Salone Del Gusto And Terra Madre: Great Eco-Friendly Events

The largest quality food market exhibition, Salone del Gusto, and the distinguished Terra Madre world meeting of food communities mark a further step this year in their long-standing commitment towards significantly reducing environmental impact.

Slow Food, the Piedmont Regional Authority and the City of Turin, joint organizers of both events, together with the Industrial Design Department of the Turin Polytechnic and the University of Gastronomic Sciences, have consolidated the environmental planning and design choices made from the 2008 events and are implementing further eco-friendly developments.

The two events will once again serve as a site for experimentation and the implementation of new environmentally-considered event ideas.

For the first time, both the exhibitors and visitors to the events are called upon to become co-organizers, active players in a complex system in which their behavior determines – and reduces – negative environmental impact across the entire events.

Ecological data was first collected and analysed after the event in 2006. The results of the 2008 events, which showed a 45% reduction in environmental impact, encouraged the organisers to improve on this already impressive result in 2010 with the aim of a 60% reduction.

This year the events will utilise environmentally-considerate materials throughout the venue and further improve its transportation of goods. There will also be a rigorous overhaul of efficiency and efficacy throughout the event planning process which will improve food service materials and waste management.

The research, design and application of solutions for the 2010 event as well as the partners and future objectives are presented in a display in Pavilion 5.

Concrete environmental examples planned include:

Venue fixtures

All exhibition stands, the booths of the market and other areas of the exhibition have been created in collaboration with Palm, using fireproof pallets from FSC wood materials. This is wood that has been sourced in forests managed according to rigorous environmental standards and carries the seal of the AssoSCAI (Association for the Development of Environmental Business Capabilities). Thanks to the creation of a cooperative network among the parties involved in the Salone del Gusto, these same pallets will acquire a second life after the event, being reused by Lavazza for the transport of their own goods.

Logistics and transport of goods

The supply and the management of the food preparation areas managed by Slow Food – the Taste Workshops, Theaters of Taste and the canteens of Terra Madre – are coordinated by Risteco. This consortium, together with the organizers, promotes strategies for sustainable development in the institutional catering sector such as using local organic products and environmentally efficient vehicles.

Food service materials

All exhibitors of the Salone del Gusto will use 100% biodegradable food utensils. Plates, cups and cutlery, carrier bags and napkins will be made from cellulose and MaterBi (plastics based on corn starch) are provided thanks to the continuing collaboration with Novamont. These products will be collected along with other organic waste and be composted.

Separate waste collection

Thanks to the involvement of Amiat, a waste collection and environmental hygiene services company based in Turin, the system of separated waste collection within and outside the event is expected to improve the already excellent result of 2008: with 54.8% of waste separation. The planning for the Salone 2010 foresees the full collection of each type of waste (plastics, paper, glass and cans, organic and residual waste) organized on three levels. First, there are the collection points, where Slow Food volunteers will assist the public in the correct separation of waste. Then there is the 'stand to stand' system, which means collecting the rubbish already separated by the exhibitors, and finally the collection of (mainly organic) materials from the kitchen and prep spaces in the tasting areas. The different types of refuse then enter the regular recycling system. The whole process is monitored and guaranteed by Amiat, with the collaboration of Comieco, Ecoglass and other partners.

Reduction in use of printed materials and paper products

Innovative strategies are also sought to further reduce communication materials printed on paper while maintaining the quality of information provided.

For the first time this year, the Salone will employ the QR code system that enables the visitors to receive additional information on the Slow Food Presidia directly on their mobile phones.

Also the amount of printed press materials have been reduced significantly, whereas the communication via email and the availability of downloads for texts, images and videos from our website have been considerably increased. Journalist press kits will be distributed in the practical, ecological format of a USB device.

Certain materials will still be provided in printed format, such as the program in Italian, the winelist and the sitemap of the exhibition: in this case, the paper used is strictly from sources with the FSC certification, from forests managed according to rigorous environmental standards.

Source: Slow Food