The Play It Out Concert to Beat Plastic Pollution has been officially certified as a “4 leaf event” by the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG).
The Green Leaf Certification process comes in the form of an official audit where dialogue with event promoters are undertaken in order to help realize environmental sustainability targets before, during and after an event.
An EAG press release stated that the international star-studded concert featuring headliners Machel Montano and Ashanti was recently audited and earned a score of 84.2 per cent, categorizing the event as “4 leaf”.
The “Green Leaf Certification” process ensures that each target that is met, is weighted and tallied to produce a score which determines the environmental tier of the event. Score tiers range from 1 to 4 “leaves” with “4 leaf” being the highest score that can be earned.
Some of the targets taken into consideration when auditing events include waste management, green innovation, availability of sustainable foods, and the existence of a culture of environmental sustainability.
The “Play It Out Concert” to Beat Plastic Pollution is being hosted in partnership with the President of the United Nations General Assembly and the governments of Norway and Antigua and Barbuda as a platform for raising awareness of the need to ban single-use plastics around the world.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda was the first in the region to ban single-use plastics and Styrofoam nationwide, and has been committed to lessening its carbon footprint.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that ensuring the concert followed environmental standards and guidelines was key to the event.
“Earning this credential is very telling and proves that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda is committed to adopting sound environmentally sustainable practices across the board. We are determined to make a difference and to be an example to the world. It is my hope that other local event planners and promoters will follow suit, as we continue to demonstrate that we are socially and environmentally conscious as a people”, according to Prime Minister Browne.
Executive Director of the EAG, Arica Hill highlighted that the Green Leaf Certification program allows promoters to “green” their event, reduce their carbon footprint and to also inspire others to make green choices in their lives.
“As an event promoter, showing your attendees that you care about the environment reflects positively on you and your brand. We are delighted to see that the Play it Out Concert and its hard-working team have proven that they not only want to connect with their attendees through music, but also in the actions they have taken to ensure that the concert is sustainable and environmentally friendly.”
The Play It Out concert is being hosted by actresses Meagan Good and Amanda Cerny and features live performances from international artists such as Bomba Estereo, St. Lucia, Rocky Dawuni, Nico and Vinz, and Robin Schulz. Actor and green activist Adrian Grenier from Entourage will also be lending his voice to the cause, as people from all over the world join together to help beat plastic pollution.
The event has been scheduled to take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds with gates opening at 4 pm. Entrance is free.