An Independent take on green festivals

There is a  really nice article on the Independent website which looks at what we do and profiles two festivals – the Isle of Wight in the UK and Lightning in a Bottle in the USA – with details of some of their 2011 green innovations. Its well worth a quick read at http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/isle-of-wight-lightning-in-a-bottle–green-initiatives-at-summer-festivals-2287987.html

GREEN EVENTS AND INNOVATIONS CONFERENCE – 20TH APRIL 2011

The Morning encompasses a training session with presentations and workshops on sustainable events management. The Afternoon will be a full conference for everyone interested in key innovations for sustainable events and greener festivals. The course is aimed at Event Managers and Organisers,  Environmental Mangers working in the Events and Festival Industry, Green suppliers and Students who wish to learn more about Sustainable Event Management. Register at:

at  https://store.bucks.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&prodid=39&deptid=154&catid=8 .

The Agenda

10.00   Introduction Ben Challis (AGreenerFestival) & Teresa Moore (Bucks New University)

10.15   The Greener Festival Audit – Helen Wright (AGreenerFestival)

11.00   Sustainable waste management – Andy Willcott (Network Recycling)

12.00   Measuring Greenhouse Gas emissions at festivals  – Helen Heathfield (Julies Bicycle)

13.00   Lunch

14.00   KEYNOTE: the role of the arts in climate change    Ben Challis

14.30   PANEL: Sustainable power solutions  Chair: Claire O’Neill (AIF) with  Andy Mead (Firefly Solar), Helen Heathfield (Julies Bicycle), Juliet Ross Kelly (Eco Action Partnership/Isle of Wight Festival) , Sam Jenner (Eco-Charge Technology)

15.30   PANEL and debate:  Travel solutions for music festivals – Chair: Teresa Moore, with  Danny Newby (Big Green Coach),  Lucy Brooking Clark (Glastonbury Festival)

17.15   Drinks Reception (supported by Robertson Taylor)

18.30   Closes

Buckinghamshire New University, Alexandra Road, High Wycombe HP11 1JZ. Trains from Marylebone and Birmingham to High Wycombe

BBC Countryfile at the Big Chill

If you missed it, you can check out a really good report on greener festivals from the BBC as part of the Countryfile programme, which was first shown on Sunday 23rd August and is now up on the BBC iPlayer. It features contributions from our very own Claire O’Neill, Big Chill production manager Claudia Langmead, from land owner James Hervey-Bathurst and from Melvin Benn, boss of Festival Republic and organiser of the Big Chill and explores the impact of audience travel on greenhouse gas emissions, recycling and the waste left behind a festivals by the fans and returning the land back to the beautiful coutryside it usually is. The second part on the hard work which is the ‘clear up’ and the positive ecomomic impact of the Big Chill is at about 31.20 minutes in.

The iPlayer link is http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tl5fv/Countryfile_22_08_2010/  and John Craven’s report starts at about 09.40 minutes in

BBC news – Festivals put green issues higher up the bill

A new BBC Business News article on greening festivals with quotes from Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn, Alison Tickell from Julies Bicycle, Benedict Addis from Standon Calling, and our very own Claire O’Neill!

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10145690.stm

Sir Paul backs the Isle of Wight’s green efforts – and us!

Sir Paul McCartney has lent his support to reducing the carbon footprint of this year’s Isle of Wight Festival, where he is the headline act.  The ninth festival to take place on the island since its return from its 1970 heyday gets under way on Thursday at Seaclose Park with 50,000 music fans expected.  Organisers want to make the event as “green” as possible after winning the ‘Outstanding’ Greener Festival Award last year. Generators will partly run on bio-diesel, solar power will be used, while rangers have set up a wildlife and bee haven near the site using funds from festival-goers.

The Festival is also launching their “Let It Be” campaign, named after one of Sir Paul’s Beatles songs and aims to help dwindling bee populations. One of the country’s rarest trees, the black poplar, will be reintroduced to the island at the haven and wild flowers are also being planted.

Sir Paul said: “I’m glad that winning the Greener Festival Award last year has helped to encourage them to take further action in 2010” saying t the BBC “It is fantastic for artists like myself to see festival organisers investing in ways to reduce their C02 emissions and taking responsibility for the environment. Sir Paul added “Not only will this approach encourage others in the music industry to look at best-practice but it will also highlight to audiences that times are changing and we all have to do our bit at events such as these as well as at home.”

“I think any festival would struggle to be 100% green,” said Lois Prior, the festival’s carbon auditor. “You’re talking about tens of thousands of people coming into one place, so there’s bound to be an impact on the local infrastructure and local resources.  ”The Isle of Wight festival are making strides to address those issues without taking away from the festival itself.”

Artists playing this year’s festival include Jay-Z, Florence and the Machine, The Strokes, Pink, Blondie, Crowded House and Editors.

From the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/10249347.stm  Photo: Nick Cordes