Going Green – be a responsible festival-goer

30th July 2010: Air Festival organisers are asking everyone who is coming to the UK’s biggest free 4-day aviation event to be responsible – whether it is taking home or recycling their rubbish, using alternative transport or being sensible in the Great British summertime.

Numbers to the Festival have grown over the last two years and visitors to this year’s event are expected to topple the million mark; and Festival litter disposal and transport are two areas that organisers are keen to influence and improve.

Jon Weaver Air Festival Director said; “Not only is this a massive event but it’s a 4-day resort ‘open house’ for hundreds of thousands of people who perhaps haven’t been to Bournemouth before or for a long time; and we want them to be impressed with the festival set up. Our key green issues for this year are to promote the recycling and waste disposal programmes and encourage people to use ‘greener modes’ of transport to the town. We hope everyone supports us and is encouraged to be responsible when they come to the Festival.”

With the resort set to be packed with people, alternative transport to the everyday car is always recommended. Greener travel choices are important and there are plenty of options available including ‘Park and Ride’ services in and around the town as well as coaches, buses and trains or even cycling.
If you are coming by car the easiest and most convenient way to the Festival is the Park & Ride service. For only £12 per group (max. 7 people per group) the service will take you from one of three conveniently located car park sites – Bournemouth University Talbot Campus, King’s Park and the Littledown Centre (weekend only) to the town centre.

On the seafront, the council’s Street Services department as part of the local ‘Green Goals’ partnership have committed to supplying 50 brightly labelled ‘Green Goals’ bins ready to receive either general rubbish and recyclable material. The general rubbish collected will be subject to mechanical and biological treatments rather than disposal in landfill. Larry Austin, Street Services Manager, said; ‘We would encourage people to enjoy themselves at the festival but to think and act responsibly by not littering or neglecting the beach. We have seen the amount of rubbish generated at previous events and together with our Green Goals partners we are aiming to increase waste awareness and make this a ‘zero waste to landfill’ event.

Temperatures hit a record high last year and as much as transport and waste disposal are important for the Festival organisers, safety in the sun is important for us all. Commented Adrian Dawson, Director of Public Health from the NHS Primary Care Trust: “We always hope for a super summer but sometimes, with the chance to finally sit out in the sunshine, we get complacent and suffer with sunburn the next day and this can be easily avoided.”

To ensure your trip to the Festival is full of great memories and not painful ones remember to apply at least a Factor 15+suncream (higher for babies and toddlers), always pack your essential beachwear – t-shirt, hat and sunglasses and remember to take plenty of water.

For more information on the Green Goals partnership please visit
www.bournemouth.gov.uk/greengoals