In today’s world, there are several schools of thought and perhaps ideologies which would imply from the face of it, that the entertainment-based industries, inclusive of culture, the arts and the event-based economic activities, cannot be linked successfully to anything sustainable in the least bit.
It is with such thinking that we are destined to fail if consideration is not given to finding an innovative and structured way to bridge the gap between all that is sustainable and regenerative, with those activities which are traditionally seen as consumer-based, extractive and not green in the least bit. Since the world is going in the direction of what was one decade ago a buzzword for world leaders, technocrats and other forum-based discussions, sustainability through the orange economy cannot be ruled out as an access point to breaking into new markets and getting immense amounts of buy-in from large scale entertainment industry giants and businesses.
The approach would be to justify the need for a supply chain of food items for such large events. In Tobago’s case, we have seen an uptick in the amount of food or culinary-based demands in the face of an expanding entertainment industry, which ties in with tourism products and attractions. The order of the day seems to be heavily influenced by food, fanfare and festivals. A classic example of this would be the ongoing harvest festivals which include even more culinary offerings, as well as year-round applications of food-based revelry to the annual calendar of events on the island.
For the eco-minded or the more ‘conscious’ in their thinking, they would argue that this is nothing short of a noisemaking expedition and a pretentious ideology as it relates to tourism, but we can actually tap into something never before considered. If the demand for food is significantly higher than the average uses for consumption, we can make a very strong case for why farmers are to be equipped and ready to produce en masse for such occasions.
Since we cannot seem to encourage farming to supply the traditional needs and to ensure that food security where everyday consumption is concerned, perhaps companies and entertainment giants can consider now investing in sustainable activities such as farming and regenerative agriculture to service their respective festivities, with the requisite amount of produce to make each event successful. The market exists, the consumer base is there; all that is required is the investment.
There are festivals around the world that attract hundreds of thousands of people. Such events produce waste and emissions through travelling to venues, using electricity, water, and other supplies on the site. The question is this; How can we make festivals more sustainable without us having to forgo them?
In today’s modern world, a significant shift towards reducing emissions has emanated from every quarter, inclusive of those that hold large events, concerts, festivals and even theatre. The need to reduce our carbon footprint and cut back on energy usage is discussed between a wide cross-section of individuals, from creatives to party promoters. The idea of cutting costs for economic purposes has driven this need to look at ‘greening’ of entertainment-based outputs globally.
There is not much available global data on sustainability of festivals just yet. However, there is evidence to show a systemic imbalance that occurs through such consumer-based activities. A festival can be identified as an opportunity for experimentation in sustainable solutions. Music festivals basically face the same sustainability challenges as the rest of society, only on a smaller scale: energy supply, the usage of resources, questions of mobility and a circular economy.
A festival is a society in itself just as a town under stress. However, so much more happens at a festival which ultimately cannot be controlled. Similarly, on a societal level, there are several activities which are hard to police and get under control.
Greening the orange
economy applications
The Dutch DGTL Festival for electronic music has the goal of becoming the first circular economy festival in the world. The power they use for roughly 60,000 festival goers comes from wind and solar energy. Meat has been replaced by plant-based alternatives and the water being used in the toilets and showers gets processed so it can be reused. Waste is separated strictly and a deposit system for beer cups or other beverages avoids unnecessary further waste.
Another useful application is to use the toilet facilities as composting units, which generates an alternative to chemical trash, otherwise disposed of after a ‘big fete’ or festival. In Italy, the Terraform Festival, with more than 5,000 visitors, built their stages from the wood of trees that were destroyed during a storm in the region, and has a knock-on effect of supporting local communities in due course.
Locally, most festivals are organised by the private sector. As for Tobago, there are even state-run and promoted events. This requires clear rules and regulations, and for policymakers to come up with innovative ideas to incentivise such events. Tobago, being a small island developing state, and consisting of many rural communities with environmentally sensitive areas, presents a grand opportunity to lead the way in sustainability.
The Caribbean, as a culturally expressive region, boasting of more parties, festivals and concerts per capita than any other region globally, creates a niche for greening of events in unison. If each island can provide assistance for promoters wishing to ‘go green’, we would become an authority on how the orange economy plays a significant role in sustainability.
In our quest to become more sustainable, we can target real-life challenges that drive economic activities in the Caribbean, specifically in T&T, as opposed to cheap greenwashing methodologies all for a photo opportunity. The potential is immense for this region to become a standard bearer through our culture and all the accompanying fanfare that is part and parcel of its construct.
Sean McCoon is an environmental enthusiast and member of the Trinidad and Tobago Writers’ Guild. For more information about the Guild call 1(868)620-5799 or email trinidadtobgowritersguild@gmail.com