Introduction
This paper reviews the current literature surrounding the issue of waste management at events. It examines the impact of the event industry on the environment, which is continuously growing, and how this generates external pressure for the industry to become more stable. It defines the term Waste Management and the origin of this term. It examines the growth and development of waste management at events, even though the industry generates more carbon and waste each year and lacks standard sustainable design practices. It reviews the benefits of holding events and how many young people take the initiative to manage waste at the events they attend. This paper also takes into account the benefits of events aimed at garbage collection and waste management.
This paper considers the importance of gradually reducing the volume of waste generated at events and the possibility of attracting investors to the field of waste recycling at events. Finally, it will review how festivals can take various waste management measures and then conduct further research on this issue. Currently, humanity is facing the problem of waste management at multiple events, which is becoming more and more severe and urgent. To prevent the planet from getting overgrown with dirt, developed countries are developing waste management strategies. They are a list of activities formed into a single integrated system. Despite the enormous damage caused to the environment, many people realize that it is necessary somehow to solve the problem of the impending environmental catastrophe. Lytle (2007) also speaks about this, explaining the reasons for the start of the environmental movement and its impact and possible consequences.
Lytle (2007) claims that the beginning of the ecology movement is an essential step in the history of humanity, as it unites many people from different countries with different religions or worldviews. The author tells in detail about what the members of the environmental movement stand for, in particular, respect for the environment by changing state policy and individual behavior. Lytle provides an exhaustive and accessible overview of the essence of the ecology movement and the basic concepts and personalities associated with this movement. Moreover, in this paper, it is possible to get acquainted with the achievements of this movement and its global impact on the current state of attitudes toward the environment.
A variety of entertainment events have always been an integral part of human life, and over the past few decades, they have become even more popular. Case (2013), in his book, outlines the close relationship between events and their impact on the environment, which many people prefer to ignore or underestimate. This paper describes in detail the problems of the impact of events on ecology and human society. Nevertheless, the increasing popularity of events and the growing number of people who attend these events substantially impact the host community’s economic, social, and environmental foundations. One of the most critical problems for a modern developed society is waste management and disposal. The long-term goal should be to reduce the amount of waste and reduce its volume.
Unfortunately, various activities contribute significantly to the problem of waste management, recycling, and disposal, which needs to be solved shortly. Thus, the current environmental situation in the world is hazardous. Before the threat of an impending ecological catastrophe, it is urgently necessary to realize the environmentally sound boundaries of production and consumption. That is why the concept of waste management acquires such great value.
Literature Review
Waste management is understood as a set of measures for collecting, transportation, processing, recycling, use, or disposal of garbage and controlling the entire process. The term usually refers to waste that is the result of human activity. Such measures are necessary to reduce the harmful effects of waste on human health, the environment, and aesthetic reasons. The waste management system is viewed differently in developed and developing countries, urban and rural areas, residential and industrial zones.
The public events industry has a noticeable impact on the development of waste management measures, which can be both positive and negative. More on this is reflected in the report The Show Must Go On (2015) the reaction of the festival industry to the climate change talks in Paris in 2015. The report collects all known studies in the UK and analyzes the most extensive data sets accessible on the effect of festivals on the environment. This report outlines the impact of the festival industry on the environment in an accessible format. It is also intended to provide a reliable foundation for an industry-wide approach to reducing environmental impact. The report results show that music festivals held in the UK cause emissions of a considerable amount of harmful waste and consumption of diesel fuel, which has a detrimental effect on the environment.
Ironically, according to the report, many visitors to music festivals in the UK are eco-activists and want to change the world and the environment for the better. Nevertheless, Leonard (2012) argues that if people want to change the world, they need to start with themselves, come together, and demand changes in state policy. Leonard states that significant changes require something more than just a desire – active actions are needed, which is clearly shown by the history of humanity. The importance of the proposed idea for further struggle for ecology and strengthening people’s self-awareness is obvious.
Fortunately, many people realize this and hold large-scale events designed to develop waste management measures, increase the sustainability of events, tours, venues, festivals, and all participants in the living sector. It is performed, for example, by activists from the AGF site (2021) who have the goal of helping the organizers to hold environmentally friendly events. The practical material demonstrates that a large number of people are worried about the state of the environment and are willing to spend their time and effort to combat environmental pollution.
This initiative is supported by members of the association Surfers Against Sewage (2021) who seek to clean up the ocean polluted by industrial waste, and various events held near the ocean. They attract hundreds of volunteers to clean the ocean of plastic and increase people’s social responsibility. The massive danger of plastic for the ocean is also confirmed by Moore’s speech (2009) which gave clear and accessible information about how much the ocean is polluted with plastic. Plastic does not decompose, which causes the death of marine life, birds and severe changes in environmental conditions. Microparticles polluting the upper nutrient layer of the World’s oceans cause chemical and biological harm to marine wildlife. Chemicals in the water, which are industrial and agricultural waste, are deposited on the surface of floating plastic fragments. This garbage turns into poisoned food for living organisms that feed on phytoplankton.
