THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL FRIDAY 22ND – SUNDAY 24TH JUNE 2012 

For the 3rd year running, the Isle of Wight Festival has been handed the Outstanding award at a Greener Festival Awards 2011. The award is given to festivals that 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. Only four other UK Festivals were deemed Outstanding.

John Giddings, the Isle of Wight Festival Promoter, says 'It is fantastic to have won a Greener Festival Award for the 3rd year running. We work closely with our eco consultants, Eco Action Partnership, to achieve this and it's thanks to them and our audience for embracing the campaigns over the Festival weekend. Let's make the Isle of Wight Festival 2012 even greener!'

Since teaming up with Eco Action Partnership in 2008 the Isle of Wight Festival has not only addressed it’s carbon footprint but it has also launched a series of initiatives to make a positive difference to the Isle of Wight. To date these have included a reintroduction programme of the indigenous Black Poplar tree, which had previously all but died out on the island and their now famous Let it Bee Campaign, launched to protect and support bee populations. Since it’s conception Let it Bee has funded a research programme on the Isle of Wight looking at the significance of habitat loss to the solitary mining bee and last year launched a bee reserve called The Field of Hope. The reserve has been so successful that it will now be presented to the European Union as a blueprint for best practice that can be adopted by other countries.  

The Isle of Wight Festival and Eco Action Partnership are due to launch a brand new initiative for 2012 – Love Your Tent – on November 15th, once again putting the Festival at the forefront of eco innovation.   

The Isle of Wight Festival will take place 22nd - 24th June 2012 at Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight