Zero Waste

Greening the Edinburgh Mela

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This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

Edinburgh-Mela-Fest-300x169The Edinburgh Mela has taken some really exciting new steps to greening this year’s festival (Sat 31st Aug – Sun 1st Sept). The two initiatives they have taken on this year tackle the issues of waste and audience travel.

With food and drink playing a big role in the festival celebrations, they’ve made the decision to ban all non-compostable packaging from the site, working towards their aim to become a zero waste festival. This year they will be working with the hugely innovative Edinburgh-based company Vegware, the UK’s first and only completely compostable food packaging firm, on board as Associate Sponsor of Greening The Mela initiative.

Vegware’s catering disposables are made from plants, not plastic. In 2013 the Edinburgh firm won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development and were named the best small business in the UK. Its Food Waste Network offers a free matchmaking service for any UK business seeking food waste recycling. The Mela is encouraging audiences to do their bit by putting any used Vegware and leftover food in the compostables bin so it can all be composted! More info on Vegware here.

They are also working hard to encourage visitors to choose to cycle to the Mela this year. Through funding from the EU’s CHAMP cycling project, the City of Edinburgh Council will be helping the festival promote walking and cycling routes to the Mela, and there will be some exciting activities to get involved in. 

Both initiatives are a great example of how to increase the mindfulness of audiences and the environmental impact of their actions not only during the festivities but also when making plans to travel to and from festival. Well done Edinburgh Mela!

The post Greening the Edinburgh Mela appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

 

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

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OFF THE GRID: Recharging Public Art + Design

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This post comes to you from Green Public Art

OFF THE GRID: Recharging Public Art + Design, a full-day symposium hosted by the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places Program, will feature an intimate look at existing and future public art and design in the Seaholm District, a former industrial section of southwest downtown Austin that is undergoing a transformation into a vibrant urban neighborhood. A uniquely Austin adaptive reuse project, the Seaholm District serves as a model for sustainable urban revitalization nationwide. Panel speakers include Jana McCann, McCann Adams Studio; Greg Kiloh, Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office, City of Austin; and John Rosato, Southwest Strategies Group.

In addition to the Seaholm District presentation, the symposium will feature:

  • Interactive building game and presentation by Alex Gilliam of Public Workshop
  • Exploration of sustainable materials in public art with Rebecca Ansert of Green Public Art
  • Panel discussion about the integration of art in urban agriculture with Randy Jewart, Austin Green Art; Jake Stewart, Sustainable Urban Agriculture, City of Austin; and Jessie Temple, Festival Beach Community Garden
  • Networking opportunities with breakfast and lunch provided by Ecstatic Cuisine
  • Resource materials from event presenters and information on upcoming AIPP opportunities

The symposium will take place from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at the decommissioned Seaholm Power Plant located at the terminus of West Street at 3rd Street. Check-in and breakfast begin at 8:30 am. REGISTER BY OCTOBER 5 at www.cvent.com/d/fcqjff. SPACE IS LIMITED! Admission is $20 (includes breakfast and lunch). Parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

The Art in Public Places Program is partnering with the Solid Waste Services Department and the Austin Convention Center to make this a zero waste event. Participants are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, coffee mugs, silverware and dishware to aid in reducing waste. Please note that there will not be facilities to clean reusable items on site.

AFTERWARDS: The symposium will be followed by an interactive workshop sponsored by the Downtown Austin Alliance and conducted by Alex Gilliam of Public Workshop and Austin AIA members. The Old Bakery Block Idea-a-Thon will be held in and around the Old Bakery Building on the west side of Congress Avenue, between 10th and 11th streets from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Symposium attendees are encouraged to participate. For more information, visit: www.aiaaustin.org/event/old-bakery-block-idea-thon.

NOTE: Both the symposium and the Idea-a-Thon are held in conjunction with Austin x Design, a month-long community celebration of design in Austin. To find more events, visit: www.austinbydesign.org or www.facebook.com/AustinbyDesign.

Questions? Contact Carrie Brown, Art in Public Places Coordinator, at 512-974-9310 or carrie.brown@austintexas.gov. Visit AIPP at www.austintexas.gov/aipp.

 

Rebecca Ansert, founder of Green Public Art, is an art consultant who specializes in artist solicitation, artist selection, and public art project management for both private and public agencies. She is a graduate of the master’s degree program in Public Art Studies at the University of Southern California and has a unique interest in how art can demonstrate green processes or utilize green design theories and techniques in LEED certified buildings.

Green Public Art is a Los Angeles-based consultancy that was founded in 2009 in an effort to advance the conversation of public art’s role in green building. The consultancy specializes in public art project development and management, artist solicitation and selection, creative community involvement and knowledge of LEED building requirements. Green Public Art also works with emerging and mid-career studio artists to demystify the public art process. The consultancy acts as a resource for artists to receive one-on-one consultation before, during, and after applying for a public art project.
Go to Green Public Art