User:Benchallis/A Greener Festival

A Greener Festival

A Greener Festival was set up in 2006 to champion sustainable events and environmentally friendly music and arts festivals. The organisation “is not for profit” and it’s main activity is to facilitate the exchange of best practice through the website. The Organisation also promotes the annual awards scheme (The Greener Festival Awards) for green festivals in association with the UK Festival Awards. The first winners of the award in 2007 included The Glastonbury Festival, Lattitude, The Big Chill and the Sunrise Celebration. New and returning winners in 2008 include T-in-The-Park, Big Session, Latitude, Hard Rock Calling, Glastonbury, the Glade, Download, 2000 Trees, Camden Green Fair, The Cambridge Folk Festival, Lounge on the Farm, The Workhouse Festival, Bluesfest (Australia), Bonnaroo (USA), Westcoat Blues n Roots (Australia) and the Falls Festival.

The founding directors are Claire O'Neill, Luke Westbury and Professor Ben Challis. The organisations Awards Team includes Aylin McNamara, Chris Klasinski, Amie Green and Helen Wright. The organisations press and PR is managed by Sam Hinde at Freeman PR.

The Organisation also supports and endorses a discount insurance scheme for green events from international insurance broker Robertson Taylor. Other activities include the new cartoon character ECOGIRL (tm) who is used to promote environmentally friendly practices, the Great Big Green Ideas competition (with the Big Issue) and a new educational DVD for universities, schools and colleges promoting green awareness and green solutions at live events. In 2008 AGF are launching training days staff employed in the live music sector to provide best green practices at events and is conducting ongoing research with Buckinghamshire University. AGreenerFestival actively supports Julies Bicycle, the UK’s cross music initiative on climate change and YOUROPE's Green n Clean initiative for European festivals.