ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster has announced today that the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest will be a GREEN Event.

Austria wants to present itself not only as a cosmopolitan and modern country through the Eurovision Song Contest, but also as a country with a high ecological awareness and sustainability skills. With the Green Event certification of the event,  ORF wants to set standards.

For the first time the Eurovision Song Contest will universally designed according to recognized environmental standards and will be conducted as a Green Event. The Austrian broadcaster ORF will thus underline the importance of environmental and sustainability issues and set new standards for a environmental and climate-friendly Eurovision Song Contest.  A mission statement entailing the specifications for the certification of a GREEN EVENT along with its  principles for the forthcoming the Song Contest 2015 was created with concrete measures derived from it.

Climate protection and careful use of resources

Protecting resources begins with the use of existing infrastructure, in the selection of event locations and pervades on all areas of the event. Materials will be used sparingly and reused when possible, avoiding wastage with the possibility of being recycled. Climate change has lead to the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency will be implemented in all areas.

Power and energy will be supplied via the public network. The CO2 footprint of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest will be kept to its minimum. For large events a large part of the environmental effects on the arrival of visitors will be omitted and avoided. Fans and guests will be prompted and invited to be as environmentally friendly as possible when they attend the contest. Eurovision Song Contest ticket holders will be able to travel on the train via Wiener Linien for free. The young participants of the “European Youth Contest” will also get travel  for free with ÖBB throughoutAustria.

Regional and Sustainable Products

When catering local and organic foods from within Austria will be in focus. Food and drink with pleasure and diversity, will be offered to the (international) guests and will include a  variety and high quality products. Food and drinks will consist of  regional specialties from sustainable production, including products from the “Austrian culinary regions“. In addition only  reusable cups, reusable dishes and cutlery will be used.

Under the motto Building Bridges the 2105 Eurovision Song Contest will be  implemented and will be accessible to everyone and on all levels. Accessibility will be enabled to everyone enabling continuous access to the venue and television with subtitles and audio commentary:

Accessibility will be beneficial to many people: inlcluding  persons with physical and sensory disabilities, elderly people persons, persons with temporary impairments, people who are traveling with prams and small children and people from foreign countries.

The communication of the Green Eurovision Song Contest 2015 focuses on key leading projects and will run with its GREEN theme throughout the entire event. Comprehensive documentation standards and guidelines will be created for posterity, future Eurovision Song Contests and major. The Ministry For a life worth Austria (BMLFUW) will be  “Green Event Partner” of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest and is set to launch a wide awareness campaign with the motto The Song Contest is a Green Event – make your life for the Green Event!

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.