Our contributions to becoming more sustainable!

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As a worldwide known event organization, we want to set an example in the event industry by being innovative in terms of sustainability. What, why and how we do this, is explained in the following four pillars: Collective consciousness, Preservation & restoration, Waste management and Reduce CO2.

  • Conscious sustainable food options: ⅔ of our food options are vegetarian and of which ⅓ are vegan. Every food truck contributes to sustainability. We do not include any food trucks in our festival that do not prioritize sustainability and no single-use plastic is used in the food court area; instead, we use biodegradable disposable alternatives. The crew food for lunch during the build up and breakdown is completely vegetarian. Bar staff eats completely vegetarian or vegan meals during their shifts. At food trucks, we exclusively use biodegradable cleaning products.
  • Guest list: At Verknipt events, we ask all guests on the guest list and backstage list to make a mandatory contribution of €10 before entry. The €10 donation for this ticket will go to 1) Our multi-annual plan for social initiatives for the neighborhood for their beloved Strijkviertel and 2) to investing in our sustainability plans for Verknipt Festival. By making this donation, we not only make a positive contribution to the event but also to a more sustainable world. 
  • Collaboration with Eventix and Trees for All: An option for CO2 compensation when purchasing a ticket. With this money, Eventix plants trees in collaboration with Trees for All in Bolivia to combat deforestation there.
  • Cigarettes: Starting from 2022, there is a ban on all cigarette vending machines in the hospitality industry. Since 2019, Verknipt has already stopped selling cigarettes at all its events. We aim to reduce the waste from cigarette butts and discourage smoking.
  • To reinforce the sustainability message, we will also place fence banners with communication material along the walking route to the entrance. With the message “Don’t dent your can/return it,” we aim to raise awareness among visitors about the importance of recycling.
  • The event scene was and still is dominated by a lot of males. Since the very start of Verknipt, they aim to close the gender gap in the event industry by recruiting female freelancers in the event scene and representing more female artists on the line-up.
  • Chewing Gum: Since 2021, it is prohibited to bring chewing gum to any of our events. Security strictly enforces this rule and conducts through searches. Verknipt has taken the lead in implementing this policy, and as a result, many venues and other organizations have followed suit since the end of 2021. Chewing gum takes at least 20 years to decompose. When it enters the environment, it can cause significant damage to nature and the wildlife that inhabits it. Additionally, chewing gum can cause substantial damage to indoor locations. 
  • Investing in a recreational lake in collaboration with Staatsbosbeheer and the Municipality of Utrecht. Doing something for the neighborhood and plan for the restoration of the recreational lake with incentives like:
    • A plan has been developed to address littering, aiming to eliminate the nuisance caused by litter.
    • Creating a comprehensive plan for the use of ground protection mats in advance to minimize damage to the terrain.
    • Plan for litter/pollution at the festival premises, the complete area and in the neighbourhoods
    • Beach cleaning, sand sifting, restoring the grass, etc.
    • Extend the setup and dismantling period due to noise concerns.
    • Create a plan for the use of ground protection mats to minimize damage to the terrain.
    • Residents’ letters – if it’s two pages, we print them double-sided to reduce paper consumption by 50%.

Effective waste management is a crucial part of our sustainability efforts.

  • Waste segregation: We have implemented a comprehensive waste segregation system at our event, with clearly labeled bins for recyclables, compostables, and general waste. We encourage attendees to properly dispose of their waste and provide clear instructions and signage to facilitate this process.
  • Stop using single-use plastic
    • We have completely stopped the use of single-use plastic, particularly at our food trucks and crew catering. They will now only use biodegradable disposable utensils. 
    • Additionally, we have switched to reusable hard cups and said goodbye to RPET cups. By transitioning to reusable hard cups, we significantly reduce the amount of waste that would otherwise be produced. These cups can be used again and again, helping us reduce our ecological footprint and minimize our impact on the environment.
  • The team from Statiegeld Nederland will be present from Utrecht Central Station, the route to the festival, designated shuttle bus stops until the entrance/exit of Verknipt Festival to collect deposits from empty bottles or cans (statiegeld. Visitors can choose to receive their deposit back via a payment request or they can choose to donate it. The proceeds from all donations and containers found along the way will go to the charity: De Voedselbank Nederland (The Food Bank Netherlands).

