Mysteryland cares about the earth and the community. They are proud to present initiatives to help promote a green lifestyle while attending the festival. It is part of the be friendly to nature, be friendly to the people around you which was the mantra of 1969 Woodstock. They have been doing this at the Mysteryland in the Netherlands so it isn’t any surprise that they are doing it here. I, for one, am happy to see they are taking charge while making it worth it.
Mysteryland Sustainability Initiatives 2014
● 10,000 HOURS Charity Event: 10,000 Hours is a project designed to create a feeling of unity between festivalgoers and their community. Participants sign up to donate their time towards bettering their surroundings. Every ID&T event has a charity day, and thus has volunteers that donate time. The goals are such that by the end of each year the festival will reach 10,000 hours of volunteer work amongst the new generation. In the US, ID&T will be joining The Allyson Whitney Foundation in their 5k run event on Saturday, May 10, 2014, in support of young adults with rare cancers. The Allyson Whitney Foundation will be running the event production, and ID&T will be bringing 50 participants to help with the event. Over 500 people signed up to partake in this event!
● Cup Program: The ‘Cup Program’ is a recycle and waste initiative. Any visitor who brings ten plastic water bottles to the specially marked tent (located inside Mysteryland) will receive a treat. This will reduce waste on the festival grounds, as well as sort plastic for recycling.
● Shuttles & Carpool: Mysteryland USA will be providing official Mysteryland shuttles to and from Bethel Woods Center For The Arts on both Saturday and Sunday. These shuttles will be round trip and leave from three locations: New York City Grand Central Station, New Jersey Newark Liberty International Airport, and Philadelphia 30th Street Station. Find more information at mysteryland.busbank.com.
Mysteryland also encourages carpooling, and provides carpool options such as RickyRides, Ride Joy, and Zimride, where Mysteryland carpool pages have been set up. This will reduce traffic into Bethel as well as reduce gas emissions and pollution. Find more information at www.mysteryland.us/en/info.
● Energy Management: Mysteryland will have a generator controller as a part of energy management. This helpful individual will monitor all of the generators used during the construction and live shows to ensure they are used for its sole purpose. Mysteryland believes in efficiently controlling energy while using less gas and therefore contributing to pollution-free air.
● Open Call: The festival’s open call program will feature local talent along with unusual and creative acts as part of of Mysteryland USA. This will give local talent exposure to an eclectic audience while immersing visitors in an alluring multi-sensory landscape.
● Sustainable Art Challenge: Mysteryland USA is partnering with MATTE FINISH creative agency and calling upon the creative young minds of American design schools and creative collectives, with the goal of creating the concept and design for a sustainable and functional installation to be displayed at the festival. Deadline for submission is 11:59PM EDT, April 25, 2014. For entry information and competition guidelines please click here.
● Food & Beverage Vendors: All food and beverage vendors are required to serve their products on biodegradable plates. This helps with waste management and recycling. The festival also encourages serving biological and fair trade food, working with Brooklyn’s native Smorgasburg (which will host its own Food Fest) is a part of this strategy. Good eats, yummy treats!
● Clean Vibes: Clean Vibes is Mysteryland’s recycling, clean up, and waste removal service. They will effectively manage waste collection and disposal throughout the festival. They will head the festival’s recycling program and set up “Green Teams.” The teams are responsible for pick-up, separation, and proper disposal of garbage. This will greatly reduce the ecological footprint of the festival.
● Water Project: ID&T launched its ‘Water Project’ in 2013, providing free tap water to visitors of every event and festival around the world that it produces. The vision is simple: “Water should be free and available for everyone in the world, and thus also at our festivals”. Mysteryland USA will provide free tap water to everyone at the festival and camping grounds, with water tap/refill stations located around the festival where people can fill up their water bottles and cups. The festival also aims to create awareness of the more sustainable alternative to bottled water-tap water. This will reduce plastic waste and increase safety of visitors by keeping them hydrated.
More more info on Mysteryland USA’s 2014 sustainability initiatives, please read here.