Carbon offset plans for Splendour in the Grass

Organisers of Splendour in the Grass have released details of their carbon offset programme for the 2010 festival, including carbon offset tickets for a nominal fee.

While the climate debate rages here and overseas, it is still a fact that the vast majority of prominent atmospheric scientists believe Australia and the world is moving way too slowly to tackle predicted serious climate change impacts. At Splendour in the Grass we feel there are two camps, the carbon crusaders and the carbon evaders. The crusaders recognise that environmental issues such as climate change have to be built into the business model now, and not ignored. The evaders want to maintain the "business as usual" model and avoid the issue at all costs.

With the help of our carbon crusading audience members, Splendour in the Grass has led the charge in addressing carbon emissions in the Australian music festival scene. The internal emissions associated with producing the festival are calculated and offset through the purchase of renewable wind farm carbon credits. Likewise our informed punters are also given the opportunity to offset part or all of their travel emissions by purchasing a Carbon Offset Ticket.

Over the last three years Splendour in the Grass audience members have showed us where they stand on the issue of climate change by purchasing a Carbon Offset Ticket. During this time a total of 12,415 Carbon Offset Tickets have been sold which resulted in the following impressive statistics:

• Over 1,939 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions have been offset through the investment in renewable clean wind farm energy;
• A total of $65,123 has been invested in renewable clean wind farm energy generation;
• Emissions offset were equivalent to taking 538 family sedans off the road for an entire year or powering over 242 homes for an entire year.

This year the Splendour in the Grass Carbon Offset Ticket allows patrons to offset some or all of their travel emissions. The $3.00 cost of the Carbon Offset Ticket covers vehicle travel emissions (based on a 2.0 litre family sedan) up to 350km. If an audience member has to travel more than this distance to attend the show, they are encouraged to offset these additional emissions with our carbon offset partner, Climate Friendly.

Buying a Splendour in the Grass Carbon Offset Ticket is simple. When event tickets go on sale at 9am EST Thursday May 6th ticket buyers need to log onto www.moshtix.com.au (or phone 1300 GET TIX 438 849) where they will see the Carbon Offset Ticket option for both event-camping and event-only tickets. Anyone wishing to purchase a Carbon Offset Ticket must simply select this option. This year's event and camping tickets will be delivered to buyers by email using a moshtix e-ticket. The benefits of this include reducing paper usage, greenhouse gas emissions and ticket scalping as well as reducing the cost of delivery for ticket buyers. We should point out that Climate Friendly were voted Australia’s #1 carbon offset provider in 2008 by Choice Magazine and the Total Environment Centre.

We have had solid support from our audience members in the past, but we know we can do better. Our goal is to offset the majority of Splendour in the Grass' unavoidable carbon emissions and we know we can go close to achieving this goal in 2010 with the support of our punters. To find out more about offsetting carbon emissions visit www.climatefriendly.com.

In the meantime, we're calling on all Splendour ticket buyers to continue to fight the good fight!