A sustainable Festival
A major cultural event, the Festival d'été de Québec is aware of its environmental impact and is committed to minimizing its ecological footprint as it continues to grow in a perspective of sustainable development. Festivalgoers too, can help us go green!
- Sustainable Development and the Festival
- Sustainable Development Policy
- The Festival Goes Green
- Doing Your Part
- Alternative Transportation
Ride your bike!
There will be secured bike parking at the entrance to the Plains close to Parliament. A valet service will be provide from 5 pm to 12:30 am for $2.How to recycle your Hydro-Québec pass bracelets
This year, your Hydro-Québec pass comes with a bracelet that contains a microchip. Only the bracelet can be recycled. Simply cut it open with scissors, remove the microchip (which is not recyclable) and put the bracelet in a recycling bin.
Sustainable Development and the Festival
“Sustainable development is the type of development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Brundtland Report, 1987, United Nations Commission on the Environment and Sustainable Development.
The objective of the Festival d'été de Québec is to create a ‘green’ corporate culture in which employees take sustainable development into account in their decisions and actions on an ecological, social and economic level.
The Festival d'été de Québec has therefore produced its 2009-2011 Sustainable Development Plan in collaboration with an eco-consultant from the firm Takt Etik. The Sustainable Development Policy sets out the Festival’s priority actions.
Sustainable Development Policy
The Festival Goes Green
Here are a few of the concrete sustainable development actions taken by the Festival d'été de Québec.
Ecological Actions:
- Planning for the management of residual material on festival sites in collaboration with the firm Takt Etik
- Recycling on all sites, in the office and workshop (glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal) with 160 bins put at the disposal of the public, employees, artists and VIPs
- Collecting compostable material at all food service concession stands
- Creating an in-house green committee to educate employees and raise awareness, help change work habits and consider and propose new ideas
- Printing the program flyer on paper containing 100% recycled fibres (Rolland Enviro 100 Print)
- Printing in-house documents on both sides and using scratch paper
- Using e-mail and the website instead of faxes
- Reusing construction material from site installations
- Recuperating hazardous materials such as batteries from all sites and in the office
- Using LED lighting to cut the consumption of electricity by suppliers
- Using low voltage digital displays instead of single-use banners for the Bell stage and the arches at the entrance of each site
- Recuperating festival banners by Loto-Québec to make into cushions
- Making sites accessible via public transportation and bicycle
- Providing press revues and exposure reports in a CD format
- Eliminating entry forms for the badge contest and voting for the Prix Miroir award on line
- Selling beer, wine and beverages in recyclable plastic cups (No. 1 and No. 5)
- Providing a shuttle service between upper town sites, Place de la Famille Le Lait and Espace 400e
- Using green cleaning products and toilet paper at all sites and in the office
- Optimizing the transportation of artists and production crews to cut driving
- Deploying a Green Brigade, in collaboration with Desjardins, on all sites
Social Actions:
- Providing free activities at Place de la Famille Le Lait for day camps and visitors
- Adopting an emergency safety plan for festivalgoers and employees
- Manufacturing the festival badges in Québec by the job coop Promoplastik from recycled plastic and lead-free ink
- Making annual donations to different social causes
Economic Actions:
- Buying and leasing materiel from local suppliers
- Creating 1,064 jobs a year indirectly and directly in the Quebec City area*
- Generating $62.3 million in spinoffs for the region in 2007*
* Survey of visitors to the 2008 Festival d'été de Québec (SOM recherches et sondages) and 2007 Economic Impact Study (CFM Strategies) Le Festival d’été en chiffres (PDF)
Doing Your Part:
You can help the Festival d'été de Québec reduce its environmental footprint:
- Put your glasses and bottles in the recycling bins on all sites
- Keep your flashing passes to decorate your Christmas tree
- Go to the shows on foot, by bike or by bus: Alternative Transportation
Do you know how much residual material (trash and recyclable material) each festivalgoer generates? 18 grams, or the equivalent of 4.5 badges!!!
Alternative Transportation
Mass transit via the RTC (Réseau de transport de la Capitale):
Mass transit is the best way to get to the shows without worrying about parking. The RTC beefs up its services and schedules for major events such as the Festival d'été de Québec.
This summer, the riverfront shuttle will be running every 15 minutes and will reach the Baie de Beauport every 30 minutes. You can board at 16 venues and attractions between the Parc Aquarium du Québec and the Beauport bus terminus and along the Promenade Samuel de Champlain. What’s more, the Ecolobus (electric bus) will be running in Quebec City’s historic district all summer.
Parc-o-Bus free parking lots let drivers park and ride an RTC bus. There are more than Parc-O-Bus lots along RTC bus routes. For details go to:
Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC)
For information on bus routes and schedules:
- The RTC Website: www.rtcquebec.ca
- Customer Service: 418-627-2511
- New downtown information centre in the heart of the Festival d'été de Québec sites: 884 rue Saint-Joachim (close to Honoré-Mercier/Saint-Jean)
Québec Lévis Ferry
Departures every 30 minutes all day long during the festival. Remember that the last departure from Quebec City is at 2: 20 am. Bring your bike!
Québec Lévis Ferry
Active Transportation
- Quebec City has a good network of bike paths and we encourage you to come to the shows by bike. Several of the paths are beautiful to ride, so getting there is good for you and for the environment, too! Here is the link for all the information you need on Quebec City’s bike paths.
Bike paths - • Don’t forget that walking is also an active means of transportation. Why not combine a walk for your health with use of the RTC system to get to the Festival sites?
Carpooling
- If you live outside of the greater Quebec City area, why not carpool with friends to the nearest Parc-o-Bus lot? Go the rest of the way by bus to avoid the hassles of parking and city traffic.
- Easy and affordable carpool services are offered Québec-wide by these companies:
We’re guessing that Quebec City will be destination of choice this summer!
No matter how you get here, the Festival d'été de Québec encourages you to travel safely. Plan ahead and act responsibly if you drink alcoholic beverages.
