Community

Clean and Green - BDO Statement

Big Day Out Clean and Green statement.

2nd October 2008

Our scientists have clearly identified the immensity of the problem caused by increasing human
reliance and consumption of fossil fuels.

The ensuing climate change caused by increasing levels of emissions of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is the most significant challenge to life on this planet.

Solving the climate change problem requires that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses be
reduced to a level that slows or reverses the increase in emissions.

Unfortunately, the ecosystem is moving closer to the tipping point at which point the change will
be irreversible.

Thankfully Australia and New Zealand are current signatories to the Kyoto Protocol but much more
needs to be done.

What we at Big Day Out do.

Prior to the 2007 show Big Day Out conducted two energy audits of the show to understand the
greenhouse gas emissions caused by our energy usage.

Our first initiative was to reduce our energy use where possible.

We made a commitment to “Carbon Offset” the show and as a consequence in 2007
planted 6,735 Eucalyptus Polybractea (Blue Leaved Mallee) on approximately 4.5 hectares of land
at Narromine in central NSW.

In 2008 as a consequence of a further energy audit we planted 9,248 Eucalyptus Polybractea (Blue
Leaved Mallee) at a property 10km outside Fifield in central west NSW.

These trees which are now small are permanent plantings on farm reserves and produce oxygen and
carbon stocks using a sophisticated model developed collaboratively by several leading
research agencies, including the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry,
and is consistent with the technical guidelines provided by the Australian Greenhouse Office. The
credit is recouped over a 30 year lifespan of the trees.

Our carbon credit provider is CO2 Australia and they are managing the trees on our behalf.

As we have said before, the reason we have chosen tree plantation for creating carbon credits is
because it creates jobs, has sound conservation benefits, reduces soil salinity and improves farm
viability in marginal areas as well as converting Greenhouse gas CO2 to oxygen for us to breathe.

An energy audit of the 2009 show is planned again and our commitment to a “Carbon Offset” Big Day Out Event into the future remains steadfast.
 

What can you do?  Have a Carbon Free Big Day Out!

For the first time this year the Big Day Out is able to offer patrons the option to
offset their Carbon Emissions while attending the Big Day Out with the creation
of a “Carbon Free Day”.

By calculating the Australian Greenhouse emissions for a year (1.) and dividing by the
population and then by the days in a year we can determine the per capita emissions for a
person for a day.

So by opting in when you buy your Big Day Out ticket online you can include a Carbon Free
Big Day Out in your ticket purchase basket.

The Carbon Free Day will cost $1.34 per person per day.

This covers the cost of offsetting carbon through Mallee Eucalyptus tree plantations over the
life of the trees and is inclusive of ticket agency processing costs, credit card charges and GST
but with no mark-ups from us.

We are hoping that you will join us at the Big Day Out and help move the goalposts back a little bit to slow the pace of climate change.

Take care,
Viv and Ken