It’s not just all about music, as a conscientious charity in so many ways, we are also aware of the environmental impact our day-to-day work has. We have been developing our Environmental Policy and with this, exploring ways in which Music24 can operate as sustainably as possible in order to reduce the impact we have on the environment.
There is no better time to do this than NOW! Our pledge is to strive towards keeping our carbon footprint in check. Taking this forward our aim is to:
· Reduce our carbon emissions by encouraging car-sharing whenever possible and to source and use local talent.
· Raise awareness and encourage our community to think “green” through music, songs and discussion.
· Honour the environmentally conscious practices in place at the session venues we hire in each location.
We have embraced the opportunity to be as proactive as possible and recently surveyed all the venues we use in the different locations throughout Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. We felt this was an important exercise in gathering information about how we can support the sustainable efforts currently practiced by them. From community centres to theatres and churches, our venues gave us some really useful feedback and also told us of the challenges they face. Here are some examples of the feedback we received:
Recycling - This is a big part of our venues’ waste management, with glass and cardboard recycling facilities at some. Some strongly discourage the use of single use plastics. Some, however, are economically challenged in this respect, reporting that councils charge large amounts to collect extra waste and is therefore just not financially feasible for the venue to do so.
Heating - If any of our venues are lucky enough to have access to a council climate change grant, improvements to heating and insulation such as secondary glazing for windows, draft excluders and roof insulation, can have a very positive, long-term impact. Some try limiting the use of electricity as much as possible for heating/air cooling. Some of our venues have high ceilings and these are difficult to heat efficiently.
Lighting – LED lighting features in some of our venues. Hirers like us, are encouraged to switch off unnecessary lights and to turn off lights when they leave the building.
Awareness – Some venues feel that they ‘do what they can’ to practice effective energy saving. Some feel that hirers don’t respond responsibly to signs and polite requests which must be very disappointing, despite their best efforts.
What we can do to help our venues – Use recycling facilities if available or take our recycling home with us. Keep doors closed when the heating is on. Turn off lights and electrical equipment when they’re not in use or needed. Shop smart and steer clear of single use plastics.
From recycling to keeping our carbon footprint in check, Music24 takes responsibility for it’s duty of care for the planet and to help others to do so too by raising awareness and encouraging our community to be proactive in reducing our environmental impact.
