Forty three proud winners of the prestigious 2013 A Greener Festival Award have been announced by environmental campaign group A Greener Festival. Each Festival has to sign up to a strict check list of environmental good practice - and each event is inspected by one or more independent environmental auditors. The festivals are also invited to provide supporting evidence such as environmental policies, waste management plans, analysis of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. The final awards are decided by the AGF's Executive Committee. So, for 2013 the forty three wonderful festivals (up from forty one events who won the Award in 2012), which are some of the greenest in the world, can be confirmed as:  

Outstanding Award - For truly outstanding and inspirational events. These need to be exceptional events who have significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, have excellent travel, transport and waste management programmes, protect the environment and minimise water use and communicate this to the public. 

Croissant Neuf Summer Party (UK) 

The Falls Festival, Marion Bay (AUS) 

Hebridean Celtic Festival  (UK) 

Island Vibe Festival (AUS) 

Lightning in a Bottle (USA) 

Oya Festival (NOR) 

Shambala Festival (UK) 

Splendour In The Grass (AUS) 

Sunrise Festival - Another World, The Festival Micronation (UK) 

Welcome to the Future Festival (NL) 

Way Out West (SWE) 

Highly Commended Award - For well managed environmentally aware festivals which have taken significant steps to reduce waste, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and engage with the audience. 

Bona Nit Barcelona (ES) 

Bonnaroo  (USA) 

Bristol Circus Festival (UK) 

Le Cabaret Vert  (FR) 

Cambridge Folk Festival (UK) 

The Glastonbury Festival (UK) 

The Falls Festival, Lorne (AUS) 

Regrowth Festival (AUS) 

Wood Festival (UK) 

Commended Award - For well-managed and environmentally aware festivals 

Calgary Folk Music Festival (CAN) 

Dia de la Música (ES) 

End of the Road (UK) 

Folk, Rhythm & Life (AUS) 

Greenbelt  (UK) 

Heart of Glass, Heart of Gold  (FR) 

Indian Summer Festival (NL) 

Larmer Tree Festival (UK) 

Malmofestivalen (SWE) 

PlanetaMadrid (ES) 

Plisskën Festival (GR) 

Rock 'n Coke (TR) 

SOS 4.8  (ES) 

Winnipeg Folk (CA) 

Improving Award - For festivals at the beginning of the green “journey” that can exhibit a significant engagement with the process of reducing the event’s environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. 

BBC Radio 2 Live and The Proms in Hyde Park (UK) 

Bluesfest (AUS) 

Body and Soul (Eire) 

Brownstock Festival (UK) 

Hadra Trance Festival VII (FR) 

Nozstock: The Hidden Valley (UK) 

T-in-the-Park (UK) 

Truck (UK) 

Y-Not Festival (UK) 

The Greener Festival Award is the internationally recognised independent scheme for environmentally aware festivals which is available for events throughout Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australia. In 2012 forty one festivals gained the prestigious mark, and this year forty four events successfully completed the scheme, certifying their green credentials. Festivals who apply for the scheme must prove to the judges that the festival has meaningful and effective environmental policies and practices to deal with traffic and transport, greenhouse gas emissions, waste and recycling, water conservation, noise pollution, ethical policies and environmental protection. The festivals should also have sustainable office policies. 

The overall winner of the UK's Greenest Festival Award will be announced at the UK Festival Awards at the London Camden Roundhouse on Monday December 2nd. 

The Greener Festival Awards are generously sponsored and supported by Robertson Taylor. Robertson Taylor are specialist insurance brokers in the music industry and offer a discount insurance scheme for green events which AGF endorse. 

A Green Festival Director Helen Innes said 

“This year has been an encouraging year for environmentally aware events. Rising fuel costs prove the good sense in reducing power use, and the ever increasing costs in disposing of waste prove the importance of managing waste and having sensible recycling policies. It’s not all good news though - one of the biggest problems that remains across Northern Europe is the appalling sight of acres of left behind tents and camping gear at festivals, and we will be prioritising this again in 2014. On a positive front, many of our participating events have raised the bar yet again – and we are seeing some amazing initiatives round the world where festivals can reach out and spread the green message in a friendly and practical way” 

Photo: Shambala Festival