Ecological sustainability
Organizing a music festival in the 21st century can mean falling into the energy-intensive pitfalls of our spectacle-oriented society that likes to broadcast amplified music, typically at night, with the help of artificial lighting, to fly in stars and celebrities from all over the world for just a few hours, and mobilize the largest possible audience from the farthest possible places, which it does via mass communication, lots of printing using chemical inks, etc. Not to mention the waste generated by the audience, or the risks of contamination associated with proximity during a health crisis. In short, as noble and beautiful as it may be, there is nothing ecological about our sphere of activity.
Founded in the midst of the pandemic, with its sights set on building a better world of tomorrow, the “Jazz à la Petite France” festival has, since its first edition, aimed to develop a different, more sustainable model.
In 2021, then in its first edition, the festival forged an environmentally conscious identity by striving to obtain the lowest possible carbon footprint and contributing to ecological transition. This was achieved by setting certain principles following the publication of the Shift Poject report concerning the cultural sector in November 2021. The report analyzed and synthesized the carbon footprints of several festivals and operators in the sector in order to establish appropriate recommendations. It can be viewed via the following link.
Jazz à la Petite France :
• Creates a short supply chain between artists and audiences: artists travel by train or by car (to avoid planes and energy-consuming tour buses); the public comes from the city of Strasbourg, the regions of Alsace and the Grand Est, and the neighboring Rhine basin ;
• Takes place in the hyper-center of the city, at a site serviced by all forms of public transport, easily accessible by bike, and a ten-minute walk from the SNCF train station; the festival recommends carpooling, and is not easily accessible by car (historical pedestrian area); artist transport is provided via Citiz shared vehicles ;
• Takes place mainly during the day and ends at nightfall ;
• Uses electricity supplied by the urban electrical grid ;
• Respects health constraints and takes place outdoors in a large, open space ;
• Does not produce plastic or eco-cups: we prefer to rent these from other partner festivals; we refuse customization (e.g., printing the name of the festival on cups), which is a source of pollution. The same goes for currency tokens ;
• Offers organic and local food and beverages for public consumption, in a short supply chain ;
• Keeps red meat off the menu and has used a vegetarian catering service since 2022 ;
• Implements waste sorting ;
• Chooses “green” service providers who implement environmentally respectful approaches for our communication and printing needs ;
• Collaborates with the Nigloo association for the installation and management of dry toilets on site ;
• Sturm Production is a member of the national Arviva “Living Arts, Sustainable Arts” network, a body founded with the aim of conceptualizing and developing the most ecologically friendly ways to pursue cultural activities.
