We at Púca are committed to festival sustainability, last year we implemented several sustainability systems that were successful in reducing our overall CO2 emissions. Our aim in 2023 is to continue to reduce emissions through the efforts of our suppliers, artists, traders, and YOU! Our journey starts here and will be built on each year as the festival grows. Aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) and Failte Ireland Sustainable Festival Guidelines we can work together to minimize our carbon footprint and ensure to leave no trace.
You can see our initiatives for 2023 below.
No Single-Use Plastics at Bars
Fáilte Ireland is working with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, three Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Native Events on a pilot scheme to reduce the use of single-use plastics at events. Púca Festival will be one of four pilot events that will trial the scheme, with bars at the Trim Castle site offering reusable drinks containers. A deposit of €2 will be charged at all bars when ordering, which will be refunded upon return of the drink’s container.
Buses provided by Festival
The emission footprint of the attendees’ accounts for 80% of the overall carbon footprint of a festival. Therefore, we have organised more public transport to Púca festival and are actively encouraging our attendees to get the bus or walk when possible. Public transportation reduces CO2 emissions by 45%, as well as decreasing pollutants in the atmosphere and improving air quality. You can see all details on our festival coaches here
Energy
Our supplier GH generator will be providing us with generators that will be ran on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). Using HVO dramatically reduces emissions while also reusing existing fuels. We are also currently working with David Gilroy who is our sustainability officer for Púca. His plan is to look at all aspects of the festival and measure the carbon emissions or equivalents being produced, focusing primarily on energy. Our aim is to measure for Year 1 establish a baseline data set and plot the festivals Green House Gas emission reduction in line with the Gov Climate Action Plan targets.
Refill water stations with reusable cups
Our supplier Refill Ireland will be installing water stations on the Trim site which will be accompanied with reusable cups for all attendees to use. This again will reduce the amount of single use plastics onsite.
Waste Plan
Recyclable, compost, and general waste bins will be provided onsite, and attendees will be encouraged to dispose of rubbish correctly. We will also be working with our waste management supplier (Clean your Event and Glon) in identifying how much rubbish is produced by the Púca festival and how this can be reduced each year.
Sustainability Hub 2023
We were very proud of our work making the Púca Festival a truly sustainable festival in 2023, we also featured a Sustainability Centre on the ground to tell you all about what we are doing today and our plans for future festivals
