Regional Arts Victoria is committed to developing more environmentally conscious ways of operating. Recognising the particular impact touring programs have on the environment, we are working to neutralise our touring project emissions.
This page shares some of our research and our plans to be more environmentally conscious. Please note, this our own research, and this page is created by our staff. We are not environmental experts, and acknowledge there are many professional organisations that work in this field. This page should not be read as an endorsement, and will be updated as other resources and options become available that align with our values.
Below are the steps we plan to undertake. This involves:
- Measure; seeing our current impact
- Reduce; what we can
- Offset; what we can’t
All of Regional Arts Victoria’s work impacts upon lands and waters over which a number of First Nations’ Traditional Owner and language groups hold custodianship. We acknowledge the damage poor environmental practices have on these lands and waters, and the important role we can play in redressing this damage.
We hope that this work assists our Members and the broader community to consider and incorporate similar environmental measures in your own creative practice.
Measure
You cannot change what you do not see.
Philip Pullman
Understanding how your everyday activity impacts the environment is the first and most critical step. There are a number of carb
Julie’s Bicycle supports the creative community to act on climate change and environmental sustainability. Its platform assists both creatives and venues to think about the very detailed ways in which their practice impacts on the environment. Their impact calculator is free to use and you can track specific projects, or your overall practice depending on how you set it up.
Carbon Neutral helps organisations minimise their impact on the environment by working with them to measure, reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions. Their carbon calculator is well set up for event-based activity and is useful for festivals and venues.
Understanding how your everyday activity impacts the environment is the first and most critical step. There are a number of carbon calculation options, however we will utilise two platforms to measure our touring activity
Reduce
Every action causes a reaction.
Sir Isaac Newton
Climate action is very much about individual and collective action. Our everyday lives provide a myriad of opportunities to be more mindful in our place on the planet. The devil really is in the detail when it comes to environmental change. Below are some resources created specifically for artists and venues that provide wonderful solutions to reducing wasteful activity. Including everything from power usage to cable ties, we encourage you to take a look and develop your own reduction action plan!
Climate action is very much about individual and collective action. Our everyday lives provide a myriad of opportunities to be more mindful in our place on the planet. The devil really is in the detail when it comes to environmental change. Below are some resources created specifically for artists and venues that provide wonderful solutions to reducing wasteful activity. Including everything from power usage to cable ties, we encourage you to take a look and develop your own reduction action plan!
Green Music Australia provides very helpful tips on reduction for:
- Touring Musicians
- Venues, Festivals & Events
- Audiences
Greener Live Performance are tackling energy use and provide some helpful information for:
- Touring Artists
- Outdoor Events
- Venues
Julie’s Bicycle also provides a very practical guide for artists on tour when considering environmental impact.
We have also developed a green touring guide that shares many tips on switching to re-usable & refillable options, that many creatives can adapt to their own creative practice.
Offset
Mo Money Mo Problems
The Notorious B.I.G.
The accumulation of wealth, and the consumerist culture generated from this, is a large contributor to climate change issues (Oxfam). By choosing to offset those emissions we cannot reduce, we can support many projects and organisations tackling the negative impacts of our global consumption & waste of resources.
Supporting a cause is a very personal act. We have developed a range of carbon offset options to allow our touring artists to identify an issue they wish to support when offsetting their tour with us.
Below is our portfolio, researched with Climate Active’s note that ensuring offset contributions result in genuine emissions reduction. We have noted in our research there is a Gold Standard to communicate the efficacy of offset programs. The Gold Standard is a globally recognised and trusted regulatory framework for environmental projects. The below carbon offset options incorporate this standard and are grouped in areas of climate change action.
Mount Sandy Conservation at Coorong
National Park, SA, works with local first-nations elders to preserve environmental land through traditional cultural practice.
Green Fleet specialises in planting localised, bio-diverse forests and are highly active in regional Victoria.
Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Project works to regenerate the South West Australian (WA)
wheat belt to its full bio-diverse landscape on arid, no longer viable farming land.
Climate Neutral Now is a United Nations Carbon Offset Platform that provides many project-based options.
Gold Standard offers a range of Environmental & Sociological projects globally, such as windfarms that generate local employment that align with the UNs Global Goals, 17 goals addressing the most pressing global challenges by 2030.
search & project-based work in various issues relating to climate change. Below are further options to donate time or money to that are affecting real change:
Marine Conservation Society runs key conservation projects and advocacy around plastic pollution, commercial fishing practices and endangered marine species. Donations support campaigning.
The Intrepid Foundation Seaweed Regeneration Project is a partner project of Marine Conservation Society researching, breeding and protecting seaweed bio-diversity. Donations go directly to projects.
Global Coral Reef Alliance is a worldwide alliance of scientists dedicated to researching, restoring and protecting reefs globally. Donations support community education.
The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation, providing leading, authoritative expert advice to the Australian public. Donations support critical research and campaigning.
A final note, we know this is not an exhaustive list, and that there are many excellent projects and offset providers out there. This page will be updated as and when we see new offset options that have a proven track record of impact. Please let us know about the organisations and offset projects that you are passionate about!