Imagine what the future of music festivals could look like. Once again, the Danish NorthSide festival is pioneering the future of sustainable events by creating the NorthSide Forest.
Constantly pushing the envelope of what a festival can and should be, NorthSide aims to create a forest, covering ten hectares in the Danish municipality Aarhus. Together with Aarhus, and The Danish Climate Forest Fund, NorthSide’s goal is to strengthen biodiversity around the city and bind the equivalent to the festival’s carbon emissions for five years. Not only does the forest bring environmental benefits, but it also promises to offer Aarhus residents a plethora of nature experiences near the city.
However, the NorthSide Forest is only one piece of the festival’s sustainability efforts. About the project, NorthSide’s Sustainability Manager Martin Thim says,
“At NorthSide, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what a festival can and should be. We have taken substantial leaps regarding sustainability and continually experiment to see where we can make even more of an impact.”
~ Martin Thim
From its very beginning in 2010, NorthSide made a point of fighting carbon emissions and reducing plastic waste. In 2019, another big step was made, introducing recyclable plastic cups. 2022 marked another milestone on their journey towards sustainability. Not only did NorthSide switch to serving exclusively plant-based foods, but they also became one of the first festivals worldwide to use 100% green electricity from the local power grid.
The benefits of the project will go beyond local effects though. Not only will the NorthSide Forest bind 3,000 tons of CO2 over the five years it’s funded. Once fully grown, it will also contribute to protecting the ground water and improving conditions for biodiversity. However, since the forest does not yet exist, it doesn’t count towards the festival’s climate accounts. Until then, the festival takes reducing carbon emissions on their own account very serious. As part of a larger project, aiming to convert 300 hectares of former agricultural land, acquired by Aarhus Municipality, into nature, NorthSide is taking the lead.
About the collaboration with NorthSide, Councilman for Technical and Environmental Affairs in Aarhus Municipality Nicolaj Bang says,
“It makes perfect sense to collaborate with a local cultural institution like NorthSide. Like a new forest, they started small and grew into an integral part of the city and its residents. By working with them and The Danish Climate Forest Fund, we can now show a prime example of how we can address both environmental and groundwater protection while providing great nature experiences for the residents of Aarhus in a single project.”
~ Nicolaj Bang
Together with the Aarhus Municipality and The Danish Climate Forest Fund, the NorthSide festival is truly spearheading the future of sustainable events.
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