In the UK, Shambala is a leading example of a festival which is effectively strategising to be sustainable. Their website details the changes which they have implemented in recycling, food and drink, energy usage, carbon footprint, and provide low-carbon travel plans for festival attendees. These changes have allowed them to win the Greener Festival Award 5 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are always ways for every festival to improve, but it is important for us as event managers to make a start somewhere.<\/strong> The UN\u2019s Sustainable Goals <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One way the industry can tackle its sustainability issues is by understanding and supporting The Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to create a sustainable future for all. Although there are 17 UN Goals, event managers can begin by focusing on a select few, understand them, make the necessary changes, and then begin work on the remaining goals. Our industry needs to act and make a difference! We are going to highlight 3 goals that we believe connect directly to the festivals industry. \u201cTo ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n UN Sustainable Development Goals (2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is this important for event managers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the last century, global economic and social progress has been coincided with environmental degradation. If organisations don\u2019t act to change their consumption and production patterns, they will cause irreversible damage to our environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How you can make a difference?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By continuing to use sustainable materials, recycle waste, use renewable energy, local and organic food and cutting out unnecessary consumption of resources where possible, a difference can be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The animal rights organisation PETA, discuss how the United Nations believe a global shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change. Events don\u2019t have to be 100% meat free<\/strong>, it is about reducing the livestock consumption in order to achieve food security and sustainability. Festivals being responsible in their consumption and production:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Certain festivals have taken full advantage of being sustainable and there are now festivals completely dedicated to Veganism. Shambala, a festival in the Northamptonshire countryside, was the UK\u2019s first greenfield festival to go meat- and fish-free. Making this decision has allowed the festival to reduce the negative impacts which livestock farming have on the global greenhouse gas emissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not about festivals achieving 100% Veganism, it\u2019s about implementing being meat-free in order to cut down on unnecessary consumption to gradually make a change. “To achieve gender equality and empower all women & girls”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n UN Sustainable Development Goals (2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is this important for event managers to consider?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Over recent years, many festivals have been mainly male dominated, leaving women not getting an equal opportunity. It has been proven by the BBC, that in 2017, 80% of festival headliners were focused heavily on male such as Wireless, Green Man and Slam Dunk and in 2018, 8 out of 10 positions were occupied by all male acts when looking at 600 headliners (Sherlock and Bradshaw, 2017). It is time for you, as event managers, to make a difference within your industry…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The UK\u2019s PRS Foundation – the UK’s leading funder announced that by 2022 the music industry will pledge a 50\/50 gender equality balance split. An additional 60 organisations have now signed up to this pledge some of which include the BBC National Orchestra, Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Brighton’s Great Escape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cheltenham Festivals such as the Literature, Jazz, Science and music events have joined the pledge of 50\/50 gender equality and are looking to introduce a platform of local talent by increasing to 20% across all 4 of their festivals. As local festivals are starting to introduce this into their practice, is this something you should be considering? The graph below from 2018 shows an example of some of the UK’s most popular festivals and the significant difference between genders involved. For example, Wireless shows that under 10% of acts are female and the rest being male. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is not about changing the whole structure, it is about taking small steps that can create a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UN Sustainable Development Goals (2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is this an important factor for event managers?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Food waste is an ecological, economic and social problem. In the UK alone, 7 million tonnes of food and drink are thrown away every year, with the majority of this waste being unnecessary (Wrap, n.d). In 2012, The Edinburgh Mela had a 36% reduction in waste compared to the previous year. They achieved this reduction by mainly composting and recycling in both the front and back of house<\/strong> (Wrap, n.d).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Arcadia London, had teamed up with \u201cEighth Plate\u201d – an organisation which works with events to reduce food waste. The organisation had managed to salvage a total of 70 kilos of food<\/strong> from the event. This food was then donated to food banks and soup kitchens throughout South West England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, if you want to take action in helping to end food waste at your event, then please contact \u2018Eighth Plate\u2019 via their website: http:\/\/www.eighthplate.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are interested in the above contemporary issues and you want to help make a change with your festival, then what is stopping you from signing up to the UN Sustainable Development Goals today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please use the link below to begin your journey to sustainable change:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: The Guardian (2016)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nGoal 5: Gender equality <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Visit Cheltenham (2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nGoal 2: Zero Hunger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cEnd Hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.\u201d <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Itison (N.D)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/WDqoscjQmK66WobqeX3YKcUZMjImyShLirzxOg2r5rrwadSqwHOAxmNGJgyexq8-E2yODqfR2DPq2pj98N3UCzEzlB8-RJ1jLTR5TcB5mIGTqecpl8tD2y5pJd3pYm6APhlXBuRQ\")
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