Brighton Carnival wants revellers to choose what they inhale on parade day.

In 2007, Brighton Carnival was the first UK carnival to take action to lower the carbon production of their large scale community event.

The methods of transport used on the parade itself were the starting point for the Carnival in its sustainable development. Big carnivals such as Trinidad and Notting Hill often have hundreds of diesel and petrol powered trucks rolling slowly along on parade filling the air and the revellers’ lungs with exhaust fumes. In 2007 it was decided that the resulting health and environmental damage could not be reconciled with Brighton Carnival Association’s aims and that year all petrochecmical fuelled vehicles were banned from parade. This continued in 2008 with the colourful parade featuring Big Lemon’s chip-fat fuelled buses, a grass covered bio-diesel van towing a soundsystem pumping out soca tunes, a PPO truck with a PPO generator onboard looping crazy tunes and an electric vehicle carrying the sound for a local and talented young people?s singing group.

Brighton Carnival also uses a very Brighton invention to get the narrow streets full of sound, called the 12volt bike. A rig of rechargeable 12volt batteries is used to power a soundsystem welded to the side of a bicycle. On parade, crowds enjoy the site of the convoy of decorated bicycles pedalling next to groups of dancers in big costumes.

Lowering the carbon production of the Carnival is a big task.? It has to encompass not only parade day itself, which pulls crowds of 20,000-plus, but the build up to it too.

The carnival’s main body of work is in supporting the 20 participating community groups and schools from across the city who work hard for many months making costumes, learning instruments and creating a spectacular parade entry for the big day. Carnival artists spread the message that during making sessions keeping the 3 Rs in mind should be essential. There will be an award for the parade group who has most taken sustainability on board in the making of their entry.

On Parade Day, there will be plenty of recycling points and a crew of ‘Rangers’ ensuring they are being used correctly, food stalls and traders will be selling local produce and local eco festival Green Wave will have an area of stalls promoting local green services and businesses.

Parade Day 2009 is on Sunday 12 July, and is set to be a spectacular and exciting day and once again organisers hope the air will be clean allowing those revellers to inhale only what they want to inhale!

See the website for the line up and more details www.brightoncarnival.co.uk and don’t forget, as organisers urge come to the parade, jump up and join the party, but please leave the ‘car’ out of carnival and make your way to Middle Street and Madeira Drive by public transport, foot, bike, skateboard – think green and clean!

By Rachel at Brighton Carnival

An event for anyone in the construction or building trade, ‘The Day Of Reclamation’ takes place in Brighton on 27th March 2009

Hosted by Tiger Enterprise Ltd this event has pulled together key industry experts leading a packed schedule of talks and discussions about the important issues in sustainable construction. Including  how to save money by using reclaimed materials, how to use reclaimed building materials and how to implement your site waste management plans efficiently. The varied and entertaining seminars will provide some of the main talking points for the event.

This event will also include a selection of interesting and interactive stalls including BRE and Remade S.E, Brighton’s Green Centre and Brighton and Hove City Council.

For more information about attending or having a stall contact event@reuseitdontloseit.co.uk

This is a free event with limited places, so book early to avoid disappointment. To find out more and to register visit www.reuseitdontloseit.co.uk

Don’t worry, it’s not an environmental disaster! No, a new green festival ‘Green Wave’ – billed as ‘The Eco Family Fun Weekend’ – is headed for Brighton on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July.

You’ll be able to experience all the fun of the green fair in the beautiful setting of Preston Park with eight different interactive Zones, from the Earth Zone – where you might find wormeries, composting ideas and a mini eco farm – to the Energy Zone, for products harnessing sustainable energy, ranging from mobile phones to solar powered cars, and an Energy Play Area or eco circus for children. (click on the image to the right to see the flyer full size)

The emphasis is very much on our favourite watchwords: biodiversity, eco-friendly, Fairtrade, homemade, locally produced, low carbon footprint, recycled and sustainable!

Take a stand!

If you are a Sussex-based ethical business, charity or NGO there is still time for you to take a stand at the fair. Charities and NGOs are eligible for free stands, and there may even be a few free stands available for small ethical businesses that add value or pure fun to the event!

If you are interested in this opportunity, do get in touch with the organisers:

Frank Jay on 01273 323 200 or 07721 633 233 or at frank@neweraassociates.co.uk

Or Jacqui on 01273 323 200 or 07740 201194 or at jac.cuff@talktalk.net

Or simply download the Green Wave booking form and return it to them.

It should be a fantastic event!

Take care,

Katie
Ethical Weddings

After moaning that I hadn’t heard much from the Plastic Bag Free Brighton campaign in my last post, I was chuffed to get an email today with their latest news.

They are inviting everyone (well, it’s first come, first seated!) to a a free screening of ‘message in the waves’ at Brighton’s lovely arthouse cinema, the Duke of York’s Picturehouse.

The film, by the BBC Natural History Unit, takes a look at some of the environmental challenges facing the people and wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands and shows the impact our day-to-day activities have on ocean systems and wildlife.

Excitingly, this is the film that Rebecca Hosking helped to make which inspired her to make her home town of Modbury in Devon a plastic-bag free town. The Brighton campaign is hoping it will inspire us to help make Brighton & Hove the first plastic-bag free city!

And that’s not all… after ‘Message in the Waves’ there will be:

• two short films made by children at Balfour Juniors School, ‘The exciting adventures of the plastic bag’ and ‘Revenge of the rubbish’
• a talk by artist Lou McCurdy who spent a year collecting plastic from a Brighton beach to create the installation ‘More Plastic than Plankton’
• a short discussion with guest speakers (tba) and a Q&A session
• giveaways for all attending courtesy of their sponsors

The event is free to attend and will work on a first come, first seated basis. Donations will be collected for the Duke of York’s roof renovation fund, by way of thanks for their generosity in hosting the event at no cost.

If you’re in Brighton on Sunday 3 Feb, come along! 1.30pm Duke Of York’s Picturehouse, Preston Circus, Brighton BN1 4NA

Katie
ethicalweddings.com