SO — Wednesday, October 27, 1993 -- North Shore News

Vancouver Folk Festival

Cleans Up Its Act

This year, close to 30,000 people congregated at Jericho Park
for the 16th annual Vancouver Folk Festival.

Between them, performers and audiences purchased and
consumed more than $170,000 worth of food and drink, creating
the potential for half a dozen industrial dumpsters of waste. But
when event organizers had loaded up the last truck at the end of
the two-and-a-half-day music festival, the Jericho site was
probably cleaner than it had been when they arrived.

Steven Fowler, one of two coordinators of the festival's
environment committee, explains that the Folk Festival has
introduced a number of initiatives in recent years to ensure the
weekend event is as “green” as possible.

Since 1989, for instance, all festival vendors have been serving
food on reusable plastic plates supplied by festival organizers. In
the interests of the environment, Folk Festival patrons pay a $2
deposit on each plate, which is refunded when the plates are
returned. In four years, says Fowler, the festival has only lost
about 20 of the 6,000 plates.

Those patrons who forget to bring their own non-disposaiie

Businesses
Do Their
Part

If the regional district is going to meet its 50% per capita waste
reduction goal, it will rake the combined efforts of individuals,
government and businesses. Fortunately, many companies and
industries are already well on the way to reducing their waste
output.

Working together is paying off fora group of businesses in the

. West Vancouver neighbourhood of Dundarave.

While the shopping area is only a block and a half in length, it

is home to about 45 retail outlets and an equal number of

ron VRD, Programs

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mugs for use on ihe site can purchase Folk Festival cups and
vendors are encouraged io use reusable and recyclable
containers whezcver possible.

In addition, containers for plastic, metal, three kinds of glass
and compostable material are set up in nine full and three partial
recycling stations positioned throughout the expansive site.
These stations are staffed as much as possible to educate festival
patrons and to help ensure that only the right things go into the
appropriate containers.

Even the food waste is taken care of, ultimately ending up at a
plant in Aldergrove that transforms it into compost.

Alltold, the festival's recycling program has had an enormous
impact on reducing the event's landfill contribution. From
approximately 40 tons of garbage in 1989, the Folk Festival now
generates only 8 tons, and heightens public awareness of
recycling and composting issues in the process.

As for costs, the up-front investment required for the plastic
plates has so far prevented the Festival from adding reusable
bowls and cutlery as it would like. Purchase and rental costs for

professional offices. Last year, members of its representative
body - the Dundarave Business Association - decided that cutting
down on waste was one of this year's important goals.
Since then, they have started environmental initiatives.
including:
* a waste exchange that connects businesses that have items
in excess with businesses that can put those items to good
use.

° a “back alley” sale (like a neighbourhood garage sale,
except for businesses). It is another way for merchants to
clear out their used or outdated business equipment and
supplies without resorting to the garbage can.

¢ acentral paper recycling depot for a variety of grades of
paper and corrugated cardboard, which has just started up.
The findings of a waste audit determined that paper and
cardboard were by far the lasgest components of the
businesses” waste.

Creating Our Futur e

recycling and garbage containers have remained somewhat
constant, but with recycling on the increase, garbage containers
are becoming less necessary.

In the words of Fowler's environment committee co-ordinator,
Dave McMurran: “We've proven that it’s virtually no-cost to
implement these measures.” :

Some grocery stores are also working cooperatively by
pooling their food scraps in a combined composting program
that will substantially reduce their garbage.

Realtors Clean Up After Themselves

AS an organization that generates close to 600 tons of paper
annually, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) is
taking its responsibility seriousiy and meeting the challenge head
on.

Over the past year the Real Estate Board has implemented a
program aimed at collecting and recycling all of the printed
material it produces for distribution to agents from the Sunshine
Coast to Pitt Meadows. It’s an enorinous job that includes pick-
up of Multiple Listing Service, catalogues, daily “hot” sheets and
copies of Realtor Magazine.

Hospital Pitches In

The Vancouver General Hospital has decreased its.
garbage by 300 tons annuaily, and that's only by recycling
its office paper. It also uses reusable gowns in the operating
room, and reusable incontinence briefs, cotton liners and
bed pads. Over a six-month period, that translates to
almost one million disposable cotton liners alone being
saved from disposal - at a cost t savings of between 35 and
40 per cent.

Caher hospital recycling efforts extend from the monthly
collection of 6,000 electro-leads (used for
electrocardiograms), to using reusable cutlery and china on
patient food trays,

Hotel Attracts “Green” Guests

In 1990, the Westin Bayshore underwent an
environmental audit process that assessed everything from
its purchasing practices to guest services.

The “to do” list that resuked was overwhelming in scope,
going well beyond standard blue box recycling initiatives to
include suggestions that touched on topics singing from
the dispensing of seap and the flushing of toilets to the
lighting of. rooms and the disposal of food waste.

If you'd ke more information on waste reduction
measures for your company, call the GVRD Solid Waste
Department a: 436-6800 and ask fora copy of the Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle: It’s Your Business waste teduction
handbook.