Bumbershoot Festival Goes Beyond Offsets
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 08.22.07
With every festival and its mama buying carbon offsets these days, it takes a little more to get TreeHugger props. Well, this year's Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in Seattle has earned it. Bumbershoot realized that a "carbon neutral" festival that generates mountains of trash and tons of CO2 from attendees transportation still isn't very green. So, in addition to going carbon neutral, they are taking steps to make sure the festival has as little of an impact as possible. This starts with the festival-goers, who are given incentives to carpool, ride their bikes, or use public transportation. A "bike-specific" parking area will be available with room for 500 bicycles will be provided, with cyclists receiving a (TreeHugger favorite) Clif Bar and Camelbak water bottle. Carpoolers will receive discounted parking at the festival, and a festival-specific bus will be in operation (in addition to the Seattle Monorail service).
Over 3,000 square feet of signage at the festival will be made of biodegradable materials, and both the Bumbershoot program and ticket brochure will be printed on FSC-certified paper. Vendors at the festival are being required to "to compost pre-consumer waste, recycling vendor grease through Standard Biodiesel and banning the use of Styrofoam." Other programs include rewards for attendees being "caught" recycling, bio-diesel generators for the main stage, green energy for the festival grounds, and eco-centric art and activities. Whether you are there to see Fergie (who we hear is "Fergalicious") or the Zach Braft-approved indie rockers The Shins, you can do it without leaving a trail of destruction behind.
:: Bumbershoot
one of the many reasons I love seattle!
We love bumbershot. Seattle is a great city and that is a great time of year to be in Seattle.