 

The tree R’s:

Reuse

  • Verknipt has made the switch very early from offline to online marketing. Currently, 95% of our marketing materials are already online. Additionally, we ensure that our offline marketing materials are often universal, allowing for reuse and therefore we reduce paper waste and single use prints
  • Universal signage: Since 2019 we aim to have only universal signage and bords on our outdoor and indoor events. Since 2023 we will have universal signing for both indoor and outdoor events combined. This includes universal price lists for merchandise, bars, price lists, shuttle bus signs, directional signage, information points, safety instructions, house rules, etc. Reducing the need for multiple sets of signage. This approach promotes efficiency and minimizes waste. 

 

Reduce

  • Decoration: We decreased the use of new materials and aim to reuse as much decor as possible. We will increasingly opt for sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, such as recycled props or natural elements, to prevent unnecessary waste production.
  • Digital marketing: Prioritize digital marketing and communication tools instead of paper flyers or brochures.
  • Using refillable water sacks for crew instead of water bottles: From 2023 Verknipt will implement refillable water sacks instead of handing out water bottles to crew for the build up and break down. The material is BPA free and therefore safe to reuse long term. All crew will be informed in their briefing and encouraged to bring your own water bottle or use the reusable water sacks. The watersacks can be adjusted to your bag or clothing. This way we are cutting down single use plastic on the workfloor and fighting water waste.

 

Recycle

  • Recycling stations: Throughout the venue, we have set up dedicated recycling stations to collect recyclable items such as plastic bottles and aluminum cans. These stations are easily accessible and strategically placed to encourage proper recycling. All other cans and water bottles are collected in the same bag but separated from the large deposit bottles. After the festival, these separated materials will be delivered to a collection point. This ensures efficient waste separation and responsible waste management during Verknipt Festival.
  • Hard cups: During Verknipt Festival, we are taking a major step towards sustainability by implementing hard cups. These reusable cups replace the previous RPET cups. These hard cups are made from sustainable materials and can be used repeatedly, significantly reducing waste at our event. 
  • Cup & Coin: This incentive is committed to keeping the festival grounds as clean as possible by collecting all hard cups and bottles. Visitors can return their empty cups to the mobile collection points or the recycle stations where visitors have the opportunity to return hard cups or bottles in exchange for recycle tokens. This system reduces the number of discarded hard cups and minimizes the environmental impact. They also provide information to visitors about the recycling system. To enhance this incentive Verknipt holds multiple possibilities to win prizes at the festival by handing in your hardcup at the end of the event for your recycle coin. Each coin has an unique code and with the code you can win a prize. The recycle coins are 100% made of recycled materials and will be recycled again after the event.
  • Donation and reuse: Items that are still in good condition but no longer needed, such as event decorations or equipment, are donated to local organizations or reused for future events to minimize waste.

 

“We aim to reuse as much as possible. We are committed to minimizing waste generation and maximizing recycling and reuse opportunities at our events.”

  • Encourage sustainable mobility.
    • Visitors: We already have a strong emphasis on public transportation, cycling, and shared rides, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions. We encourage visitors to use public transportation, bicycles, or walking to reach the event whenever possible. Visitors will also be encouraged to carpool, and various tips will be communicated on how they can reach the event in a sustainable manner. We can proudly say that already 45% of the visitors are travelling by public transport of which 40% with Verknipt organized shuttle buses, 5% with public transport and a thriving 32,5% comes by bike.
    • Artists: To reduce the CO2 emissions during the transportation of artists, new measures will be taken to minimize this impact. Shared rides will be organized using vans instead of individual cars, resulting in fewer vehicles and lower CO2 emissions. Transportation will be planned as efficiently as possible, and efforts will be made to have multiple artists in one vehicle, reducing the number of trips. 
    • Crew: The crew of Verknipt will also contribute to making the festival more sustainable. Just like the visitors, the crew will be encouraged to travel to the event in a sustainable manner. The crew will also be encouraged to use public transportation or carpooling, which will be specifically mentioned in the crew briefing for events. Therefore, the briefing will emphasize the encouragement of carpooling or finding other sustainable ways to reach the event. It’s obligatory to carpool to Verknipt Festival if the bar staff wants to reimburse their mileage. 
  • Trees for All Foundation: 
    • At Verknipt Festival, we have a strong focus on sustainability and reducing our CO2 emissions. Therefore, starting from 2023, we have decided to increase the prices of parking tickets by €5 to encourage visitors to use alternative modes of transportation such as public transport, bicycles, or walking. We increased the price to discourage unconscious travelling choices and encourage sustainable mobility. The proceeds of the increase of the parking tickets will be donated to the Trees for All Foundation to offset the visitors’ CO2 emissions. 
    • During the regular ticket checkout process, visitors also have the option to make a voluntary donation to the Trees for All Foundation. Trees for All Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of forests worldwide.