Environment

Somatica prides itself on being environmentally and socially conscious in all aspects of its events. We endevour to meet these aims in a number of ways through the annual outdoor Easter Gathering.

Outdoor events held by Somatica Productions are always contained within fully permitted locations. This contributes both to the sustainable future of outdoor festivals as a whole by producing positive working relationships with local stakeholders, including councils, residents, and visitors, and also ensures no detriment is caused to local areas or businesses by liasing with these stakeholders. The outdoor Somatica Arts, Music & Culture Gathering has taken place in the same location for five years, which has produced a strong working relationship with local rangers. The rangers assist Somatica in determining the best way for the event to operate so no environmental damage occurs.

Somatica also prides itself on powering the outdoor Easter Gathering with environmentally friendly bio-fuel. Bio-diesel is made up of waste animal and vegetable oils, which not only assists local businesses in disposing of excess waste, but recycles oils which would otherwise end up in landfill.

Our waste management is stricly run and administered to ensure no contamination of waste streams, and a safer and cleaner party for everyone. This year our waste system will be run by One-Act Sustainability. One-Act Sustainability are currently predominantly helping festivals make the switch over to recycling, as well as employing roving performers to educate punters in a fun and entertaining way while they party! However as well as recycling initiatives, One-Act can arrange composting and scrap metal collection, press releases promoting sustainable initiatives, emu parades and more, all while displaying their enthusiasm and passion for the environment. Somatica is very excited to have One-Act on board for 2011!

The Somatica Outdoor Easter Gathering also uses composting toilets. Composting toilets are a cleaner, greener, and all around more enjoyable experience than the traditional portaloo used at festivals. The toilets do not use water, which conserves precious natural resources, and are also 100% chemical free. They require no energy to run, which of course reduces the carbon footprint of the event, and also produce high-quality fertilisers, which can be used in various revegetation projects. See www.naturalevent.com.au for more details.

Somatica also provides separate skips for recycling and general waste, butt bins to all patrons, uses recycled paper, and encourages car-pooling as a way for the individual patron to reduce their own carbon footprint.

This year Somatica will also employ the Leave No Trace concept. Leave No Trace is a national and international program based around the "pack it in, pack it out" practice, designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts with their decisions about how to reduce their impacts when they engage in any kind of outdoor activity. The program strives to educate all those who enjoy the outdoors about the nature of their recreational impacts as well as techniques to prevent and minimize such impacts. Leave No Trace information helps public land visitors understand and practice minimum impact skills and ethics.

Leave No Trace operates under seven principals:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For a breakdown of these seven principals and more information about Leave No Trace in Australia, visit www.lnt.org.au

To assist individual patrons in employing the Leave No Trace concept, we have considered a few ways in which each principal can be followed whilst camping at the Somatica Arts, Music & Culture Gathering. The Leave No Trace concept is only workable with full participation from every member of the gathering.

1. Plan Ahead - When packing your car, please consider what you will be able to take home. Do not bring items to Somatica that you do not intend to take home. On arrival, organise your campsite so waste can be safely and easily disposed of, and also ensure nothing can be blown away. Plan your clean-up effort ahead, and clean as you go! This will prevent waste building up and overwhelming you at the end of the gathering, or simply blowing away for someone else to pick up.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces - Please do not attempt to drive on unmarked roads. Somatica cannot be responsible for your safety, or the safety of your vehicle if you stray from the roads we have marked out. Camp on a firm surface, and stake everything down. This will ensure your campsite and belongings are as weatherproof as possible. Please also ensure no oil is dripping from your car onto the surface of the ground. A pot or pan can minimize years of damage to the soil.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly - "If It Doesn't Come Out Of Your Body, It Doesn't Go Into The Potty". Clean composting toilets are available, and we ask that patrons do not answer the call of nature in the bush. Any patron caught leaving toilet paper in the bush will be reprimanded and risks being removed from the event. In regards to waste in your camp, plan ahead to minimize what you bring, and plan to take it home with you. A stuck stake is not hidden by burying it. While Somatica does provide a skip for rubbish, the dancefloor and markets produce plenty. You bring it in, you take it out. Please also ensure your load is well secured before leaving. Following the two key rules of NEVER LET IT HIT THE GROUND and CLEAN AS YOU GO will result in a cleaner, more enjoyable festival for everyone.
4. Leave What You Find - The forest which is home to the Somatica Arts, Music & Culture is perfect the way we found it. Please do not remove any plant or animal life from the forest, nor leave anything not from the area behind.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts - Fires are for warmth, spiritual significance, or celebration, not a place to dump garbage. Things burned on low temperature fires produce toxic emissions, so please ensure no rubbish is allowed near any fires. In any case, Somatica does not permit random campfire fires, but please do your bit for the health of every punter, any ensure your rubbish goes nowhere near the central fire.
6. Respect Wildlife - The land that is home to Somatica has been home to native wildlife for far longer. Please take every effort to ensure their home is not disturbed. In addition, Somatica does not welcome dogs. Please leave your domestic animals at home, as the damage they can unintentionally inflict can be irreversable.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors - Be part of the community, introduce yourself to your neighbours, help each other out with cleaning up your area. Please also be considerate of the extremely hard-working team that makes Somatica possible, and donate some of your time to picking up rubbish on the dancefloor, near gates, or around the market areas.

REMEMBER: TAKE ONLY PICTURES AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS!!!!