Celebrating greener events across North Devon - but could more be done?
It’s been great to be back at various events this summer, seeing our communities come together to celebrate and have some much needed fun. We’re proud to be working behind the scenes with various organisers in the run up to their events, helping them to limit their impact on the environment and build on their sustainability credentials.
It's heartening to see an increasing effort being made to consciously think about how to do things better, both for people and the planet.
Setting the tone and providing tools for attendees to reduce their impact is a powerful thing, sending ripple effects out into our communities.
Examples of measures taken have involved switching out disposable for reusable cups at bars, using our bespoke events water bar, working on recycling, waste management and event infrastructure, switching out balloons for fabric flags and bunting, and providing pre-event guidance for traders and event goers.
Our favourite and most impactful tools for reducing the need for single use plastic, are our selection of water bars!
Launched in the summer of 2019, our original water bar plugs into a mains tap and delivers magnesium filtered water dispensed from taps so you can refill over and over again. This year, it's been to the Spring Classic, GoldCoast Oceanfest, the AONB Marathon, Croyde Triathlon, Ilfracombe Birdman, Braunton Big Summer Bash, the North Devon Show, and the North Devon Homes Summer Fayre, saving thousands of single use plastic bottles being used.
We’ll be at On The Road for our last stop of the summer, so don’t forget to bring your reusable bottle and come and see us for all your hydration needs.
And why stop with your water bottle? Food and drink vendors are more than happy to pour drinks and dish up food into your favourite receptacles.
Remembering your reusable cups, plates and cutlery is a simple swap that helps to reduce the waste footprint of events. Lift shares, public transport, and cycling or walking where we can are also great options, particularly with local events.
And don't forget you don't have to be putting on a big public event to think about sustainability; weddings and parties in the park with friends all have an impact that can be reduced. We have over 400 cups we rent out to the public, why not book them out for your next party or wedding to reduce the need for single use?
Educating around and sifting out hidden plastics like glitter and cigarette butts is an important consideration too - making sure they are disposed of in general waste and don’t end up mixed in with your compost or recycling, and swapping out for alternatives like eco-friendly face paints.
Most festivals take place on green spaces, and tiny shiny bits of plastic, a.k.a. glitter, doesn’t belong in the soil (a functioning ecosystem).
Plastic has been ingrained in our lives for decades, it's sold to us at every opportunity and it’s going to take us a little while to untangle it all and figure out the alternatives, but we, with the help of our community, are trying to move in the right direction (albeit slowly). However, wouldn't it be nice if rather than having to persuade people to think about the planet when putting on events, that it was written into legislation or part of the event permission process?
Around six months ago we, with members of North Devon Council licensing team, called on the UK Government to consider adding ‘protection of the environment’ to the licensing objectives which currently cover:
The prevention of crime and disorder
The prevention of public nuisance
Public safety
Protection of children from harm
This would enable stronger powers with regards to environmental impact when issuing Premises Licences, Club Premises Certificates, and Temporary Event Notices (TENs). A sensible and strong move that would really help support North Devon and other councils’ local commitments in tackling the global climate emergency.
The answer was not what we hoped for, assuring us that the issues we raised are being tackled via ‘other’ measures and changing the licensing objectives was not necessary in their eyes. We beg to differ, so whilst we figure out our next move we appreciate the work of those that aren't waiting to be told and are just cracking on with what needs to be done.
We also look forward to the long-awaited release of North Devon Council and Torridge District Council’s green events guide which we hope will help bridge the gap and spread our environmental messaging even further.
The cultural and practical shift that’s needed over the next decade requires tools and legislation to better tackle the environmental issues we face with pace. We need a structure in
place that enables environmental protection to be a key function of central decision making. Until that happens we shall, with so many others, keep the pressure on.
A huge thank you goes out to each and every one of you doing what you can - it all adds up.
This summer’s events have been an amazing opportunity to open up conversations with organisers and with the general public, getting people feeling inspired and empowered to not just make changes in their own lives, but to demand better from the powers that be!