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Clean and Green - Green Ticket

BIG DAY OUT CARBON FREE DAY AUDIENCE INITIATIVE.
 

BIG DAY OUT GREEN TICKET
As a compliment to our real commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our shows for 2007, 2008 and 2009, this year for the first time, Big Day Out patrons had the chance to offset their own Carbon Emissions for travelling to and attending the Big Day Out in their own city.

Patrons were able to take up a “Carbon Free Day” option when purchasing a ticket to the festival.

We are very pleased to announce that a total of 34,050 patrons nation wide, ‘did their bit’ for our planet , enthusiastically taking up the opportunity to participate in a carbon free day, offsetting a total of 2641 tonnes of CO2.


HERE IS A CITY BY CITY BREAKDOWN:

AUCKLAND     2,068
GOLD COAST    7,587
SYDNEY    12,871
MELBOURNE    4,905
ADELAIDE    3,164
PERTH    3,455
    
TOTAL    34,050


What a fantastic result! To those who participated this year - our planet says thank you!


WHAT BIG DAY OUT ALSO DOES
The Carbon Free Day compliments the BIG DAY OUTs’ other environmental initiatives including reduced energy usage, proactive recycling on all sites and energy audits of the show.

We have now conducted three energy audits in partnership with our carbon credit provider, CO2 Australia, to understand and calculate the greenhouse gas emissions caused by our energy usage. In calculating the energy audit, Big Day Out considers the usage and expenditure levels across various production, venue and site management areas.  This includes analysing domestic and international air travel and freight movements, trucking and ground transport, generator usage and recycling levels.

Through our audit process, we have been able to plant a total of 15,983 trees:
 
• 6,735 Eucalyptus Polybractea (Blue Leaved Mallee) planted on approximately 4.5 hectares of land at Narromine in central NSW.
 
• 9,248 Eucalyptus Polybractea (Blue Leaved Mallee) at a property 10km outside Fifield in central west NSW.

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WHY PLANT TREES?
The reason we have chosen tree plantation for creating carbon credits is to convert Greenhouse gas CO2 to oxygen for us to breathe, it also creates jobs, has sound conservation benefits, reduces soil salinity and improves farm viability in marginal areas


WHO LOOKS AFTER THE TREES?
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. The trees are managed by  Co2 Australia  on our behalf.


HOW WE CALCULATE A PATRON ‘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.


HOW MUCH DOES A GREEN TICKET UPGRADE COST?
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.

 
CAN I BUY A GREEN TICKET FOR BIG DAY OUT 2010?
Yes! - due to the success of this environmental initiative, we will continue to offer a ‘carbon free’ day to you again for  all of our upcoming Big Day Out festival events.

HOW?
When tickets go on sale later in the year, you can opt in when you buy your ticket online by including a carbon free day in your ticket purchase basket. Just tick the  box!

 if you bought a green ticket this year thanks for helping us create greening initiatives both on site and in your world!  

 If you haven’t yet, please don’t be shy! here’s your chance, we will update our activities here on our website each year. With your help we can continue to create even more  inroads  to help  lighten  our collective Festival footprint!

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Check out :  http://www.co2australia.com.au/  

 (1.) Australian emissions per year = 576 MtCO2-e (Source: AGO, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2006, published in 2008.)