Midlands Music Festival Proves Festivals can be Green

• Jun. 2 by Laura Hogan (1)

For many people, going to a festival is the highlight of their summer: the atmosphere; the music and in most cases the drinking all make festivals the perfect treat.  What people don’t realize however, is the damage to the environment festivals actually cause.

  The Facts

     Research suggests that three quarters of the 540,000 tonnes of green house gases caused by the UK music industry each year, come from the live sector.  That’s roughly a whopping 390,500 tonnes; with the main source of green house gases coming from combining audience and performer travel to the music venues in question.

     Every year the UK hosts a numerous amounts of festivals; from Glastonbury to Bestival to Download; so what are the festival organizers doing to help reduce green house gases?

 Midlands Music Festival

     Next month, Tamworth Castle will host the Midlands Music Festival; a two day musical extravaganza, featuring stars such as The Saturdays, Chipmunk and Alexandra Burke.  Event organizers, Just1Life have worked tirelessly with Tamworth Borough Council to make the festival as green as possible.

     Recycling will be actively encouraged over the weekend; as refuse containers will be placed next to concession stands and catering concessions have agreed to segregate the waste they produce.

     The main concession stands will supply food in eco-friendly packaging, with recycling points being set up for cans and plastic cups; all in a bid to reduce the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill sites by the 44,000 festival goers. 

     Noise levels are also being monitored by Tamworth Borough Council to make sure that there is minimal noise pollution to the surrounding areas.  However, most importantly, to help reduce green house gases; the Pleasure Grounds site where the festival is taking place; is located near to both railway and bus stations, allowing for many visitors to use public transport.

     Steve Johnson of the Midlands Music Festival says:

‘It’s been a challenge to make the Festival as ‘green’ as we can.  The entire venue has been designed around the natural contours of the Castle Grounds, taking the area’s flora and fauna into consideration.  We’ve also stipulated that energy-saving lighting and eco-friendly fuels like bio-diesel are used wherever possible.’

 ‘We’ve worked with the Council to make sure the event parking is as close as possible to the venue, meaning we don’t need anything like bus transfers to and from the site.  Along with the train and bus stations being so close, we’re hopeful that fuel and harmful emissions will be greatly reduced’.

 Tickets

The Midlands Music Festival takes place on 17^th and 18^th July 2010 at Tamworth Castle Pleasure Grounds, in aid of premature baby charity Just1Life.  Tickets can be purchased here.   (www.themidlandsmusicfestival.co.uk)

Map of Some of the Festivals which take Place in the UK

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