Recycling Grant Allows Jazz & Rib Fest to be Environmentally-Friendly
COLUMBUS - Columbus Recreation
and Parks Department’s Jazz & Rib Fest could offset eight tons of
recyclable and compostable material from entering the landfill, thanks to a
Recycle Ohio Grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (Ohio EPA)
Recycling and Litter Prevention program.
The grant brings
recycling to the festival for the first time and allows for festival-wide
recycling for attendees. All beverages sold during the three-day festival will
come in recyclable containers, including an exclusive festival aluminum cup for
draft beers, plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The grant also allows for
pre-consumer composting for food vendors.
“We are excited for the
return of Jazz & Rib Fest, along with the chance to make one of Columbus’
largest events even more sustainable and environmentally-friendly,” said
Bernita A. Reese, CPRP, director of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department.
“Conservation is crucial to the department, and to building a city that offers
opportunity for every resident. Bringing in recycling festival-wide for Jazz
& Rib Fest is a huge step forward for Columbus and our residents.”
In collaboration with
Jackie O’s Brewery, the official beer partner of this year’s event, the Jazz
& Rib Fest has created a limited-edition 16-ounce aluminum cup attendees
can keep as a souvenir or recycle on-site at the festival. The cup is included
with a purchase of a Jackie O’s draft beer.
"Jackie O's has
been committed to sustainability since we began brewing, and we are thrilled to
partner with the City of Columbus at Jazz & Rib Fest this summer,” said
Michelle Oestrike, vice president of Jackie O’s Brewery. “We've been working
with Zero Waste Event Productions in Athens for many years, and we are excited
that they are bringing their efforts to Columbus for this event."
Zero Waste Event
Productions will establish and manage an on-site sorting center to process all
recyclable and compostable material collected throughout the festival and
ensure that recycling is clean and free of contamination. Through this effort,
the festival has the potential to offset eight tons of recyclable and
compostable material from entering the landfill.
For more details, visit hotribscooljazz.org/festival-beverages.
Calendar Information –
2022 Jazz & Rib Fest
Date:
July
22–24
Location: Bicentennial
Park on the Scioto Mile
Information: hotribscooljazz.org