Greening of the Festivals

A coalition of members from Sunfest, Home County Folk Festival, RibFest, Waste Free World, and the City of London,has come together to create greener festivals in Victoria Park this summer. After several months of planning, they have created a new campaign "Greening of the Festivals" and are now seeking volunteers for the "Green Team".

By volunteering you will become part of this exciting movement to drastically reduce waste generated at festivals in London. Check out the list below to see where you can lend your time and talent. The work is not difficult but nevertheless very important. The festival hours can be applied to high school community hours.

How to Get Involved
It will take lots of new volunteers to help ensure that London’s Festivals go green. We encourage you to contact your favourite festival and ask to be part of their green team. Or, you can e-mail us directly (wastefreevolunteer@gmail.com) and we will be happy to make you part of our Waste Free World volunteer list.

Sunfest - July 3, 4, 5, 6 - http://www.sunfest.on.ca
Home County Folk Festival - July 18, 19, 20 - http://www.homecounty.ca/volunteer.html
Ribfest - July 31, Aug. 1, 2, 3, 4 - http://www.bgclondon.ca/ribfest_contact.html

SAMPLE OF 'GREEN TEAM' VOLUNTEER DUTIES
1. EcoStations: We are implementing an enhanced recycling program and composting at strategically placed EcoStations. These require volunteers to educate the public on where to put the various waste streams - either recycling, composting or landfill.

2. Reusable dishes: We are renting stainless steel plates and cutlery to the public for a deposit which will be returned once the dishes are returned. Requirements are handling of cash and dealing with the public.

3. Dishwashing: We will have a trailer on site housing an industrial dishwasher to wash the reusable dishes. Assistance will be required with transporting dirty or clean dishes from the rental stations to the trailer (they will be located right next to each other on site)

4. Litter Control: Even with well equipped and numerous EcoStations many festival goers will still throw containers on the ground or the wind will pick up paper and it will be strewn throughout the park. These pieces will need to be retrieved and placed in the correct container.

5. Greening of the Festivals Information Booth: Displays will be set up to educate the public about the greening initiatives including water fountains, reusable dishes, recycling, and composting. This booth will need to have an attendant throughout the open hours of the festival.
6. Set-Up/Tear dDwn: Other volunteer activities: Each festival requires a lot of volunteers to help set-up the day before and tear-down the day after the event. If you can give more than just the hours for the "green team" please consider signing up for these extra activities.

Thank you for giving of your time to make this environmental effort a successful one in London.

Maryanne MacDonald
www.wastefreeworld.org

"We can achieve great things when we work together for the common good."