates from Darling Wind Farm.

Waste Reuse, Recycle and Reduction

• Include venue participants in the waste reduction process by promoting environmental awareness and informing them of the waste reduction and recycling programs available.

• Minimize paper use and maximize reuse of any paper handouts.

• Ensure that any waste is separated at the source for future recycling. Provide visible bins.

• Use appropriate recycling bins in all areas, located in central locations, readily available and clearly marked.

• Format any distribution handouts so as to minimize the amount of paper used.

• Give purchasing priority to recyclable and post-consumer recycled products.

• Determine the number of participants of the venue prior to printing documents, so as to avoid the surplus.

Making the event Carbon Neutral

Going carbon neutral is a way of demonstrating that steps have been taken to measure and reduce the emissions associated with the event’s activities. What cannot be reduced, can then be offset against a project.

Offsetting the event with a reputable carbon management organization which also has a well known brand and transparent auditing standard could lend credibility to a carbon neutral event.

Measure/ Reduce

This process entails the gathering of information regarding the venue’s use of energy, the participant’s mode of transport and the number of nights in a venue.

• Direct Emissions from the venue.

• Transportation of attendees, organizers, presenters to and from the accommodation.

• Emissions associated with disposal of waste products (if any).

Offset

The emissions which are unavoidable can be offset against projects around the world and may include forestry, renewable resources and fuel switching.

If you would like assistance with greening your event or festival, please contact Danielle Klaff danielleklaff@gmail.com

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