Environmental Policy

Love the Festival. Love the planet.

The DSF started back in 2016 as a small Meet Up group and has grown into the community and events you now see today. We are still a small team of 10, but small and mighty is our motto. It’s the little things that make the biggest difference, so we are committed to making small and big changes to lessen our toll on this planet. We continue to work as hard as we can on the practical things: eco swag, attendees using public transport, biodegradable cutlery to promoting ideas, great new initiatives and also leaving space for speakers who are working on sustainability tech projects to speak at our events. The DSF is committed to leading the industry in minimising the impact of its activities on the environment.

The key points of its strategy to achieve this are:

  • Minimise waste by evaluating operations and ensuring they are as efficient as possible.
  • Use venues located in an area served by mass transport links, minimising the need for
    individual transport.
  • Ensure our Festival venue is using a green energy supplier (Brook Green Supply) supplying 100% certified
    renewable energy to the whole building.
  • Finding eco and useful items for our giveaway and swag. Including reusable bags and non plastic items.
  • We do not sell single use plastic water bottles at any of our events and encourage all attendees to bring their own reusable bottles for fill up.
  • Actively promote recycling both internally and amongst its customers and suppliers.
  • Work with venues that have a ISO 14001 Certification.
  • Increase our online events to minimise attendee travel and eco costs involved with in person events.
  • Meet or exceed all the environmental legislation that relates to our event.
  • Always leave speaking opportunities for partners working in the environmental sustainability space.
  • Ensure all our tea, coffee and sugar is Fair Trade at our in person Festivals.
  • We only allow recyclable, compostable or reusable plates and cutlery – including drinking straws.
  • Disposable single-serving sachets, like those used for sauces or sugar, are not supplied or available anywhere on-site.
  • All the bin bags we use post event to collect recycling and general waste is made of recycled plastic.
  • Our schedule booklets are printed with eco ink and are fully recyclable.
  • We reuse our lanyards every year and encourage attendees to drop them off after the event to be used again.
  • We reuse 95% of our event banners year on year to ensure they don’t end up in a landfill and we do not need to print additional banners per event.

Here’s how you, our incredible attendees can help us to protect our environment and the future of DSF!

  • Please use our recycling bins. Help us by placing your waste into the correct recycling bins.
  • We have a lanyard/badge drop off at the exit of the event. We recycle our lanyards and badges to be used again after each event. Please drop them off at the exit to have a second life!
  • Please use your phone to show us your QR code ticket. We do not need a printed version.
  • Please only use what you need. Take 1 napkin not 4, even this small step saves on waste!
  • Please use public transport, cycle or car-share to DSF. Our venue is a 2 min walk from Moorgate Station. Join the 90% of Festival-goers that travel by public transport and help to reduce our carbon footprint.
  • Please bring a reusable water bottle. These can be filled for free at all of our events. There is water located in every talk room where you can refill.
  • Please use water responsibly. Turn off taps and help us use water efficiently.
  • Please dispose of cigarette butts responsibly. Think of the birds!
  • Save energy at home. While you’re at the DSF, unplug your telly and other non-essential appliances and switch off unnecessary lights. Please also consider using LED light bulbs and switching to an energy supplier that commits to clean, renewable energy sources.

Love the Festival. Love the planet.

Jessica Willis

Director