An eco-festival
Les Vieilles Charrues is proud of its committment to sustainable development and takes care to assess its impact on the environment.The festival is committed to sustainable, economic and social development. The following are all carefully taken into account :
- Environmental protection
- Energy saving
- Transport
- Access for people with restricted mobility
- Information stands to inform and advise
- Car parks and camp-sites
- The social economy
- Risk prevention for professionals
- The festivals collective which is committed to sustainable development and solidarity in Brittany
Environmental protection
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From throw-away to sustainable cups :
During the 19th edition of the festival throw away cups will be replaced by reusable cups (we will be using a deposit-refund system).The system will be based on the following principle: festival-goers will be given a cup and asked to pay a 1€ deposit which will be refunded when they hand the cup in.The fact that we have chosen to use reusable cups is in line with the policy of environmental protection we brought in several years ago to reduce the amount of rubbish generated by the festival.
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Selective recycling :
The festival is determined to preserve the meadows at the site in Kérampuilh so over the past 8 years we have set up selective recycling on site with bins both for the public and backstage for staff. Festival goers are also required to sort their rubbish on the camp-site or at the specially designated rubbish containers as well as plastic rubbish bags.We have managed to improve rubbish sorting significantly thanks to the effort put in by everyone and now over 25% of the rubbish generated – that's 50 tonnes- is sorted and recycled, which helps to avoid having to incinerate rubbish.
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Preserving resources :
At the preparation stage of the festival for all current paperwork we use recycled paper (Label APUR, Ange Bleu et certification ISO 14001)and for press releases and written communication we use recylced paper from sustainable forests.
Energy-saving
The festival uses many ways to improve energy management. In 2008, we installed water fountains which meant that the 20,177 liters drunk at fountains avoided the use of 13,500 plastic bottles. In 2009 we managed to save 400m3 of water through various water saving devices. This year the number of eco-toilets has been upped to 120 from 93 of which 5 for the disabled.
Transport
Public transport and sharing at affordable prices have been organised so that people can get to Carhaix easily and cheaply, with a double interest in ensuring public safety and limiting pollution (tarriffs are set at 10€ from any railway station in Brittany, 1.5€ bus ticket from 25 towns and advertising car-sharing on the Vieilles Charrues website.
Access and assistance for the disabled
There is a car park and camp site set aside for the disabled and those with hearing or visual disabilities, with someone on hand to assist if needed. For greater comfort, the area given over to disabled festival-goers has been enlarged considerably and toilet facilties improved. Please complete the request form or contact the Vieilles Charrues office by 'phone or by email if you require a disabled pass ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).
Risk prevention
Since 1998 there have been information stands at the festival where there is always plenty of help and advice on risk prevention with trained volunteers on stand by to give a hand or lend a sympathetic ear. AIDS, STD and the risk of addictive behaviours, prevention and help.Free condoms are also handed out. Free ear plugs are given to anyone who asks to help make the public more aware of the risks to their hearing by remaining too close to immediate souces of noise. The stand at the entrance to La Garenne also serves as a meeting point for anyone who loses sight of friends or family in the crowd.
• L'Association AIDES gives advice on HIV,hepatitis,STD, AIDS tests,treatments, use of illicit and recreational drugs and the risks
• « Les Amis de la Santé » enable the public to find out more about the risks associated with alcohol abuse, you can talk to someone or pick up leaflets or even try a breath test . Free breathalisers are available for use aboard the free shuttle buses between the station and car parkto the east of the site (Parking est)if festival-goers wish to check their levels
• The desk at the entrance to la Garenne is a strategic information point: in all 35,000 pairs of free ear plugs are given to the publicto anyone who asks. This helps make the public more aware of the risks to their hearing by remaining to close to immediate sources of noise. The stand at the entrance to La Garenne also serves as a meeting point for anyone who loses sight of friends or family in the crowd.
• Other organisations are invited to the festival too.This year Amnesty International, les Offices du tourisme, Mémoires du Kreiz Breizh et Aï'ta Bro Gwened, will be among those represented at the Vieilles Charrues as a mark of the festival's solidarity with a wide range of causes.
Car parks and camp-sites
There are two huge car parks : « le parking Ouest » 1.5 kms from the site at Kerampuilh and "le parking Est", 2.5 kms from Kerampuilh.A shuttle bus service organised by the CFTA transport company will do free return runs, to and from the station to the car parks until the site closes.The free festival camp-site can hold up to 30,000 campers and will be open from Wednesday afternoon for ticket holders. All you have to do is show the staff your ticket. There are 12 separate village sites over a 30 hectare area opposite the concert venues. This set up makes it easier to accommodate all the festival-goers and limit any problems concerning drink-driving. There are shower units and eco toilets, free bin bags, someone on hand to help and a place where you can lock up your valuables.You can also buy fresh produce on the camp-sites.
Social and economic solidarity
The Vieilles Charrues has always worked in close collaboration with the local population, particularly with local charitable and sports associations. With a pool of over 110 local associations and clubs to draw from, the Vieilles Charrues has never been short of volunteers, without whom holding the festival would be virtually impossible. Local aritsans and tradespeople are all involved in setting up and supplying the festival. 80%, of the suppliers are from the region and 25% come from central Brittany.The festival organisers pride themselves on the fact that organic farming and fair trade have pride of place at the festival.
Apart the partnerships and local involvement, the Vieilles Charrues' commitment extends far beyond the bounds of the festival itself, with a will to strengthen the local economy in central Brittany and reinforce local ties.
Health and safety
Another aspect of risk prevention concerns health and safety at work.The Vieilles Charrues have carried out a complete overhaul of the health and safety aspects of the festival, in particular two aspects : working high up and also movement and transport around the festival site. This does not mean, however, that other aspects of health and safety in the workplace are neglected, simply that the two most obviously dangerous risk areas are given particular attention. A document listing all the risks to health and safety in and around the festival site has been drawn up specifically to take account of all the potential risk areas and copies are made available to all firms who collaborate in the venture. Safety instructions are also posted around the site to ensure that both the staff and public are aware of health and safety issues. Since 2007 Les Vieilles Charrues has been working in collaboration with PREVENT, a non-profit making organisation which deals with risk prevention in the workplace at outdoor festivals and media events and Hygiène Sécurité Environnement at the l'IUT in Lorient.
The festivals collective which is committed to sustainable development and solidarity in Brittany
Since 2005 le festival des Vieilles Charrues has been an active participant in a collective inspired by issues surrounding sustainable development and Agenda 21, working within a group which was initally made up of six Breton festivals. La Région Bretagne and l'ADEME have supported this intiative and the collaboration has resulted in « la Charte des festivals" a charter for all those festivals committed to sustainable development and social solidarity in Brittany.The charter sets down in writing the intention to push forward with work on sustainability and solidarity and to pool their experience.On the 17th November 2009 the "Collectif des festivals engagés pour le développement durable et solidaire en Bretagne" was set up and now a total of 22 members have signed up to the charter.
The members have agreed to the following programme with 5 main objectives :
• Fight against the greenhouse effect by saving energy
• Give priority to sustainable production methods and consumption
• Particpate acrively in a social economic solidarity
• Keep informed and up to date on sustainable development
• Involve all participants in the festival in social solidarity a,d sustainable development issues
> For further information : www.lecollectifdesfestivals.org
