Green fusion -- some music festivals are rocking for our planet with more recycling. (www.freepressummerfest.com) |
Organized by local independent newspaper Free Press Houston, Free Press Summer Fest -- an annual two-day music festival held at Eleanor Tinsley Park -- isn't just about the live music and art. The emphasis is on showcasing Houston talent, sure, but Summer Fest also has a green side to it. Maintaining a sustainable focus helps keep the event, now in its second year,
as environmentally friendly as possible.
Going green with such a large-scale event isn't easy though, admits Free Press Houston owner Omar Afra. "We're in a funny period right now where our technology has not caught up with our principles about being environmentally friendly. Hopefully in ten years it'll be a lot more convenient, a lot more efficient and a lot less fiscally heavy to do [an event like] this."
Summer Fest is reducing its environmental impact primarily by purchasing carbon offset credits. Purchasing a single carbon offset credit is the equivalent of reducing one metric ton of carbon dioxide or other comparable greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by funding both short- and long-term sustainable and renewable energy projects, like wind turbines or planting new trees.
Afra is frank in his assessment though. "You're offsetting, but you're still doing damage. Realistically speaking, we've got generators out there and we've got tons of trash, and really all you're trying to do at the end of the day is mitigate the damage you do."
Fortunately, carbon offset credits aren't the only way that Summer Fest is working to keep things eco-friendly. Summer Fest is enlisting the help of both local businesses as well as environmentally-conscious (or just plain thirsty) fest-goers to pitch in and help out with the recycling process.
"We've got a bunch of people that are willing to get real freakin' nasty and dirty," says Afra, referring to Little Joy Recycling and Greenie Recycling Company -- the two local companies handling Summer Fest's recycling responsibilities.
"You put bins out, people put recycling in the bins, and nobody ever puts only the right stuff in the bins. It just doesn't happen." But this is nothing new to Afra. "You can go to the most ostensibly progressive-minded hippie festival in San Francisco and people are still gonna put cigarette butts into the plastic and aluminum recycling containers."
Between Little Joy and Greenie, the two companies will sort out all the recycling containers and then load everything onto trucks with the help of event volunteers. The trucks then take the recyclable materials to processing centers.
The notoriously hot and muggy Houston summer also provides a great incentive for the average festival attendee to recycle -- pick up ten empty plastic bottles at Summer Fest and cash them in for a full bottle of water while they last.
And Afra isn't bashful about borrowing ideas like this from other festivals in order to encourage attendees to think green.
"We love to rip people off. Like our deal with the limited amount of water... I think Bonnaroo and Coachella have both done that."
Keeping Summer Fest sustainable is an evolving process that will only continue to grow and change. Compared to last year's festival, Afra has already seen a large expansion in Summer Fest's recycling capacity. "Last year we had a milk gallon's worth of recyclables in a shot glass, and this year we've about quintupled our capacity in terms of people, containers [and] trucks."
Free Press Summer Fest will be held on June 5-6 at Eleanor Tinsley Park, featuring over 50 local and regional music acts. More information on the event can be found at www.freepresssummerfest.com.
Going green with such a large-scale event isn't easy though, admits Free Press Houston owner Omar Afra. "We're in a funny period right now where our technology has not caught up with our principles about being environmentally friendly. Hopefully in ten years it'll be a lot more convenient, a lot more efficient and a lot less fiscally heavy to do [an event like] this."
Summer Fest is reducing its environmental impact primarily by purchasing carbon offset credits. Purchasing a single carbon offset credit is the equivalent of reducing one metric ton of carbon dioxide or other comparable greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by funding both short- and long-term sustainable and renewable energy projects, like wind turbines or planting new trees.
Afra is frank in his assessment though. "You're offsetting, but you're still doing damage. Realistically speaking, we've got generators out there and we've got tons of trash, and really all you're trying to do at the end of the day is mitigate the damage you do."
Fortunately, carbon offset credits aren't the only way that Summer Fest is working to keep things eco-friendly. Summer Fest is enlisting the help of both local businesses as well as environmentally-conscious (or just plain thirsty) fest-goers to pitch in and help out with the recycling process.
"We've got a bunch of people that are willing to get real freakin' nasty and dirty," says Afra, referring to Little Joy Recycling and Greenie Recycling Company -- the two local companies handling Summer Fest's recycling responsibilities.
"You put bins out, people put recycling in the bins, and nobody ever puts only the right stuff in the bins. It just doesn't happen." But this is nothing new to Afra. "You can go to the most ostensibly progressive-minded hippie festival in San Francisco and people are still gonna put cigarette butts into the plastic and aluminum recycling containers."
Between Little Joy and Greenie, the two companies will sort out all the recycling containers and then load everything onto trucks with the help of event volunteers. The trucks then take the recyclable materials to processing centers.
The notoriously hot and muggy Houston summer also provides a great incentive for the average festival attendee to recycle -- pick up ten empty plastic bottles at Summer Fest and cash them in for a full bottle of water while they last.
And Afra isn't bashful about borrowing ideas like this from other festivals in order to encourage attendees to think green.
"We love to rip people off. Like our deal with the limited amount of water... I think Bonnaroo and Coachella have both done that."
Keeping Summer Fest sustainable is an evolving process that will only continue to grow and change. Compared to last year's festival, Afra has already seen a large expansion in Summer Fest's recycling capacity. "Last year we had a milk gallon's worth of recyclables in a shot glass, and this year we've about quintupled our capacity in terms of people, containers [and] trucks."
Free Press Summer Fest will be held on June 5-6 at Eleanor Tinsley Park, featuring over 50 local and regional music acts. More information on the event can be found at www.freepresssummerfest.com.
