For a participatory society through participatory events

It is an environmental project where volunteers do not pick up the trashes, but perform as a stakeholder of building an audience participatory event.

In retrospect, first outdoor music festivals in Japan were started in the early 90’s. We were enjoying the concerts and festivals as one of the common audience. However, one day, we saw a very chaotic mess of trash at venues and doubted about the situation where the natural environment was destroyed in exchange of entertainment of human beings. “We want to enjoy music in a peaceful environment…” We strongly urged to take some action on that situation. With this urge, our outdoor festival environmental activity “Gomizero(zero waste)-Navigation” had started.

Our approach is not the picking up the trashes like the janitorial service. Someone through away, another pick up, that doesn’t change anything.

We aim at building the structure that all the stakeholders of events can participate in and cooperate each other for creating cleaner and more peaceful venue. We believe that participatory of individuals creates the more eco-friendly and human-friendly events, also the better participatory society.

Purpose

We aim at Democratic Society.
We divide the society into “Individual” and “structure,” then offer activities that affect both components.

1　Individual Participation Improvement of conscious action
Raising the level of audiences’ consciousness with trash in order to encourage them to participate in the society more voluntarily.

2　Building a system in which individuals can more easily participate in structures 
Suggesting a system in which communication between audiences is triggered by trash. 

3　Encouraging individuals back in a daily routine to take an action towards structures
Offering individuals back in a daily routine a catalyst of changing structures of the society. 

Characteristics

■ Never picking up the trash
■ Give-and-take communication 
■ From festivals to your lifestyle

People with many other positions, such as volunteers, part-time workers, and audiences, are involved in events. Volunteers of Gomizero-Navigation go beyond those differences and practice friendly and fair communication within each other. It provokes an easier participatory in the structure for everyone.

We also offer individuals a catalyst of positively tackling the environmental issues or social issues in their daily routines.

Activities

Volunteer Coordinators

Supporting volunteers for having an accomplishment of a high-quality activity, teamwork, and an enjoyment. Over 1,500 volunteers participate in our activities through a year.

Navigators of Trash and Recyclable Resource Separation

At the Eco-Station, a huge trash bin, sending information about separating through communication with audiences.

＊The trash separation and recycled products
PET bottles・・・・・・・ Original garbage bag
Disposable chopsticks・・Particle board 
cup・・・・・・・・・・・Toilet Paper
Can・・・・・・・・・・・Metal resources
Glass bottle・・・・・・・Glass resources

※We reuse the materials at the next year’s events. Creating original garbage bag, toilet papers, explanation poster, and so on. This is our structure to make the audiences realize that recycle can be done by separating their own trashes by showing the achievement of their participation.

Dish Reuse System

Introducing the reusable dishes that can be used over and over. We succeed at running events without using any plastic cups, paper cups, and disposable chopsticks. By this system, we can reduce 83% of rubbish at the events. 

Eco Action Campaign（Booth at venues）

Providing very useful original supplies to the participants in order to promote an ecology mindset or action. Resource Collecting/Separating Campaign, Eco Shopping Campaign, My Dish Campaign, Free Tea for bringing one’s own bottle campaign, and so on.

Distribution of original trash bags 

Handing out the bags directly to the audience at the entrance gate. Bags are mainly made of plastic bottle recycled material or uneatable rice with our own message of suggesting the audiences to take an action for environmental issues.

Speech on the stage

Delivering a message to the mass audience from the stage about our activities and the importance of separating the trash on their own.

Results

Non- event activity

・Cherry-blossom Clean Campaign（8 Days at 3 parks）
・Golden Week holidays Clean Campaign（8 Days at 2 parks）
・Beach Clean & Peace Project（25Days at 5 beaches）