SUSTAINABILITY

This year we have signed the VISION2025 pledge, a uniting mission to create a sustainable outdoor live events industry, taking action on climate and ecological crisis – we have signed up amongst some industry leading names, and as newcomers to the industry we can’t wait to learn more from this amazing network.

The VISION2025 pledge requires a published net-zero strategy (as it should), so here is ours:

But first ... WHAT IS NET-ZERO?
This means producing a net total of zero carbon emissions as a result of the 42 Degrees festival in order to do our part in mitigating climate change. We can’t achieve this in 2022, but we can start our journey NOW. By 2025 we aim to reduce our carbon emissions by 50%, with our ultimate goal being net-zero.

HOW WE ACHIEVE THIS:
Creation and implementation of sustainability-focused policies.
We want to make sustainable CHANGES, and not rely on carbon off-setting to do the work. These changes are more detailed under each policy section in the sustainability webpage, but in summary we will be:
- Banning single-use plastics
- Using rented reusable bar cups
- Monitoring energy use year on year, to create a system of efficiency and less reliance on fossil fuels
- Using renewables and hybrid generators in our energy infrastructure when/where possible
- Continuing our policy of upcycled décor
- Providing our attendees with knowledge about and suggestions for sustainable actions on and off-site (including travelling options, camping recommendations and workshops)
- Creating and incentivising an effective recycling and litter system
- Encouraging less consumption of unsustainable products, via carefully selected traders on-site and knowledge sharing through our platforms

While carbon off-setting isn’t the answer to the climate crisis, it is a good tool for reducing the impact we have on the planet and much better than doing nothing to counteract our impact. We will be carbon off-setting in 2022 (and publishing all the related data) using an ISO 9001/4001 Company to make sure our offsets are certified.

Reducing what we send off to landfill at the end of our festival weekend as well as preserving the site we use is so important, making our litter and recycling management vital. We have set out our recycling and litter management policy in order to reduce our waste from 42 Degrees as much as we possibly can but in the end we rely heavily on attendees and volunteers for it to happen. 

*We are always looking for volunteers, and litter volunteers are especially important. For more info and to sign up head to the … section of the website!*

Here is what we are doing to reduce our waste and promote looking after the site:
- Provide clearly labelled and well placed general, recycling and composting bins all around the festival site
- Provide camping attendees with bin bags for different types of litter on arrival to keep the campsite clean throughout and at the end of the weekend - we will leave no trace.
- Work with the local council and waste management consultants to create the most efficient and waste-saving litter system, and utilise volunteers to implement this
- Hire reusable cups that are rented for attendees, rather than providing souvenir/take-home cups, which need to be returned to the bar or allocated bins before the end of the weekend (read here to learn why this is better: https://www.vision2025.org.uk/reports-guides/reusable-cups-at-events/)
- Provide a donation point for attendees to drop off unwanted or broken items at the end of the festival weekend (tents, chairs, anything we might be able to upcycle for the next year!

This year we are ensuring that the traders we associate and work with at 42 Degrees align with our sustainability values. We aim to have the vast majority of our food traders selling vegan food, as this greatly reduces carbon footprint. We also have a list of criteria that guides our trader choices:
- No plastic straws, single use plastic and non compostable/recyclable containers
- Must sell no or canned water only (no plastic bottled water on-site) 
- Must be a local trader to the general region
- Must use red tractor certified meat and dairy products 
- Must sell fair trade coffee, chocolate, and similar products

At our bar we will be working with local breweries and providing drinks from companies who have a clear sustainability ethos and strategy.

The logistics of any festival relies on a variety of supplies, goods and materials. We have two main aims in relation to these, which can greatly reduce our carbon footprint and make us a more sustainable event:
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1. Materials - To use ethically made and procured goods (for all aspects of the event) that are not wasteful (re-usable, compostable, recyclable, etc.) wherever possible. For example:
- Donated, second-hand and upcycled materials to be used for site decoration
- All food containers must be compostable


2. Goods/Supplies - To use zero or low carbon goods/supplies where possible, from suppliers who align with our sustainability values.For example:
- Aiming to use compostable toilets across site
- Contract suppliers based close to our site, to prevent unnecessary travelling emissions

Putting a price on carbon can be problematic - we know that carbon off-setting should be used as a last resort. However, given our current circumstances and limits we have chosen to use carbon off-setting as a tool, as it is preferable to doing nothing to counteract our impact.

We will be carbon off-setting in 2022 (and publishing all the related data) using an ISO 9001/4001 Company to make sure our offsets are certified.

We ask everyone (attendees, staff, suppliers and performers) coming to 42 Degrees to consider off-setting their travel related emissions. Look at our travel section for more info.