Did you know we’re a member of the Manchester Arts Sustainability Team aka MAST?
Manchester Arts Sustainability Team (MAST) is a cross-sector network of cultural and arts organisations committed to working together to reduce their environmental impacts and foster a collaborative learning ethos which unites art forms, organisations, voluntary and civic bodies in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable future.
As a commitment to sustainability as a venue we incorporated a Sustainability Officer role into our organisation.
Joining MAST has allowed us to join with a network of other Manchester based arts organisations of all sizes and share challenges and ideas with regards to sustainability. Having a sustainability officer in our organisation ensures we are aware of our impact on the environment, and also how we can lessen it. We recognise the role we play as part of the arts in Manchester in influencing change in the community, and whilst the environmental impact we have as a small sector of Manchester businesses is relatively low, we can have a big impact on a wide range of people by raising awareness throughout members of our organisation and to the wider public by using the arts to highlight environmental issues as well.
– Samuel Rowe, our Sustainability Officer.
Here’s a list of some of the things we have implemented to make The Edge a greener venue:
– Replaced plastic straws with paper straws
– Put paper napkins behind the till
– Tap water readily available to customers (to reduce single use plastics)
– Replacement of lights in our studios with LEDs
– All paper in the office is 100% recycled
– All scrap paper / paper printed on one side is collected and re-used on the other side
– Installation of a low-energy LED lighting rig and desk (replacing out-dated tungsten, inefficient lights)
– All computers scheduled to shut down at the end of the day
– Money off for bringing your own takeaway cup
– Coffee waste now goes to compost
– One side of the theatre is insulated (the sound absorption material also keeps heat in)
We are currently searching for funding for a new heating system and secondary glazing which will make us an even more greener organisation.
You can read more about MAST in the report here
You can view our environmental policy here