46 Festivals Win The Coveted Greener Festival Award
46 festivals across the UK, Europe, Australia and North America have been awarded our prestigious Greener Festival Award for their green efforts in reducing their environmental impact 2011.To achieve the Award, each festival must complete a detailed 53 part questionnaire, submit relevant information such as a carbon footprint, traffic plans and waste and recycling management schemes, and then have an independent environmental audited to complete the Awards scheme. We are extremely pleased with the results which took place against “very difficult financial pressures in some parts of the festivals sector” and “challenging summer weather” in both hemispheres. Ben Challis, Co-founder of A Greener Festival said “one highlight was the real reduction in car use at many festivals as people swapped to coaches, trains, shared cars or even cycled. A downside was the thousands and thousands of tents and other perfectly reusable camping equipment left behind at festivals in the UK – “what a mess and what a waste”. The Awards scheme is sponsored by Robertson Taylor who specialise in insurance for live events and the music industry.The winners of the Greener Festival Award 2011 are:OutstandingCroissant Neuf Summer Party (England)Falls Festival, Lorne, Victoria (Australia)Falls Festival, Marion Bay, Tasmania (Australia)Isle of Wight Festival (England)Lightning in a Bottle (USA)Oya Festival (Norway)Peats Ridge (Australia)Shambala (England)Sunrise Celebration (England)We Love Green (France)Wood (England)Woodford Festival (Australia)Highly commendedBestival (England)Bonnaroo (USA)Co-operative Cambridge Folk Festival (England)Glastonbury Festival (England)Grassroots (Jersey)Lollapalooza (USA)Malmo Festival (Sweden)Island Vibe (Australia)SOS 4:8 (Spain)CommendedAustin City Limits (USA)Calgary Folk Music Festival (Canada)East Coast Bluesfest (Australia)Festibelly (England)Heineken Dia de la Musica (Spain)Ilosaaririock (Finland)Hadra Trance Festival (France)The Open Air Festival (Czech Republic)Rock for People (Czech Republic)San Sebastián Quincena Musical (Spain)Sonisphere (England)Splendour Festival (England)Splendour in the Grass (Australia)Summer Sundae Weekender (England)T-in-the-Park (Scotland)Waveform (England)Welcome to the Future (Netherlands)WomAdelaide (Australia)ImprovingCamp Bestival (England)Download (England)Greenbelt Festival (England)Hard Rock Calling (England)Lounge on the Farm (England)Radio 1 Big Weekend (England)Wireless (England) Helen Wright, the Greener Festival Awards Director said “This has been another amazing and inspiring year for the Greener Festival Awards and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed - from our own dedicated environmental volunteers to green waste teams, traders, event organisers, production teams, interns, sustainability managers, audiences .... the list is endless. Events that have chosen to adopt a commitment to reduce their own and their audience's environmental impact are setting a high standard, and a green festival is one that many festival goers now expect. Creative initiatives, individual dedication and organisational commitment are making real a difference in the battle to succeed with the environmental challenges posed by promoting an event. The Greener Festival Awards are now in their fifth year and the results this year demonstrate the measurable progress that our participating festivals have made by embarking on this journey. Amazing! Thank you.”Steven Howell, Sales & Marketing Director of Awards scheme sponsors Robertson Taylor said “We are delighted to continue to support A Greener Festival and the amazing work they do with the UK festival industry. We have negotiated insurance premium discounts for any festivals that adhere to the initiatives suggested by A Greener Festival and each year more and more festival organisers are benefiting from this, thereby saving money at the same time as helping to save the environment. Congratulations to all those organisers achieving the Greener Festival Award this year and especially to the overall winner – we look forward to partying with you at the UK Festival Awards 2011. “The overall winner of the UK’s Greener Festival Award 2011 will be announced at the UK Festival Awards gala ceremony at the London Camden Roundhouse on Tuesday 15th November 2011 along with a host of other awards for the UK’s best and favourite festivals. James Drury, Managing Director of the UK Festival Awards said “Festivals can have an important impact on people’s opinions, and it’s inspiring to see how many lead by example on green issues. Recognising the hard work of festivals in making their events more environmentally-friendly is an important part of the UK Festival Awards and I’m excited to find out who’s won!”CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!