MOVING TO THE RHYTHM OF A GREENER WORLD
Looks at music festivals and other events set on becoming more environmentally friendly
ALL EFFORTS for Earth Day on Monday, April 22, are focused on curbing the amount of single-use plastic in the environment.
It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight than fish in the ocean.
“Our oceans are suffocating under this growing tide of plastic,” said John Duncan, the senior manager of the Worldwide Fund for Nature Marine Programme. If we want to chart a new course, we need to start asking ourselves which are the plastics we can live without and how we can better manage the ones we can’t.” South Africans use between 30kg and 50kg of plastic a person a year. Event organisers are realising they too can play their part.
This year, the Splashy Fen Music Festival, on from Thursday until Monday, is aimed at being plastic free – and organisers have challenged their counterparts to do the same. Taking its cue from the Glastonbury Festival in England, the plan includes no polystyrene and only biodegradable water bottles and cups. It’s estimated that the amount of single-use plastic at each event can be cut by around 2 000kg.
It’s a possible feat Splashy Fen’s Kendall Snyman is proud of.
“We’ve worked hard at developing a culture that is unique to Splashy Fen and this sustainable angle is something we will continue to weave into our DNA.”
FACING THE MUSIC
Glastonbury announced the move to go plastic-free in February. In 2017, festival-goers used 1.3 million plastic bottles.
“When you see images of the arena completely covered in old plastic bottles, it’s haunting,” festival co-organiser Emily Taylor Swift has hinted that her seventh album will be released on April 26. The 29-year-old star updated her official website Eavis said.
With the motto “play hard, tread lightly”, Rocking The Daisies has become known as SA’s “green” festival.
“Last year, organisers partnered with Can Do! to go plastic free. Aluminium custom-made, reusable and 100% recyclable cans that transform into cups, were unveiled at the festival.
On a larger scale, Coca-Cola brought its World Without Waste strategy to life for the crowd of more than 100 000 at December’s Global Citizen Festival Mandela 100.
The aim was to create South Africa’s cleanest concert by sending all recyclable rubbish straight to nearby recycling facilities.
“For us at Coca-Cola, there is only so much we can do alone. We need the help of people and partners to make recycling a habit,” said Maserame Mouyeme, the director of public affairs, communications and sustainability for Coca-Cola southern and east Africa.
“It’s about educating people on the importance of a clean environment and what they can do to make recycling a profitable and sustainable industry.”
IT STARTS WITH THE SMALL THINGS
Community-based events are also choosing to be part of the plastic-free movement. Tree Tops Pre-Primary and Junior School in Durban held its mini walk in May last year.
The annual fund-raiser was plastic-free.
“We are an eco school, it drives a lot of what we do,” said Kerryn Irving, who handles the school’s marketing and fund-raising.
“With all our events, if there is plastic, we reuse it at our craft market at our Bellevue campus”.
Irving is especially proud of the school’s ethos and its drive towards eco-sustainability.
“Our eco-rangers (Grades 2 and 3) learn about recycling. We also do a beach clean-up once a year.”