THE GREENING OF MANDURAH’S CRAB FEST
Mandurah Mayor Paddi Creevey said sponsorship from Mirvac had given a great boost to the City’s commitment to sustainability by helping to offset greenhouse gas emissions that would be created by holding the event.
“Mirvac’s generous $15,000 donation to the company, Carbon Neutral, will fund the planting of nearly 6000 trees on wheatbelt farming land to combat salinity and erosion,” Mayor Creevey said.
“Our goal is to offset the estimated 967.7 tonnes of carbon generated by the festival which, at six trees per tonne, is 5806 trees.
“Men of the Trees will do the planting, and their target areas will include creek beds and rivers to increase wildlife in the area.”
Mayor Creevey ran through a number of other sustainability initiatives to be rolled out during the festival.
“All food stallholders will be briefed on the use of recycled or recyclable products, such as bamboo cutlery, cornstarch plates and recyclable plastic. This will be optional this year, but in 2009 their use will become part of the terms and conditions of having a stall,” she said.
“Meanwhile, stallholders choosing to go green this year will earn an “Enviro Friendly” sticker from our Eco Services team to display on their stall.”
Environmentally friendly, low-flush toilets will be used during the festival which means less waste, less water (500ml per flush), and less energy to process the waste and lower disposal charges, while Cleanaway recycling bins will be placed around the venue for the use of stallholders and the public.
“Plus we’re still looking into the possibility of working with Custom Composts to have composting at the event for organic waste,” Mayor Creevey said.
The Crab Fest program – printed on recycled paper, using soy rather than petroleum based inks – is available from the City of Mandurah Administration Building, 3 Peel Street, the Mandurah Visitor Centre on Mandurah Terrace, the Visitor Welcome Centre at the train station and selected businesses in Mandurah CBD.
RELEASE ENDS
18 February 2008