Setting green goals
So you’ve got your head around some of the concepts. You’re ready to roll up your sleeves. But before we get into it, what are we shooting for? What is enough? What’s like actually… good?
Net Zero Emissions
Big picture, the goal is net zero – which means achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gases taken out of the atmosphere. In practical terms, this means reducing as many emissions as possible and offsetting those you can’t.
But don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Net zero might be the ultimate goal, but any green action will help. Focus on tangible and achievable emission reductions and environmental actions. Track your emissions and waste on one tour. Then try to improve on it next time. The best thing to measure against is yourself.
This long-term approach means thinking further than a single tour. If you’re a smaller organisation, it means collectively deciding on your ongoing kaupapa. If you’re a larger one, it means getting your exec team on board.
-
Change is hard, and people are wary of costs and demands on resources and time. If you’re encountering resistance from your management team, there are a few points that might help convince them that green practice also makes good business sense:
As a general rule, less C02 = less cost. Once green systems are in place, there’s a good chance they will save you time and money.
It’s pragmatic to get ahead of the curve. Environmental accounting is on its way in, whether you like it or not, and is already required from some funders and venues overseas. Getting a handle on these concepts now will mean you’re set to navigate them when you’re touring there, or when they’re introduced here.
It’s a good news story. Of course, you need to be wary of greenwashing, but genuine green action is appealing to media, funders, and audiences.
Making a Commitment
One way to start is to outline your organisation’s commitment to green touring through a Commitment Statement. This can be as simple or as expansive as it needs to be to suit the size of your organisation. The idea is to create a broad shared vision for everyone involved, whether they're staff, management, touring company members, or venue partners.
-
“Arts on Tour (Australia) has committed to emissions reduction across our operations by:
Measuring emissions, setting reduction targets, and developing an action plan to reduce emissions from energy usage, procurement, travel, food and waste
Implementing reduce and redesign strategies across the entire process of making, presenting and touring performing arts productions, working hand in hand with the artists, creatives and suppliers we collaborate with
Working with our touring venue partners to reduce operational and audience emissions associated with presenting performances on tour
Identifying emissions throughout our value chain and choosing suppliers with sustainable practices and commitment to net zero emissions
Sharing climate action knowledge and resources with other arts organisations to support the adoption of carbon reduction goals across the sector
Advocating to our stakeholders, suppliers and government to adopt ambitious emission reduction targets”
Photo Credit: Megan Goldman
TOURING SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
A commitment statement outlines your broader environmental goals as a company. The specific steps you take to reach these when touring is something you can map out in a Touring Sustainability Plan. You can find a plan template here.
Photo Credit: Fié Neo
Te Wao Nui a Tāne
Te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau
The way in which the sapling is nurtured determines how the tree will grow
In our industry’s journey towards sustainability, we are all saplings. How do we grow into ngahere? The aspiration is clear – like tender leaves reaching for the sun, we grow towards a sustainable future. The transformation is slow, we might not always see it, and plants grow at different rates. But with nurture, and a clear vision of what we want our forest to look like, we’ll get there in the end.
Next chapter