Sled Island is committed to hosting and promoting an environmentally conscious festival. We are striving to become a leader in festival sustainability and are working to enable others to do the same. Because you have told us that sustainability is important to you, we have happily put in the extra effort this involves. We have engaged fans, artists, and municipal partners to plan and implement strategies that will help make Sled Island as environmentally responsible as it can be. We believe that our commitment to sustainability is a vital part to the Sled Island experience. Who says you can’t have fun while changing the world?

Here's what's new this year:

Sled Bikes

We love bikes! Riding bikes is the best thing about attending Sled Island. It is the best way to get around and a great way to have fun with pals. The Green Island crew is working to make it fun, easy, and safe to ride your bike during Sled.

Thanks to our official bike sponsor, First Calgary Financial, Sled Island is able to provide free bike valet service parking at the East Village Block Party and Olympic Plaza Main Stage. So come and park your bike conveniently and securely with our bike valet team, get your claim ticket, and then go rock out. We will keep a close eye on your bike until you have to cruise to the next show. You can also secure your ride at our expanded bike parking zones located at many of Sled’s largest venues. Check out which venues have bike parking on the map located in the 2013 festival guide.

We want everyone to stay safe while riding this year. Please ride confidently and responsibly, use lights at night, made your presence and intention known. Our bike pals, The Prohab Helmet Society, will be hanging with us in The East Village and at Olympic Plaza. If you don’t already have a helmet, these rad folks can protect your brain for a very reasonable deal.

Are you coming from outside Calgary and need a bike? We can help. Fill out this form and we will help you find a bike. Our friends at the Good Life Community Bike Shop have a fleet of beautiful bikes just waiting for folks like you.

Last year, Green Island volunteers requested and had installed over 100 bike parking spaces at Sled Island venues. This year we have requested even more! Thank you to the Calgary Downtown Association’s for the recognition of the 2012 Vitality Award for our bike parking initiatives made possible with help of Bike Swap Alberta. Do you know a place that needs more bike parking? Request a parking spot from the City of Calgary. Do you need bike parking for your special event or business? Ask the Sled Island Bike Crew how they can help.

Looking for some fun!? Bring your bike and come take part in the Green Island Bike Scavenger Hunt. Happening Sunday June 16, make a team of 4 and cruise the city looking for clues and completing tasks for the chance to win all sorts of rad prizes from local businesses. Come be awesome with your friends. After party at Local 510. Sign up here.

Waste Reduction Efforts

One of the key ways Sled Island is working towards sustainability is by strengthening our waste management systems. Thanks to our founding sponsor Cenovus Energy, and festival partner The City of Calgary, we are able to effectively manage the waste created during Sled and recycle the rest. For our efforts in 2012, Sled Island received the recognition of A Greener Festival Award.

Our long term goal is to make Sled Island a zero waste event, where all waste is reused, recycled or composted. We have a long way to go to reach this goal and we can’t do it without your commitment. In 2012, Green Island was able to divert 61% of our waste from the landfill. This year the Green Team is shooting for a 75% diversion rate. We are all part of the Green Team’s community, do your part and remember to thank our awesome volunteers.

All vendors at Sled Island’s main outdoor venues are required to use compostable or recyclable packaging and foodware. Please make sure that everything you throw away makes it into the appropriate bin. If you are unsure, one of our Green Team volunteers will be there to help. All wasteful packaging is banned, including the sale of water in one time use bottles. Green Island would like to encourage the use of reusable water bottles and will be providing water stations so that you can fill up whenever you feel parched.

Last year, Green Calgary helped to plan and assess our sustainability efforts. You can see the Green Event Report for Sled Island 2012 here. Thanks to this in depth analysis of our operations we have identified our strengths and weaknesses so that we can continue to improve for years to come. We look forward to working with Green Calgary to always strive to be better.

In 2012, the festival diverted a total of 664 kg of waste from city landfill. This equaled:

• 155 kg of food waste and compostable food ware,
• 240 kg of mixed recycling including paper, plastic, and cardboard,
• 269 kg of beverage containers.

Community Building

Green Island encourages everyone to get involved in their community. Join your community association, hang out in your front yard, plant a garden, host a house show. Connected communities are the best communities. If you want to open your doors to a wider community, contact our billeting coordinator at billeting@sledisland.com and share your home with one of the many artists coming for Sled Island 2013.
If you are coming from out of town share your resources and take the bus or carpool. Check out the getting here page for more information on low impact ways to get to Sled Island. Get your bike here. We look forward to riding with you.