Moore (2009) claims that plastic garbage negatively affects flora and fauna of the world’s oceans, from fish entangled in plastic bags to exposure to chemical elements present in the garbage material and released during decomposition. Moreover, he cites horrifying facts about the tropical islands, which are now covered with a layer of garbage, with a total mass of about 238 tons. Moore adds that many islands are listed as World Heritage sites or are national parks. Waste may not be produced on the islands themselves, but it sails across the oceans to their shores. According to Moore, in stationary places, migrating garbage, moved along the water surface by the circulation of currents, collects in garbage islands of gigantic size and does not move anywhere. That is why initiatives like Surfers are essential and relevant and should be spread worldwide.
The idea of such events is supported by Tölkes and Butzmann (2018) who studied the issues of positive correlation between environmental protection and sustainable behavior. Their research has shown that a caring attitude to nature has a beneficial effect on a person’s behavior, making green events even more valuable and relevant. This work is interesting for a detailed analysis of the positive impact of caring for the environment on the human psyche and attitude to life. Seraphin and Nolan (2019) also talk about the importance of green events and green tourism, whose participants make a considerable contribution to the fight against pollution of the planet. The authors explain the great importance of such initiatives for the future of humanity in the next hundred years.
According to Seraphin and Nolan, (2019) the purpose of green tourism is to help preserve wildlife and cultural values, using those tourist services that contribute to the protection of visited sites and support the lives of the local population. The authors claim that the basic principles of ecotourism include three mandatory conditions: minimal impact on the environment, the experience of the traveler’s interaction with untouched nature, and a positive impact on the local economy. The authors conducted an exciting and helpful work in which they outlined the need for green tourism in the current environmental situation. The issues discussed in this article are relevant because green tourism has gained huge popularity, and also has practical importance for the state of the environment. Seraphin and Nolan describe in detail and clearly the essence of this concept, as well as explain its possible prospects and impact on the state of nature.
Green tourism can significantly affect the state of the planet’s environment because many people spend a lot of time and effort fighting waste and garbage. This statement is also confirmed by the opinion of UNWTO (n.d.) where it is possible to get acquainted with the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, which contains the rules of an environmentally and culturally clean approach to tourism and travel. According to UNWTO, (n.d.) the principle of environmental friendliness assumes that nature is able to recover from human impact for future generations. In addition, an essential element of green tourism is the contemplation and study of natural landscapes minimally affected by human activity, without interference with ecosystems.
Green tourism creates conditions for the local population and the tourism industry to benefit from preserving nature in its original form, conserving resources, and conducting sustainable economic activity. It, first of all, instills in people a sense of responsibility for their actions and their future, which is closely related to the state of the environment. The same opinion is shared by Gao, Huang, and Zhang (2015) who investigated the relationship between tourists’ perception of the negative consequences of tourism and their perceived responsibility. The authors believe that ecotourism may include volunteer functions, but first of all, it is recreation and enjoyment of nature with benefits for both sides.
Nevertheless, the article’s conclusions written by Henderson and Musgrave (2014) show that the successful dissemination of such events among the masses is impossible without attracting third-party propaganda and more attention to the evaluation of success. Thus, it is necessary to involve the media and use social networks for the most outstanding efficiency of waste management measures. It is confirmed by the results of a study by Dodds, Novotny, and Harper (2020) who claim that only a few festivals whose goal was waste management and sustainable transportation engaged in excellent and effective propaganda through social networks. The practice of sustainable development ensures wider popularity among visitors and, obviously, more effective results, which is achieved by sufficient funding and active advertising.
It is vital to organize people and spread a particular idea that they will support and continue to spread among others. Jones (2014) in her book, talks about how to properly organize a social event, unite people around him, and also gradually come to the necessary result. This book explains in detail the algorithm of actions that will allow organizing sustainable event management. Confirmation of the growing public interest in the organization of events can be found in the article authored by Pernecky (2015) who speaks of events as essential phenomena with social, economic, and cultural potential. The author of this article talks about the importance of organizational and leadership skills, which predominantly affect the outcome of the events. In this paper, a detailed study was conducted on the relationship between the effectiveness of events and the presence of leadership qualities and skills in the organizer.
Many changes for the better, including waste management, should be based on the aspect of sustainable development. Becker (2010) states in his article that the ethical sense occupies an important place in the modern concept of sustainable development. Thus, an ethically correct attitude significantly affects how a person will deal with nature, and therefore the analysis of these ethical problems is necessary for further measures to combat waste. Juvan et al. (2016) share this opinion, investigating psychological stress in people whose behavior harms the environment, although they adhere to environmentally friendly beliefs. The study showed that a person is often unable to control their behavior, the consequences of which harm nature, and therefore experience emotional discomfort. This fact confirms the need for education and dissemination of environmentally friendly rules of conduct.
