A new music industry website launches today with the aim of supporting and promoting environmental efficiency at music festivals. The people behind http:// www.agreenerfestival.com hope to champion and promote the best practice employed by music festivals in a bid reduce the impact they have on the local environment in terms of waste, traffic, CO2 emissions, noise, water pollution and land damage.
The site is based on research by Claire O'Neill and has been designed by Luke Westbury, both graduates from the Music Industry Management course at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. It has been coordinated by music industry lawyer Ben Challis, and is supported by the International Live Music Conference and YOUROPE, the organisation of European Festivals.
Explaining the rationale behind the site, its organisers told CMU: "Many festivals have realised that their environmental impacts can be minimised by managing CO2 emissions and facilitating green waste disposal, and festivals such as Glastonbury and Bestival have led the way in combating the inevitable problems on-site. However festivals have certain unique impacts of the environment - with thousands of people often living together under canvas in confined areas with high noise levels and with unusual problems - like how to recycle thousands of discarded tents - and what to do with that pile of unwanted fairy wings. By making this research available, agreenerfestival.com acts hopes to be a resource for festival organisers as they turn to the task of preparing next summer's round of live music. Over the coming months, the team will develop pointers, guides and practical directions for delivering greener festivals. And the site will look to advise festival goers themselves on how they can make their festival summer a little greener."
O'Neill says: "Festivals really are top of my list when it comes to entertainment and generally enjoying life and music! It's that love for life and enjoying it in nature that has inspired the research into making festivals not only neutral but a positive force towards sustainability... so that future generations can do the same. I hope that people will utilise the website, connect, exchange ideas and information to make any environmental damage from events a thing of the past."
Challis adds: "We are looking to promote new ways of making festivals and music events more environmentally efficient. The site is designed to help promoters and organisers - not preach to them".