At this time of year we are all used to the many posters and fliers which start life in pristine condition and then end up under our feet as litter. Now #SustainableFringe want to do something about the litter challenge during August.
For this first year of the campaign, #SustainableFringe will concentrate on three areas of visible waste at the Fringe: plastic, paper and material.
They point out that single-use plastics from bars and food stalls have contributed to previous litter crises. This is made worse by huge numbers of fliers, with a recommended print run per show in the low thousands, and all of the costumes and props especially created for each show.
By setting a challenge for each area, #SustainableFringe aims to encourage fellow companies to engage with the efforts, infrastructure and events already in place to reduce environmental impact at the Fringe.
The Fringe is reported to be the “single biggest celebration of arts and culture on the planet”, giving a stage to 53,232 performances of 3,398 shows, from 62 countries, across 300 venues in 2017. The gathering of millions of visitors (2.5 million in 2016) allows for the celebration of artistic traditions, the exploration of contemporary issues and the formation of diverse communities of participants. The Fringe has an opportunity to lead as an example of how arts festivals can implement environmental sustainability in their practice, as well as encourage the discussion of environmental issues.
Alice Boyd, Sustainability Manager at Poltergeist Theatre and Campaign Manager at #SustainableFringe said: “As a visiting theatre company, we wanted to reduce our environmental impact on Edinburgh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now with over 50 fellow theatre makers committing to our three simple actions, our grassroots collaboration, combined with the fantastic work by established organisations – such as Creative Carbon Scotland, The City of Edinburgh Council and The Fringe Society – can make critical progress towards a cleaner and greener festival.”
Georgina Massouraki, Campaign Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, commented: “We are delighted to back the #SustainableFringe challenge and would encourage everyone involved in the Edinburgh Festivals to take part. It is an excellent opportunity to make a difference, particularly at a time when busy schedules and short-term needs can see people using more disposable resources.
“Everybody can be more environmentally friendly, but it does require a conscious effort and, of course, knowing what to do. This initiative suggests some great, achievable actions for reducing environmental impact in the midst of the busy logistics and day to day festival life in Edinburgh.
“It’s great to see the Poltergeist Theatre taking this on and we will be supporting where we can. It’s contributing to our vision for a clean, green and sustainable Scotland.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
