Splore 2017 eliminates single serve plastic water bottles from the festival

Splore 2017 eliminates single serve plastic water bottles from the festival

8 February 2017, 2:27PM
Cadence

When it comes to large events, Splore is a sustainability trailblazer – leading the way where others follow.
 
Splore 2017 will be the first New Zealand festival to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles.
 
Splore has always worked hard to sort all plastics and recycle them, however recycling is not a perfect solution. In 2012 only 9% of plastic world-wide was recycled.  Recycling single-use packaging uses resources and energy and this production and waste creates harmful effects on the health of the planet. 
 
Internationally, high schools, universities, towns and cities like San Francisco and Toronto have either banned plastic single-use bottles or are taking steps to do so.  Splore will be the first festival in New Zealand to do the same.
 
Instead of selling water in disposable plastic bottles, the festival is introducing a reusable bottle system by Globelet and encouraging festival goers to bring their own.  Free water stations will be plentiful across the festival with premium chilled and sparkling water refills also available.
 
“It’s been a huge organisational undertaking by the festival and Globelet to eliminate the disposable single-use plastic water bottle, says Festival Producer, Fryderyk Kublikowski. “Splore’s message to the audience is ‘leave no trace’ and we believe we have taken a big step closer to this by taking a stand against single-use plastic water bottles. Our overall goal for the festival is to lead the way as a sustainable event. We aim to inspire our awesome audience to consider environmental impact in all their choices, not just during the festival weekend but also in their daily lives.”
 
This year Splore plans to go glow-stick free as they contain nasty chemicals that end up in landfill. Splore is also asking people to avoid cheap plastic glitter. Splore hosts New Zealand’s greatest dress-up costume party on the Saturday night and glitter is a favourite body adornment worn by many at the festival. But glitter is made of tiny pieces of plastic similar to the micro beads in cosmetics that have recently been banned here in NZ. However,  glitter fans need not despair, Splore organisers have sourced a bio-glitter from the UK which will be supplied by BodyFX.
 
Situated in a beguiling bay steeped in Maori history, Splore is renowned for being New Zealand’s cleanest festival. This sets the tone for the audience respecting each other while enjoying a fantastic, creative three-day party set on a beautiful beach.
 
Sustainable initiatives that Splore has introduced over the years includes;
 
●      Reusable drinking vessels (Globelets) diverting 55,000 single serve cups from landfill
●      Car-pooling and sustainable transport to and from the festival
●      Recycling stations that are staffed, resulting in a clean festival site and high waste diversion.
●      Camp Kaitiaki – a service to look after the well-being of campers
●      Using renewable energy to run sound systems
●      Partnering with Gull to supply bio-diesel to run the generators
●      Composting toilets to fertilise native nurseries
●      Tree planting at the Splore site – Tapapakanga Regional Park
●      Only compostable serve-ware is used by Splore food vendors
●      Education and encouragement to the audience to respect the site, build a close community, pre-cycle, consider single use objects and more.
●      The festival has a strong, close and respectful relationship with Ngati Paoa and Ngati Whanaunga who hold mana whenua in Tapapakanga
 
Splore is the first New Zealand festival to win an international greener festival award.

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