A Sustainable Event

Digitalising the event

This year the event is very different. All of the events, both festival and rafting, have been scaled down and will be completely digital. The points down below describe the continuous work we’ve been doing for years, but of course we have had the environment and sustainability in mind this year as well.

Sustainability

We want to think long-term, and one way we’re doing this is designing a good way of gathering statistics to reduce waste, and another to reuse material that we design.

Litter free river

In order to not litter and to restore the river, we have taken action. Partly, we clean the river after the event in collaboration with the association Fyrisåns vänner and Uppsala county. The material on the rafts has to float and in the finish area there is like a strainer that catches the litter.

Enviroraft

When the rafts reach the finnish line, the bottoms that are whole will be saved for next year, so called envirorafts. This will reduce the usage of styrofoam and waste.

Choice of styrofoam
We chose a denser styrofoam for the rafts. The hope is that this will prevent it from breaking as easily. This will reduce the amount of styrofoam in the river and the envirorafts can be used longer.

Responsible for sustainability work

In 2019 the committee expanded with one more person. We now have a person that is responsible for our sustainability work (Håll).

Reduce of litter during the festival

To reduce the dispersion of styrofoam and other trash the building area is defined with a fence with construction fabric that will catch things (like styrofoam) that easily can blow away. The rafters must also sit in big containers when they rasp the styrofoam.

Reduce of plastic and disposables

We try to reduce dishes that require a lot of disposables and try to invite visitors to bring their lunch box to fill with food, cutlery and water bottles to fill with water. The focus of the disposables we have to order will be to reduce the plastic by offering wooden cutlery and paper mugs for water. We don’t sell drinks in plastic bottles. We don’t share flyers or inedible give-aways.

Environmentally friendly transport

We try to focus on coordinating car transport and travel by bicycle when possible.

Good waste sorting

We will form clear signs, to reduce insecurities of where to throw your waste. The waste will be collected from Uppsala Vatten & Avfall, where the food waste becomes biogas.

Environmental educations

The person responsible for the sustainability work hold environmental educations for the committee, volunteers and rafters, to inform everybody what they need to think about during the event.

Sustainable electricity

The electricity comes from Akademiska Hus, which is self-produced and eco-labeled! LED lamps is also used during the event.

Environmental analysis

Each year the members of the rafting committee fill out environmental analyses to evaluate what parts in their work which affect the environment the most, to then be able to think about and implement actions.

Leased and reused products are prioritized

The environmental rafts are reused products and since 2019 we also save the oars. We avoid ordering new things, borrow from other committees in our student union and rent things. Two examples are the wetsuits and helmets that are reused or rented.

Good food!

The person responsible for food during this event has thought a lot about making more attractive vegetarian dishes on the menu. Ecological, local, KRAV or Fairtrade labeled alternatives are prioritized.