The remaining The Greener Festival Awards for 2008 have been announced. Eight more English festivals including The Big Chill, Bestival, Summer Sundae Weekender, Shambala, Reading, Leeds, Waveform and End of the Road along with Scotland ’s Hydro Connect, Ireland ’s Electric Picnic, Portugal ’s Boom, Southbound in Australia and the Rothbury Festival in the USA have joined the illustrious list of winners for the 2008 Greener Festival Award.  The first eighteen UK and International festivals were announced earlier in the summer. In the UK, recipients of the leading eco-award included Latitude, the Glastonbury Festival, the Camden Green Fair and the Cambridge Folk Festival. In the US, the Bonnaroo Festival was singled out as a ‘beacon of excellence’ and in Australia three festivals, Falls Festival, West Coast Blues & Roots and Bluesfest all received the Greener Festival Award. All Awards will be confirmed at the UK Festival Awards which will be held on October 30th in London.

About The Greener Festival Awards…

In 2008 the festivals granted the Greener Festival Award will be expected to both promote and implement environmental sustainability and environmental efficiency. A festival granted the Award would be expected to have a high degree to commitment to sustainability and have environmentally friendly practices. A Festival granted the Award must have the following evidenced before being considered for the Award.

(a) Event Management: a comprehensive environmental policy must be evidenced as must environmental planning including an environmental impact analysis for the festival. The festival would have at least one person of management grade responsible for environmental issues.

(b) Office and administration: The festival must have awareness of the environmental impact of the festival’s supply chain which must be managed to reduce the festival’s environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. The festival must show sustainable office practices including a ’switch off and save’ policy, office recycling (including IT) and a commitment to public transport for staff.

(c) Travel & Transport: If the event is a greenfield or ‘out of town’ site the festival must have a comprehensive transport and travel policy and part of that policy must be to promoting public transport and/or lift share and the festival must show ways in which this is achieved. In the absence of this, a carbon offsetting scheme for public travel might be acceptable in 2008. If the festival is town centre or similar the festival must still have a traffic and travel policy and practices relevant to the event itself.

(d) CO2 emissions: The festival must have an awareness of green energy – and must aspire to switch to greener energy tariffs or better still 100% sustainable energy sourcing for all office activities. Festivals must have conducted or be conducting a CO2 footprint analysis for the event and have both long and short term plans to reduce CO2 (and other greenhouse gas) emissions having a focus on energy efficiency and sustainable energy sources. In the absence of the forgoing in 2008 a carbon offsetting scheme would usually not be acceptable.

(e) Waste management: The festival must recycle at least 30% of paper/card, cans, plastics and glass generated on-site. All on-site caterers would be expected to use biodegradable cups, plates and utensils. A cup deposit or other similar scheme for any plastics or glass cups on-site would usually be necessary.

(f) Water management: An awareness of water conservation and/or sewage issues should be evidenced. The event should promote water conservation and where practicable promote the use of grey water.

(g) Local environment: The festival must evidence an awareness of the practical protection of the environment and must have liaised with the local authority and local wildlife groups to minimise environmental damage. (h) Noise: The festival must be committed to reducing noise pollution.

Related posts:

1. Greener Tours, Labels & Eco-Friendly Fans
2. Greener 2008 Summer Sustainable Music Festivals
3. Rock out, Be Green and Be Seen at the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival
4. Live Earth India To Rock The Planet on Dec 7, 2008
5. Bumbershoot Music Festival in Seattle and Greening Your Festival