A Greener Festival, Buenas Noches Producciones and BLOND:ISH’s Bye Bye Plastic tackle waste in South America

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In an effort to take action to climate emergency and tackle waste in South America, A Greener Festival (AGF – sustainability specialists for the live industry), Buenas Noches Producciones (leading electronic music producers in South America), Bye Bye Plastic (By DJ BLOND:ISH) and Voluntad Verde (local movement educating on eco-friendly best practices) conducted an awareness-raising initiative in Córdoba, Argentina, on Thursday 21st just ahead of a BLOND:ISH concert on 22nd November.

“We have been working hard to bring respect to the core of all elements that conform to our events for years. These include respect for our environment, our health, our peers. We are committed to lead the change in our local scene and strongly believe that consistency and continuity will get us there. This powerful initiative that brought together artists, staff and the local community is just the beginning,” said Ivan Aballay, CEO and founder of Buenas Noches Producciones.

The initiative consisted of the cleaning of Río Suquía shores at Kempes’ Park in Córdoba, Argentina, including an informative discussion about the commitment of the electronic music scene to help tackle the climate emergency, the damaging effects of plastics and best practices to reduce waste generation at these events. It is an open and free initiative for the local community empowering those who are frequent attendees of BNP’s ground-breaking electronic music events and want to implement and ensure more sustainable events in the future.   

The pollution of the water and Suquía’s riverbank is a major environmental issue in Córdoba. However, Centros Verdes (“Green Centers”), the waste management system facilities of Córdoba, only manages clean and dry recyclables to relocate for commercial. This results in large portions of recyclable waste not being reintroduced to the manufacturing system. Waste from parks and river shores are often contaminated with other materials and as a result end up in landfill sites. A need for education on how to reduce consumption and waste generation and how to help local waste not ending up in landfills has been identified and the initiative of this powerful partnership aims to help tackle it. 

Claire O’Neill from A Greener Festival said, “So often the discussion around sustainability is about limitation and lack. What we love about this inspiring collaboration is that it amplifies and enhances our combined energy to make a positive difference beyond the dancefloor. If the whole music industry took actions such as these surrounding gigs, the environmental benefits would be phenomenal.”

The event began with an opening statement led by Buenas Noches Producciones (BNP) introducing and detailing the commitment from the electronic music scene to helping tackle climate emergency. This involved its Dance and Recycling and Respect campaigns, the complete Sustainability Assessment conducted by AGF on 22nd November and its alliance with different like-minded organisations such as Bye Bye Plastic and Voluntad Verde.

The cleaning of the Suquía riverbank followed, where participants could experience the obstacles and challenges faced while attempting to maintain the area. 

Finally, the activity concluded with a revealing discussion concerning where the waste collected would end up due to its conditions therefore why it is important that we become more conscious at consumption, and how to adopt better practices towards recyclables to enable more efficient waste management and maintain our environment.

During 2018, 3095.3 tons of dry waste was processed in the city’s Centros Verdes at an average of more than 320 tons per month. In 2019, with the commitment of all citizens, Centros Verdes hope to recover bigger volumes and our initiative aims to help achieve that through this awareness-raising initiative. Bye Bye Plastic’s Vivi-ann Bakos said: “What an honour to be invited to be a part of something special like this. Thanks to Voluntad Verde, Micaela and everyone else for putting this together, I really could feel the genuine love, and we are all connected on this common interest for la Tierra. I’m sure when I come back there will be much progress! Communities that clean together, stay together.”

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com