Julie's Bicycle - working for a low carbon creative economy

1. Green Venues

Choose a venue with good environmental credentials. There are many venues all over the UK that are embedding environmental programmes into their operations.

• See our Green Database for venues with green credentials

If the venue is not listed on our Database, ask to see their environmental policy, and if they don’t have one put them in touch with us.

2. Promote green travel

Make sure the venue you choose has good public transport links nearby, and if it doesn’t make sure that there are convenient temporary options available for your event. Promote and incentivise public transport for audiences by showing travel routes to the concert on your website(s) and marketing materials.

3. Measure your impacts

Measure the environmental impacts of your event by using the IG Tools for tours, venues and festivals.

• Log into the IG Tools

4. Choose green merchandise

Choose merchandise products that have strong social and environmental credentials.

• Check out our Sustainable Merchandise Guide for more information.

5. Streamline production

Work with the production team to calculate the show power demand and minimise it where possible, and to reduce the use of environmentally damaging materials – for example:

• Identify energy saving / low carbon equipment and technologies
• Choose suppliers offering energy saving solutions and/or good environmental credentials
• Use FSC certified timber for all set and staging construction
• Use non-PVC materials for banners, signage and scrims
• Use fabrics and material that can be re-used, re-purposed or recycled
• Minimise or prevent the use of polystyrene in props
• Choose corrugated plastic board over foam-core
• Choose to use products made from recycled or sustainable materials
• Seek opportunities to reduce logistic requirements, for example, using in-house or locally sourced equipment
• Avoid air freighting production
• Plan for where production equipment will be going post the event or tour
• Dispose of materials responsibly - try to find a contractor such as Scenery Salvage that can recycle your waste staging and materials after the concert

• Read our Production Practical Guide for more information

6. Green artist travel

If your artists are travelling from abroad steer clear of private jets and offset any flights.

• Read our Offsetting Factsheet for more information 

7. Communicate with your audience

Communicate the environmental actions you’d like your audience to make, for example, by incentivising the reuse of drinks cups and encouraging people to recycle.

• Read our Communicating With Your Audience Guide for more
• Read the Incredible Cup Company case study