Forming part of a commitment to continually innovate and advance the sustainability of the festival as well as discuss with audiences the fragility of planet earth, bluedot
Announced today is women’s rights activist and writer Helen Pankhurst. Helen will feature alongside Tom Shakespeare and a representative from Extinction Rebellion on the panel talk ‘Protest for Change: Direct Action and Society’. A controversial form of political campaigning, direct action seeks to confront society, trigger debate and incite change. While some defend its validity as a peaceful and vital part of a truly liberal democracy, others decry the impact of the disruption cause, and the cost to public services. This high profile panel of speakers will represent a range of lenses through which to explore the effectiveness of direct action, from the suffragetters through to the contemporary environmentalist movement, Extinction Rebellion.
Following their collaboration on David Attenborough's groundbreaking Our Planet, WWF will be onsite presenting screenings and In Conversation talks with the creators of the series. There will also be talks throughout the weekend with WWF’s environmental experts. The festival will also host a series of DotTalks which will explore various issues surrounding the planet. TV Presenter Liz Bonnin will host ‘ The Problem with Plastics’ which will explore the problem of marine plastic pollution and reveal the full scale of the problem across our oceans whilst lecturer Tamsin Edwards will cover the story of climate science. Astrophysicist Eamonn Kerins will host PLEXIT - a look into the possibility of life on other planets.
The festival has also announced the concept Spaceship Earth - the future of our bluedot - a world view that humans should work together harmoniously to look after the planet. Working in unison with Jodrell Bank, bluedot will implement a number of sustainability initiatives that will continue to support the concept. Initiatives include no single use plastic across the food traders on site, reusable bottles for all staff and wristbands made entirely from bamboo and recycled plastic. Green Events, the catering company for the festival, will work with food salvage scheme 8th Plate again this year to salvage any food waste at the festival and donate to the local community to help those living in food poverty.
Collaborating with Red Fox Cycling, festival goers can now travel sustainably in a one day canal-side cycle ride from Manchester to Jodrell Bank. Designed to encourage attendees to reduce their carbon emissions, all rides will be led by experienced guides who will navigate the journey ensuring there is plenty of time for socializing and making new festival friends before arriving at the festival. Perks of taking part include VIP ticket upgrades and a free meteor shower pass for luxurious hot showers across the weekend.
Customers will also have the options to make a ‘Carbon Offset’ donation when they purchase their tickets to the festival with bluedot investing 100% of this in renewable energy with Energy Revolution, a festival industry collaborative charity.
Squid Soup the UK-based international group of artists, researchers, technologists and designers will be on site with their project Submergence - an immersive walkthrough experience. The installation uses many thousands of individual points of suspended light to create feelings of presence and movement within physical space.
Global innovator Practical Action will be on site to discuss the ingenious, practical ways in which people can free themselves from poverty and disadvantage whilst experts from
Take a Bite out of Climate Change will discuss how technology is helping to lower emissions from food.
As well as its live and electronic programme, bluedot will explore the latest scientific discoveries from outer space and our planet. There will be talks from world-class scientists and thinkers, combined with an opportunity to ask the Big Questions of leading researchers.
Published on 10 May 2019 by Ben Robinson
