OTTAWA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — For the third consecutive year, the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organization has been recognized by the Recycling Council of Ontario with an award for waste minimization. The award is in recognition of Bluesfest's efforts—in tandem with Molson Canada and Rothsay Biodiesel, among others—to 'green' the festival.
Bluesfest was recognized for their use of compostable beer cups made of corn and disposed of through the novel use of Cupsuckers, using bio-diesel to power generators, encouraging people to bicycle to the event by providing supervised bike parking, and for their comprehensive recycling program.
Bluesfest organizers point to the diligent efforts of a superb team of volunteers that make up their Plasco Energy Group ‘Green Team’ and the Cupsucker, a simple plastic tube that helps stack and separate compostable beverage cups from the rest of the garbage. Cupsuckers reduce the environmental impact of a major event like Bluesfest by minimizing the volume of landfill-bound waste. Volume reduction is a great benefit of using Cupsuckers, and it has the added bonus of reducing waste removal costs. Cupsuckers really make a big difference on the environment when they are used with compostable cups, such as those used at the Ottawa Bluesfest. These cups can safely be diverted from the landfill waste stream and sent to a compost facility, not the dump.
Bluesfest enjoys an ongoing partnership with Canadian green fuel pioneer Rothsay Biodiesel to use bio-diesel fuel to power the festival’s on-site generators. Bluesfest also works with Citizens for Safe Cycling to provide a safe and secure bicycle check-in area, reducing the need to drive to the event. For the 2008 event, the Ottawa Bluesfest instituted a comprehensive recycling program that minimized waste created by the event. To better manage these programs, Bluesfest looked to their Plasco Energy Group Green Team volunteers to inform patrons how to best participate in these initiatives.
In other awards news, earlier this fall the International Festivals and Events Association announced the winners of their prestigious Pinnacle Awards. The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest was recognized with three more Pinnacle awards to add to their growing collection. The festival was awarded for ‘Best Promotional Brochure’, ‘Best Commemorative Poster’ and ‘Best Promotional Poster’. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
