On June 29, the Lowcountry Cajun Festival was named a recipient of the Lowcountry Leaders in Event Recycling Award. Sponsored by Fisher Recycling and Sonoco Recycling, the award was presented to various area events that showed leadership in recycling efforts.
Event organizers at the 2011 Lowcountry Cajun Festival made significant efforts to keep as much waste as possible from entering landfills. This annual large-scale festival, held April 3 at James Island County Park, hosted over 9,300 people. With the help of staff from the Carolina Green Fair and a number of volunteers from the Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission, 87% of the festival’s waste was either recycled or composted this year.
All trash cans were removed from the festival grounds and moved under tents labeled “Resource and Recovery,” where volunteers helped festival-goers sort out their waste products into recyclables, compostables, and true “waste.” Many vendors selling food products at the event also were provided with or encouraged to use compostable products. These combined efforts helped to recycle 1,650 pounds of waste and compost 529 pounds of waste at the 2011 festival.
Other events that were recognized with Lowcountry Leaders in Event Recycling awards ceremony included the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival, the Charleston Wine & Food Festival, and the Cooper River Bridge Run. Also receiving awards were the Charleston Battery and the Francis Marion Hotel.
The Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission will continue recycling and composting efforts at future special events, including the Reggae Nights Concert Series at James Island County Park and Wannamaker County Park throughout the summer, and the Latin American Festival at Wannamaker County Park in October.
