Eco-Vision
Ecosystem 2.0 reinforces environmental concept
Goal is to finalize the building of an ecological park in the Brazilian Amazon
World's pioneer ecological festival of electronic music, Ecosystem, conceived by DJ Soul Slinger from Liquid Sky NYC, has added content and awareness by adopting Greenpeace's environmental guidelines in 2001. On the second edition of the event, taking place from 22 nd to 25 th of August in Manaus, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, the idea is further to implement measures that minimize environmental impacts such as waste and energy consumption, besides driving the Government of Amazonas state towards setting up the Taruma Ecological Park.
Among the new structures at the festival's venue, it is the construction of an amphitheater and a skateboard ramp (vertical) built exclusively with FSC certified timber, assuring that the timber has been logged according to strict social and environmental standards. The skateboard ramp for vertical competition is going to be the first environmentally sound ramp in the world, setting an example that can be reproduced in other countries.
A multimedia center inspired on indigenous huts will be built to shelter NGOs booths, a stage for talks and presentations and a cyber-café. Such structures will complement with the two malocas (dance floors), the floating stage and the chill out area with hammocks that hosted more than 40,000 people on the four-day event last year.
By triggering the building of the Taruma Ecological Park, Ecosystem is helping to recover a 360,000-m2 area that has been degraded by quarry operations on the site. The place was abandoned until the government of the Amazonas state decided for the desapropriation of the site and setting up the park. Besides, it is a non-profit event that relies on volunteer work from artists and DJs and opens space for local organizations that campaign for Amazon protection.
During the festival at daytime, the public will be able to join a reforestation operation and plant a native Amazon tree inside the park. All the waste will be collected, separated and sent to reusing or recycling. The use of disposable materials such as plastic glasses will be reduced. Toxic products such as plastic PVC are being avoided on the structure and promotion of the event. All promotional material is being printed on chlorine free, recycled paper.
Greenpeace, with the help of UK based company Green Generator, is assessing the options for renewable energy generation that are more appropriated to the venue. The goal is to xxxx so that the permanent structure of the park becomes self-sufficient, i.e., capable of responding for its energy demand. Another guideline that has been tested in 2001 and is due to be permanently implemented is the use of collective transport (buses) to reduce CO2 emissions and traffic problems. The government is setting up bus lines linking the Park to various points in the city of Manaus.
"This is an unprecedented initiative in Brazil that leaves as a result a Park which combines the best available clean technologies with resources that have been sustainably extracted from the Amazon rainforest", said Rebeca Lerer, in charge of Greenpeace's environmental orientation. "We are offering an environmentally correct venue with a strong Amazon feel, specially dedicated to electronic culture and skateboarding, which are icons of this generation. Music and sports bring young people together – we will take such moments of union to send messages of peace and protection of the Amazon".
The environmental guidelines are inspired on the work carried by Greenpeace for the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, that became known as the first "green games" of history.