This statement is similar to the beliefs of Raj, Musgrave, and ProQuest (2009) who consider it vital to be able to create sustainable event management that directly affects their effectiveness. In addition, the ethical side of this issue should also be taken into account. It is what Allen (2009) is pointing at, considering the moral side of doing business and holding events that can harm the environment. Holmes, Hughes, Mair, and Carlsen (2015) agree with Allen’s statement, stating that current events should be more sustainable, allowing them to be more effective and better convey their message to the audience. Pernecky and Luck (2013) continue this theme by exploring the relationship between society, event organization, and sustainability and analyzing critical modern approaches to this phenomenon. These works reflect the original concept of the organization of events, stability, as well as the study of the psychological state of society through the prism of interaction with these elements.
It is necessary to carry out as many green activities as possible to improve the city’s ecological state, the general atmosphere, and the mood of residents in cities. Tsaur et al. (2016) agree with this statement by examining the impact indicators of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exhibition from residents’ point of view and examining the impact of these impacts on urban sustainability through the perception of Taipei residents after the exhibition. Their research has shown that economic, ecological, and social effects have had a significant favorable impact on the sustainability of cities. A few negative aspects had a completely insignificant effect on the sustainability of cities, which indicates the benefits of holding green events.
The benefits of green events are also confirmed by other authors, for example, Raj, Musgrave, and ProQuest (2009). They talk about the beneficial effects of green events on the sustainability of cities, as well as their regeneration. Many cities cannot cope with the amount of garbage and waste, and such green initiatives provide great help and support to urban infrastructure and improve people’s emotional state. In addition to the aesthetic point of view, an essential factor is the influence of waste and garbage on the state of the climate, which is gradually changing due to human actions. Bows-Larkin (2015) argues that it’s time to change economic growth to climate stability and take decisive measures on recycling and waste management; otherwise, climate change will become irreversible. The expert speaks about the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which gradually have an increasingly significant impact on the planet’s climate.
Bows-Larkin (2015) claims that the temperature change is directly proportional to the radiation exposure. She adds that the concentration of carbon dioxide is already 1.5 times higher than the pre-industrial level. Nevertheless, some solutions can be resorted to trying to rectify the situation. For example, the author talks about reducing the use of fossil fuels and switching to renewable energy sources. Moreover, sustainable forest management, control of forest fires, environmentally friendly agriculture, restoration of soil cover, as well as the transition to bicycles, public transport, and electric vehicles were mentioned. The consequences of such climate changes can be grave and dangerous if no measures are taken.
Unfortunately, the expert’s words are confirmed by the IPCC report (2014) which contains information on the state of knowledge in the field of climate change science. The report states the impact of human activity on the planet’s climate and also emphasizes that greenhouse gas emissions have never been as high and dangerous as they are now. According to the report, greenhouse gases will cause negative consequences in the amount of precipitation, changes in the level of the oceans, as well as the death of entire ecosystems. The organization of green events contributes to the fight against greenhouse gases, which have an extremely negative impact on the climate and human health. According to an IPCC report (2014) the number of cardiac, pulmonary, and respiratory diseases increases significantly due to abnormally high temperatures.
There are lacunae in the literature concerning the overall sustainability of the event industry and the problem of waste management at various events. There are opportunities for further research in this area, especially in the field of green tourism, the impact of environmentally friendly behavior on a person’s mental state, and possible future trends. The ecological movement is a socio-political phenomenon that has arisen in the context of the increasing impact of society on nature as a result of the interaction of all social groups interested in preserving nature for the sake of future generations. The movement has absorbed collective concern about the state of the environment and combined joint activities to prevent environmental threats of individuals, social groups, and public associations. Environmental policy, including waste management skills at events, is significant for the well-being and health of future generations.
Conclusion
This paper has explored some of the literature surrounding waste management at events. It looked at the importance of the environmental movement, whose main task is ecological education, as well as global and local waste management and recycling activities. This work defined waste management and identified its paramount importance in current circumstances. A review was conducted of some initiatives that deal with waste and garbage at events. The significant impact of such events on the sustainability of cities and the positive state of their residents was identified. In this paper, the benefits of green tourism were discussed, which increases the social responsibility of the population to the environment, educating people to respect nature. In addition, the negative impact of greenhouse gases, which are formed due to human waste, on the planet’s climate and human health was considered.
It becomes obvious that today it is difficult to overestimate the importance and role of ecology both in the life of the whole society and separately in each person’s life. The state of the planet depends both on commercial companies producing tons of waste every year and on an individual enjoying the benefits of civilization. Event waste management is an essential skill that largely shapes a person’s attitude to the environment. Thousands of people, realizing the deplorable state of the environment, strive to contribute to the salvation of the planet by organizing various movements, many of which are not supported by the state in any way. The state of the environment is directly related to a person’s well-being, mood, and attitude to life.
Reference List
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