The Green Challenge
Being green has always been a big part of TAC. Since the event took its first steps into the world, we have strived to do more than just make one amazing event after another. We want to make events with a clean, green, conscience, and we wish to spread the message to our visitors as well. Giving everybody who enters the arena an opportunity to choose to go green.
Our responsibility stretches from the first planning and meetings and who we choose to cooperate with, to how we lay out the arena and facilities to be as green as possible.
TAC believes in action, that is why we voluntarily participate in the Eco-Lighthuose certification of events (www.eco-lighthouse.com), and received the certification in 2009. Being certified as an Ego-Lighthouse event means that we have fulfilled a complex set of criterias, that must be carried out in order to be certified. This includes everything from increasing the amount of waste being recycled to making sure as many as possible of our suppliers are green.
Along with TAC is Greener Events, a new foundation with Terje Haakonsen and philanthropist Jan Sundt, established in 2009. Together, TAC and Greener Events are working on helping other events like TAC becoming greener as well as spreading the enviro-message to children and youth.
Following is some things we are doing to become even greener:
Getting stuff
TAC has over the past years collaborated with many producers and service providers, both “green” and “non-green”. Though it has always been an aim to get the greenest products and services, we have to admit it is not always as easy, but we are not giving up! Over the years we have established a pool of green suppliers and advisors, and here is a few of them:
Scandic Hotel – our hotel partner – has 160 environmental certified hotels in Scandinavia.
Retura – our partner for recycling
Oikos – our organic food partner – helping us to find the right food from local suppliers
Finally, we also have become a part of the Nordic Ecolabel shopping club (www.ecolabel.nu) – the Swan. Being a member in this club helps us getting in touch with suppliers who have made a green commitment and received the Nordic Ecolabel. Receiving this label means that they have taken into consideration the products impact on the environment from the raw material to waste.
Go organic!
Since our first event back in 1999, we have served healthy and good food. From 2004 all the food has been organic, and as far as possible, also all drinks served. As organic food gets more and more common, it is actually quite easy to have a fully organic profile. All it takes is good planning, organic products and inventive chefs, and together you make excellent, healthy and energy boosting meals to riders, spectators and our beloved crew and volunteers.
Waste and more waste
It is impossible to avoid a certain amount of waste with a big event like TAC. Therefore, we have given this a lot of thought. The first step to reduce the tons of trash is not to buy it in the first place! Do you really need to buy that thing? And if it is really necessary, make sure it is possible to use it over several years. Can the food be served in a napkin one can compost instead of a plate of paper and to be eaten with plastic forks and knives? Can you borrow something instead of buying it? And do not print dates and years on your branding, but keep them for next year!
Our goal is to recycle at least 50% of the waste produced before, during and after the event. Everybody from spectators, riders, crew and VIPs have to recycle their food waste and throw their used coffee cups and soda glasses in the right bin. The building material used for the quarter pipe is either recycled or will be stored till the next event. TAC has seven recycling factions: Food waste, Paper and cardboard, Wood, Metal/Glass, Plastic, Toxic, Other.
Energy and transportation
This is a very important issue on the “environmental footprint agenda”. Making sure that the planet is on the right track is something TAC definitey wants to be a part of, we are a winter event and depend on snow to exist! Even though TAC is just one tiny piece in the big puzzle, each contribution makes a move towards the right direction. We are using a lot of energy producing TAC, but no need using more than we have to, nor any need using energy from coal plants when we can get energy from windmills and other renewable energy sources.
From 2008 to 2009 a big, positive change was finally realized when we were able to use electricity instead of a mobile diesel driven power source in the arena. Energy in Norway is most often from renewable energy sources such as water and wind.
Info please!
We believe that every small step counts, and that every single one of us can contribute with our actions. Information to the spectators about TACs work is important, especially since many of our guests are youths. It is also important to inform the riders, the youngsters idols. Last, but not least, to make the event go smooth and reach our aims, everyone working with the event, employees and volunteers, are informed about the work TAC is doing. The environmental and organic thinking shall influence everything we do. It is the key to our future strategy. It is not a side project, but integrated into our sports activities, event organization and business.
VISIT US IN THE GREEN TENT AT THE ARENA!
In 2010, with support from Greener Events and together with several organizations sharing the same green goal as TAC, TAC is now launching a new activity/information initiative for children and youth. Making sure the word gets out about how to become greener, and making it fun to be green!
The tent will be located in the shopping street in the TAC Arena. Having the same opening hours as the arena.
Stop by and get a chance to ex:
- Test your skills in the environmental quiz trail and learn more about the nature and environment.
- Learn more about organic farming and food, and check if you can taste the difference between organic and conventional food.
- Like finger-boarding? Grab your fingerboard, help us build a fingerboard skate park and enter our fingerboarding competition!
- Reuse and recycle! Join our recycle workshop and get a new perspective on what waste really is, see the potential and create!
- Experience wonderful music from our green DJs and emcees
