The 2014 Green Events & Innovations conference will again take place at the International Live Music Conference in Kensington, London, On Thursday 6th March. The full day event, now in its sixth year, is the UK's leading convention for everyone interested in green events and green festivals. Full details are available here. The full agenda has now been released, and already has a host of top experts and practitioners in the field of sustainable events, with more to be added.
As the live sector's response to environmental management matures, GEI will continue to demonstrate the latest solutions and technologies for practical event management. For any practical solutions to be truly effective there is one overriding barrier - or help - for change - and that is audience behaviour. This year the event will give greater focus to the psychology and sociology behind our behaviour, to seek more effective and sustainable collective action.
Green Events & Innovations is presented by A Greener Festival, the Association of Independent Festivals and Bucks New University.
AGENDA
10:00 - 10:10 Intro & Welcome
Ben Challis (AGF / Glastonbury) & Teresa Moore (Bucks New Uni)
10:10 - 11:30 Making Waves: Can we eliminate disposable plastics from festivals? Raw Foundation launch their guide to reducing plastics at festivals, accompanied by a panel of experts in just that! Case studies including Shambala’s “Bring A Bottle Campaign” and Open Air St Gallens’s ground breaking research into the question “Do re-usable cups really stack up?” With Melinda Watson (Raw Foundation), Chris Johnson (Shambala Festival), Chrisof Huber (Open Air St Gallen festival CH / Yourope), Clive Philips (Greenbox Events)
11:30 - 11:45 COFFEE BREAK
11:45 - 12:15 Keynote: Alan Watson Featherstone, Executive Director, Trees for LifeIn 2012 A Greener Festival teamed up with Trees for Life to launch the Festival Wood initiative, a grove planted thanks to the festival industry, for the purpose of reforesting the Caledonian Forest for ecological balance and biodiversity. Trees for Life’s outstanding record and ethos made them THE choice for collaborating on this project. The charity has planted over 1 million trees to date, and has involved thousands of volunteers in its work. As well an impressive history in conservations and deep ecology stretching back to the 70’s, Alan has been the Executive Director of Trees for Life since its inception: View full biography here.
12:15 - 13:00 Challenging business models
13:00 - 14:00 LUNCH
14:00 - 15:30 Panel: Impact and Challenges of Audience Behaviour: As practical solutions for environmental impacts of festivals have advanced, the potential glass ceiling of audience engagement has become ever clearer. In order to have truly effective sustainability it is essential for the audience to be participants. Our panel will explore the opportunities and challenges we face. Can our understanding of psychology aid efforts to improve not only our events impacts, but to have positive repercussions when people go home? With Teresa Moore (Bucks New Uni, moderator), Dr Guy Champniss, Stepan Suchochleb (Rock for People, CZ), Carlijn Lindemulder (ID&T, NL)
15:30 - 15:45 - COFFEE BREAK
15:45 - 16:45 *Break out session* Greener Festival Award: Workshop for Assessors: This workshop will be hosted by Helen Innes (AGF), taking the AGF assessors through the process of Greener Festival Award applications. This is the chance for assessors to give feedback, gain knowledge and exchange good ideas.
15:45 - 16:45 *Break out session* Love Your Tent Audience Survey findings & European Tent Initiative In 2013 the first audience study regarding tents and camping equipment being left behind at festivals was conducted by founders of the Love Your Tent campaign Eco Action Partnership, Bucks New University and A Greener Festival. Here Teresa Moore (BNU) and Rick Storey (LYT / Eco Action Partnership) will launch the findings. Holger Jan Schmidt (Green Events Germany) will update us about the European Tent Initiative from Yourope, Go Group and A Greener Festival, inviting your participation in this movement to work towards practical solutions to the campsite waste problem.
16:45 - 17:25 Presentation: Audience Behavioural Studies: Dr Guy Champniss will present his research into audience behaviour, illustrating how this knowledge can help us to communicate more effectively with audiences and stakeholders.
17:25 CLOSE
Further sessions & speakers TBA soon.
REGISTER HERE: Tickets for the Conference (which include lunch, and a day of panels, keynotes and workshops) are £80, with a discount rate of £50 available for AIF Members, Yourope Members, ILMC delegates and students.
