Campsite Challenge
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| Planet Bluegrass campsite |
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To extend the spirit of sustainable festivation into the campgrounds, Planet Bluegrass is again running How Green is your Grass? - the 2nd annual creative campsite challenge. Coordinated by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, this contest encourages all of us to raise the bar for sustainable camping by honoring campsites that excel in achieving the highest levels of the Leave No Trace philosophy.
2009 Contest Winner
Congratulations to the 2009 Campsite Challenge winners: The Bloss Campsite. The Bloss Family was one mean, green, and clean group of Festivarians (just kidding about the mean part).
They kept an exceptionally tidy camp. Anything that was susceptible to wind gusts was securely stored or anchored down. Additionally there was no food left out that might be appetizing to wildlife in the area. We were also impressed with their efforts to be sustainable. They were drinking from last year’s festival cups, had reusable containers for water and brought their food in reusable grocery bags. What waste was created at their campsite was separated into recyclables and compostables and taken to the waste station. While walking to the waste stations, they made a habit of picking up litter along their way.
They minimized their water consumption by showering every other day and re-wearing clothes. Their small tent was a good fit for their group’s size and left a very small footprint. At camp they used the moonlight and flashlights that required no batteries (just shaking) to recharge. Finally, their creative use of fung shui put their camping environment in harmony with nature and the flow of energy.
How Do I Participate?
The contest is open to all campers in any of the Planet Bluegrass-managed campgrounds. To nominate your own campsite or one of your neighbors:
- Take a digital photo of the campsite
- Print out your campsite photos at the Leave No Trace booth in Greentown inside the Festival.
- Submit a campsite entry form along with your printed photos.
- Stop by the Leave No Trace booth each day to view all the campsite entries and vote for your favorites. Campsite finalists will be chosen daily by staff and Festivarians.
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Planet Bluegrass will select the grand prize winner after the campground pack-out is complete on Monday. The winner will be announced in the next “Notes from the Planet” email and on this web page.
How Do I Win?
We will be judging on three simple criteria:
- Cleanliness. Are you repackaging the food you bring? Are you keeping a tidy campsite? Are items secure and not susceptible to wind gusts? Are you safely disposing of cigarette butts?
- Sustainability. Are you separating your recyclables, compostables, and then placing them in the correct bins at the campsite waste stations? Are you reusing products (cups, utensils, water bottles, bags) instead of trashing them? Are you using any alternative energy sources to power your campsite? Did you bike or carpool to the festival; are you offsetting carbon emissions using wind credits or carbon offsets? Will you pack out as much as possible when leaving? Did you do anything to reduce your homes’ energy while attending the festival?
- Creativity. Does your campsite have a theme? Are you utilizing any unique and innovative camping techniques?
What Do I Win?
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| Enjoying the 2007 Folks Fest |
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One nominated campsite will be chosen as a finalist each day. One grand prize winner will be selected after the campground pack-out on Monday from the four daily finalists. This grand prize winner will receive a pair of On-Site Camping passes for the 2009 Festival.
For More Information
Share your thoughts about the contest, or even a little pre-contest "bet you can't top our solar-powered strobe tuner" smack, over at the Festivarian Forum.
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. Visit at www.LNT.org or call 1-800-332-4100