Link oficial: http://www.greentimes.com.au/recycling-waste/bluesfest-fun-and-green.html
| Written by Marina Passos |
| Thursday, 11 March 2010 |
The Bluesfest happens over Easter every year in Byron Bay, New
South Wales. It’s an institution that has been watched and appreciated by
hundreds of thousands of people since its inception. This year it is once again
attracting the crowds with artists like Jack Johnson, Orquesta Buena Vista
Social Club, Donavan Frankenreiter, The Gipsy Kings, Lyle Lovett and Jessica
Mauboy, to name just a few, set to perform from 1 April to 5 April 2010 at the
new site, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just 10 minutes from Byron Bay.
"Green" Tradition
The permanent new venue chosen for the festival is a spacious
and natural farm that will be home to the eco-friendly and relaxed festival. As
tradition determines, the Bluesfest will continue to follow its "Waste
Wise" theory in an ongoing challenge to provide the crowd with an event as sustainable as
it can be.
In 2009, it was awarded a prestigious International Greener
Festival award for the third year in a row. And Bluesfest remains committed to
high standards of environmental sustainability, with the
organisers aiming for a festival that will have the fewest impacts on the
environment and that promotes awareness for the need to preserve it. As Peter
Noble, the Festival Director, says, "As an event that has been waste-wise
since 1997, we take our environmentally responsible actions very, very
seriously".
Waste Wise – Refuse, Reuse, Reduce and Recycle
Peter Noble says, "Bluesfest is dedicated to the ongoing
challenge of climate change issues with the intention to keep
developing the area and the festival as sustainable as possible". In fact
the management group takes pride in each year giving its recycling volunteers
a great learning experience through specialised training so that they go on to
promote green awareness throughout the event.
Other green initiatives being taken by the organisers, include
forbidding glass on site, allowing only recycled plastic glasses and cardboard,
ensuring local firms are used wherever possible, using compostable plates and
utensils on food stalls and guaranteeing that after the festival, the farm is
returned to its original condition, leaving nothing behind.
Along with these green initiatives, the festival ensures
sustainability by reviewing and improving strategic goals year after year. Some
of the festival’s six key sustainability goals include:
- A zero waste festival:
All food and beverage containers and utensils are recycled and made from
renewable sources. Feasibility studies have also been undertaken to identify
practical and affordable sustainable materials to be used, and to investigate
installation of onsite wastewater treatment systems and the opportunities of
increasing water use efficiency onsite. Moreover, volunteers help to promote
green awareness throughout the event.
- Carbon neutral initiatives: organisers will provide the crowd with attractions all day
long in order to entice people stay onsite longer, preventing bad traffic
conditions. In addition, all structures have been renovated to comply with NSW
government building sustainability index (BASIX) and a target percentage of carbon footprint offset was established, following the goal of
60% to 80% emissions reduction by 2050.
- Healthy natural environment: the Festival’s management will show information regarding the
site’s fauna and flora on posters, signs and brochures to create awareness for
the need to preserve and protect native biodiversity. Moreover, insidious fauna
and flora will be managed on regular basis so they won’t adversely affect the
natural environment.
When all the music has finished playing and the fun has been
had, hopefully everyone will leave the Bluesfest with great perspectives for
the following years. As more and more people attend, they become aware of the
positive outcomes that this Festival can bring for everyone, from organisers to
the crowd, and also including the local community. And, that the natural
environment remains an important issue that will prevail in future events.
Check out more at: http://www.bluesfest.com.au
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