The Carbon Footprint
Ilosaarirock has worked for years to diminish the environmental strain that the festival inevitably produces. Unfortunately organising a large festival is not very environmentally friendly as such. That's why we make an effort to protect the environment by minimising the negative effect the festival has on it. This requires knowledge, know-how and above all attitude.
Study on greenhouse emissions
Ilosaarirock has calculated its carbon footprint since 2010. With the indicators it is possible to pin down those areas in the festival production that could be conducted more ecologically. The most important aim of the study is to reduce the emissions of the festival, in other words to shrink the carbon footprint of the festival in the future.
The size of the carbon footprint
Travel by the artists and the audience account for more than four fifths of the emissions of Ilosaarirock Festival. For the sake of clarity, emissions have been divided into three categories in the study. Programme means the emissions caused by the travelling of the Finnish and foreign artists to Ilosaarirock Festival. Production includes technical construction, transport of goods, electricity consumption, waste management, water consumption and the production of printed materials. The emissions caused by the audience travel are calculated on the basis of client surveys and ticket sales information.
In 2014, the total emissions of Ilosaarirock Festival were 639 tons CDE (carbon dioxide equivalent), divided as follows:
- The programme: 110 tons, 17.3% of the total
- The production: 88 tons, 13.8% of the total
- The audience: 440 tons, 68.9 of the total
Compared to 2013, the emissions caused by programme remained at the same level, while the emissions caused by production decreased slightly, thanks to a more careful planning of transport and haulages. The calculation of emissions caused by audience travel was now more precise than ever before, thanks to new client surveys and increasingly fine-tuned ticket sales information. There was a slight increase in the emissions caused by audience travel, and next summer we are going to think even more carefully how we could provide our customers with more environmentally positive ways to come to Ilosaarirock Festival. One way to achieve this is to organise designated festival bus service from nearby cities, such as Jyväskylä, Kuopio and Mikkeli.
Compensation for greenhouse gas emissions
Ilosaarirock Festival is committed to minimize its carbon foorprint and pay compensation for its greenhouse gas emissions. Even if the aim of the festival is to be completely carbon neutral, it is not possible to organise a zero emissions festival. This is why we want to compensate our annual emissions – which will, hopefully, decrease year by year – by donating a sum of money to a nature conservation project, which is selected annually. The compensation sum is determined according to the prices of the EU emissions trading scheme.
For Ilosaarirock Festival 2014, the compensation sum for the emissions caused by programme and production were EUR 1,487.
Nature conservation project 2015: The Golden Eagle
The golden eagle is a protected, endangered species with its own protection scheme. Due to forest felling and peat harvest, the golden eagle's habitat, which once covered the entire country, has been reduced to an isolated area in the highest parts in Finland, Lapland.
Nature conservation organisations wish to make the golden eagle return to everywhere in Finland. The reasons why there are so few eagles today include poaching and the lack of suitable nesting trees with sufficiently sturdy branches. Efforts over the decades to make nesting easier are finaly coming to fruition, and last year, the most southern golden eagles in Finland nested in areas from where they had been destroyed in the 1950s down to the last nest and bird. After more than 60 years, the golden eagle was back.
The golden eagle dwells and nests in mountain ranges, fells and old-growth forests. It occupies a home range of between 150 and 300 square kilometres and typically builds 2 or 3 nests, which it uses alternatively for several years. Young golden eagles start looking for a mate when they are 4 or 5 years old and tend to mate for life. They build their nests to thick pine trees or other old, sturdy trees in remote areas. New material is added to the nest (also known as eyrie) each breeding season, and eventually, the nest may be two metres wide and three metres high.
Protection
The most important means to support golden eagle populations and encourage the bird to return to its original habitats is to build artificial nests. The Ilosaarirock Festival compensation sum helps to build nests in peaceful areas in North Karelia. The nests are built by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC). This work is not futile, since the nest-building activities have demonstrably helped the golden eagle return to its original habitats.
We invite you to compensate your emissions by buying Ilosaarirock Festival's Environment Ticket and donating EUR 3.00 to FANC for improving the golden eagle's living conditions. The money from Environment Tickets goes to building artificial nests for the golden eagle in North Karelia. FANC professionals take care of the actual nest-building activities.
Nature conservation project 2013 and 2014: The Landlocked Salmon
Ilosaarirock Festival's dedicated nature conservation project for 2013 and 2014 was the landlocked salmon, an extremely endangered fish species. The largest threats to the future of the landlocked salmon are blocked passages to the reproduction areas, destruction of these areas, as well as deteriorating genetics and low natural reproduction rates caused by small populations.
Ilosaarirock Festival's compensation sum helped to build new spawning sites to the Tyltsynkoski Rapids in the River Ala-Koitajoki. The work paid off and next summer, it was found that spawning had been successful in the Tyltsynkoski Rapids!
Nature conservation project 2012: Lake Kuorinka
In 2012, the project to receive the compensaton funds of 2011 festival was the lake named Kuorinka, situated close to Joensuu.
Kuorinka is an important water system in the Natura 2000 program, and a beloved place for north Karelian nature lovers. The lake is affected by eutrophication which is clearly close to its recreation area: reeds are spreading in large areas. There are further signs of eutrophication in other parts of the lake as well. The eutrophication of this naturally clean lake is caused by nutrients that come from outside sources.
With the compensation funds from Ilosaarirock, the lake is going to be reaped of reeds. The aim of the conservation work is to remove excess vegetation and stop the lake from degrading further. At the same time the conservation workers are going to be looking at ways of reducing the amount of extra nutrients in the lake.
Nature conservation project 2011: Great Crested Newt
The compensation funds of the 2010 festival were donated to the protection of the endangered Great crested newt. The Great crested newt is a salamander that is protected, and only has two populations left in Finland. The newt suffers from climate change a lot, and without active preservation they can become extinct from our country entirely. Protecting the newt also protects certain endangered swamp and forest habitats.
The funds donated by Ilosaarirock were used to build nine new pools, reconstruct two swamps, and deepen some water systems. The new pools are full to the brim with water and offer a safe place for the newt's eggs to develop. Reconstructing pools and swamps also improves the vegetation in these areas.
The Carbon Footprint
