FINLAND: Flow Festival has revealed that it compensated for its 2016 edition’s carbon dioxide emissions by investing in a Gold Standard certified wind energy venture in China. For the second year in a row the festival also made a donation to the Finnish Red Cross disaster relief fund to help the victims of the Syrian conflict. By doing so, Flow aims to set an example and encourage its audience and partners to contribute to the world in a socially responsible way.
The festival’s carbon footprint has been calculated and compensated for since 2009. The carbon footprint is calculated in cooperation with Pöyry Consulting. The final report takes in all emissions produced by Flow, including: artist travel and transportation, work-related driving by Flow employees, electricity for the festival area, and the processing of the waste generated by the event. In 2016 Flow compensated for its emissions via the Gold Standard certified Zhangbei Dayangzhuang wind energy venture in China. The project reduces global carbon emissions by replacing some of China’s growing fossil fuel electricity production with wind power. The project also supports sustainable development by providing local people with jobs in the construction, erection and annual running of the wind turbines.
Flow Festival only uses electricity made with renewables. Most of the electricity is generated at the festival, using generators running on Neste bio diesel. Neste renewable diesel is made out of renewable and sustainably produced raw materials, such as waste generated by the food industry that is unfit for consumption. For procured electricity, Flow uses carbon neutral EKOenergia certified electricity produced by wind turbines. Flow Festival’s waste recycling rate is 100%, and the event produces no landfill waste.
Flow Festival’s acclaimed and varied food offering was developed in a more environmentally friendly direction, too, via the Sustainable Meal programme and by making available more vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Flow also donated 10,000 euros to the Finnish Red Cross fund for the victims of the conflict in Syria. The Red Cross helps people suffering from the protracted conflict and destruction in Syria by delivering food, blankets, hygiene supplies and medicine as well as health services to the area.
