Summer of the Arts (SotA) is committed to a bold environmental sustainability mission and to educate through experience. Each year we continue to work to improve and expand our Think, Be, Live Green program. Our 2012 efforts include:
Replacing Disposables with Compostables on Culinary Row
Our festivals are proud to offer a greener option of tableware than the typical plastic and Styrofoam you may find at other events. SotA has made the commitment to require our Food Vendors to use biodegradable and reusable products throughout our festivals, dramatically reducing the waste produced by Culinary Row and other areas of our festivals. SotA strongly encourages our festival attendees to dispose these biodegradable products at one of our many Eco-Stations manned by our extraordinary Green Team.
Eco-Stations
Look for our new Eco-Stations at our festivals this year. Shaded by a bright highly visible umbrella, a volunteer member of the SotA Green Team will be at each Eco-Station to greet you and help you sort waste into the compost, recycling, and landfill bins. The compost waste produced by our festivals will be sent to the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center where it will be developed into rich fertilizer, benefiting gardeners and farmers in our community.
Eco-Education Programs
Come visit the Eco-Education tents to learn about how our community can help reduce our environmental impact. Fun, interactive, educational programs will be running throughout the festival day, staffed by local businesses and organizations, to demonstrate how you can Think, Be, Live Green.
Hydration Stations - sponsored by Crystal Clear
Plastic water bottles make up a large component of the recycle stream and are frequently seen in event waste. In an attempt to lower the amount of waste created, Hydration Stations will be set up at our festivals for attendees to purchase a Summer of the Arts (stainless steel, BPA free) water bottle for just $5 and receive FREE refills throughout the summer at all of our weekend long festivals OR they can fill up their own reusable water bottle with fresh filtered water for $1.
Free and Secure Bicycle Valet Parking Service -- sponsored by World of Bikes
SotA encourages all of the festival attendees to take advantage of our Free and Secure Bicycle Valet Service. Riding your bike is a simple way to minimize energy use and Carbon footprints. We are excited to invite all patrons to take advantage of the prime parking spot we have reserved for bikers! The lot will be located in the same place for all three weekend long festivals on Iowa Avenue in between Van Allen Hall and the Biology Building East on the University Of Iowa Campus. Festival goers simply fill out a bike claim ticket and a volunteer will take care of parking and retrieving bikes for them. All parked bikes must be claimed by the end of each festival evening.
Summer of the Arts Green Team
SotA’s Green Team is made up of volunteers who are enthusiastic and dedicated to ensuring that we recycle and compost as much of the waste produced at our festivals as possible. These passionate volunteers are trained to answer questions festival attendees may have and to generally assist patrons with sorting compost, recycling, and landfill waste into the correct bins. Interested in joining this important volunteer team? Check out the volunteer section of our website: summerofthearts.org
GREEN INITIATIVE SPONSORS:
