Castlemaine State Festival 2007
A Carbon Neutral Festival
“Cycle, recycle, eat and be festive”
MASG worked with the Castlemaine State Festival to make the Castlemaine State Festival 2007 carbon neutral. The Carbon Neutral Castlemaine State Festival is a unique launching pad for the promotion of carbon neutrality and the engagement with the Castlemaine businesses, State Festival patrons and the wider Mount Alexander community in sustainability issues. It is also an exciting opportunity to unleash the creativity of the Mount Alexander community and festival artists in its response to the challenges of climate change.
Business Greenpower program
Businesses were encouraged to support the State Festival and cut their greenhouse gas emissions during the Festival by purchasing 100% wind generated GreenPower at a special reduced price.
What does “Carbon Neutral” mean?
Carbon Neutral means we take responsibility for the greenhouse gas pollution we create in our work and play. Going carbon neutral involves creating an inventory of one’s emissions, reducing these emissions wherever possible, and then purchasing ‘carbon offsets’ to mitigate any emissions that remain.
The emphasis should always be on reducing emissions in the first place first; the remaining emissions are best offset using high quality renewable energy; local tree planting or local carbon abatement projects.
For the Castlemaine State Festival 2007 the unavoidable greenhouse emissions will be offset by a combination of local tree plantings. and other local offsetting projects managed by a local non for profit carbon revolving trust or bank.
MASG has Volunteer Food, Transport, Waste and Arts Working Groups working on the State Festival Carbon Neutral Program.
MASG State Festival Carbon Neutral program
Energy Sector
Much of Victoria’s electricity is generated from brown coal, the most greenhouse intensive or polluting of all fossil fuel electricity generation sources. That makes Victorian users of electricity some of the highest greenhouse gas emitters per head of population in the world. MASG will be working to purchase Green Power at all Festival venues to reduce the greenhouse pollution from electricity usage during the Festival to zero.
Transport Program
MASG will be working to assist patrons and artists get to the festival and its venues using as little fossil fuels as possible.
Waste Program
MASG will be working to decrease the amount of food and organic material going to landfill during the Fesitival. This will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases arising from Festival activities.
Food Program
MASG will be working with local food producer networks to promote locally produced products. We will reduce the “food miles” that our food travels before we buy it and in doing so will reduce the greenhouse gases produced in getting it to our plates.
Arts Flyer (information for artists to assist them evaluate the carbon emissions in their work and explore ways to reduce that footprint. Click here to download flyer Carbon Neutral Arts Flyer)
