WOMAD reveals environmental initiatives

Photo by Alexander Hallag

WOMAD has always prided its self on being an industry leader towards leaving a minimal environmental footprint, and heading into the 2017 festival WOMAD continues the strive to become a completely zero waste-to-landfill festival.
 
"Zero waste is a powerful concept that challenges old ways of thinking and inspires new attitudes and behaviour. The multifaceted approach integrates the four Rs of waste minimisation: reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink, to conserve the Earth’s limited resources. The strategy has developed a benchmark for other events to aspire to and the amount of festival waste entering landfills has been reduced by 85% since the first WOMAD held in New Plymouth in 2003. It is just one of the ways that the WOMAD New Zealand Charitable Trust achieves its goal of delivering a quality experience to attendees and has established WOMAD NZ’s reputation as a clean, green festival site." - Suzanne Porter, Chief Executive - WOMAD

BIG NEWS FOR 2017
 
In 2016 WOMAD got a whole lot greener by selling 1000 reusable coffee cups, this followed on from the hugely successful sale of reusable Globelets in 2015, which saved 55,000 plastic cups going to landfill. Now in 2017 the festival have once again teamed up with Globelet to rework water at WOMAD. They’ll no longer be selling disposable water bottles, instead WOMAD will now feature a number of water fountains.
 
Festival goers will be able to either buy a Globelet reusable drink bottle from the WOStore, or bring their own (non glass) water bottle and fill up for free at one of the water fountains. Chilled, filtered water and sparkling water will also be available for a small cost.
 
“We want to encourage people to choose reusable commodities and minimise the amount of waste going to landfills. We also believe water is a resource that people should always have free access to.” -  Suzanne Porter, Chief Executive - WOMAD  
 
Globelet is creating the reusable economy by designing products and systems to turn waste into resources. It creates zero waste events. Globelet offers customised reusable products and logistical solutions to events, festivals, concerts, cafes, and food markets. Globelet is a kiwi company, and stops over 150 tonnes of plastic cups going to landfill each year. Globelet products are either kept as a souvenir or returned for reuse. - Website link: http://www.globelet.com/
 
Ekos Executive Director Dr Sean Weaver accepting the Sustainable Business Network award for Restorative Innovation at the SBN awards ceremony.
 
In 2017 WOMAD have also partnered with Ekos, a charity that develops community-based, rainforest carbon conservation projects in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The result will be that WOMAD offsets its CO2 emissions with New Zealand’s only rainforest carbon offsets from the company's unique Rarakau Rainforest Carbon Project on Maori land in western Southland. This way WOMAD’s carbon neutrality is helping an indigenous community right here in New Zealand and supporting our country’s first and only community-based rainforest carbon project.
 
"There are over 4 million of us in Aotearoa, and 4 million actions adds up to a big difference." - Sean Weaver, CEO - Ekos

Ekos is a rainforest carbon boutique, supplying fair-trade-styled, community based rainforest carbon offsets for the NZ voluntary carbon offset market. This focuses on helping businesses become carbon neutral whilst saving a rainforest and helping indigenous peoples with community development. Website link: http://www.ekos.org.nz/
 
Heading into the 2017 festival WOMAD are keen to remind everyone it is a carbon-neutral event and appreciates everyone’s efforts, particularly festival go-ers, by using the Zero Waste bins on site and being conscious of the impact of their actions.

WOMAD

March 17-19: Bowl Of Brooklands, New Plymouth

Ticket information via WOMAD

WOMAD 2017 sees the festival celebrate its 13th anniversary in the stunning 55-acre Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth. Over the years, WOMAD NZ, has rightfully gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful outdoor festivals in the world.

The main stage is set at the base of a natural amphitheatre and not only provides a stunning setting, but an acoustic experience second to none. The other three stages are located throughout Brooklands Park, with every square inch oozing the vibrancy of WOMAD.
 
The maximum capacity for WOMAD is 12,500 ticket holders per day so you’ll never feel like you are in a mosh pit – in fact bring a blanket and enjoy refreshments in stylish chill out areas, watch a cooking demonstration or explore the stalls and workshops, the kids will be entertained at Kidzone with workshops especially for them spread over the weekend. WOMAD’s not just music! There’s plenty of other things on site to discover, come along and soak up the warmth of the WOMAD vibe.

The WOMAD campsite is situated next to the festival within the New Plymouth Racecourse and TSB Stadium. The festival site is also located a short distance from New Plymouth’s centre, if you book early you could even get a motel or hotel or house close enough to walk.