‍Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want. So, tell me what you want, what you really really want! Nope, unfortunately, Spice Girls did not have a reunion so that they could have their very first performance at the Øya festival in 2022, but do you know who did have their first-ever appearance at Øya? Klimato and the technology to measure the carbon footprint of food. This partnership seems like a no-brainer when considering Øya’s commitment to reducing its climate impact. Thankfully they also enjoyed working with us:

“Working with Klimato in 2022 was pure joy; they were positive, efficient and seamless. Rebecca and her team faced head-on all the difficulties associated with the hectic and tight timeframe that is a major festival, and we were impressed with the results.” - Britt Medalen Nilsen, Food and Partner Coordinator at Øyafestivalen

Together, Øya and Klimato managed to get the climate impact per serving down to less than 0.5 kg CO2e; with the average dish being 0.4 kg CO2e. To compare, the Scandinavian average is 1.7 kg CO2e. There were some options of meals emitting up to 2.7 kg CO2e, but thanks to the carbon labels, as much as 85% of all meals served had a low climate impact (between 0.1-0.5 kg CO2e). This clearly shows that climate-friendly food is something festival goers really, really want.

The team at Øya quickly got familiar with the Klimato tool and were able to swiftly calculate the recipes of the food vendors and could highlight their menu’s hotspots; thus guiding them to make climate positive menu changes: 

“Communicating the link between food and climate is extremely important for us, and with the use of Klimato’s reports and tools this work is easier and more spot on. We are also planning on using the tool in the menu planning for 2023, to raise even more awareness for all kitchens and vendors!” - Mia Frogner - Head of Sustainability and Food at Øyafestivalen

Øyafestivalen is Oslo's alternative and indie haven for rebellious youths. As one of Norway's biggest and most respected music festivals, they pride themselves on keeping their carbon footprint down and encouraging sustainability. You'll find an immense selection of organic food and drink, sustainably sourced electricity, and a rigorous recycling system.

Johanne, a regular festival goer at Øya, gave a clear and loud “YES!” when asked if she really, really wanted climate-friendly food and further elaborated impressively on being enlightened about the impact her decisions have on the planet. She mentioned something which we believe is really worth thinking about, that the price we pay for our food is not only 109 Norwegian kroner in this case, it also has a more critical price, which we can choose to land at either 0.5, or 2.7 kg of CO2e.

Erik Kristoffer Olsen, Head of Growth at Klimato, is pleased when he hears Johanne’s response and agrees that this is precisely the end goal of Klimato. “It’s not only supposed to be a tool for measurement but also a way to help chefs create climate-friendly meals without compromising on quality. At the same time, we are seeing a spill-over effect where the climate-labelled menus help guests choose more climate-friendly options. The hope is that this awareness is something they take with them from their restaurant visit and into other aspects of their life”.

“Viva forever” - just like the Spice Girls’ song, Klimato and Øya see a long lasting partnership with big plans for the future. Such plans include: 

• Tracking data and generating reports for each day of the festival to understand visitor behaviour
• Having more granular CO2e data for the Øya staff canteen by using Klimato procurement reports
• Educating food vendors before the festival on how they can lower their food emissions ever further
• More education to festival visitors on the carbon footprint of food

In the future, we hope that together with Øya, the restaurants and festival goers, we will have an even lower impact. With the help of Klimato, Øya is now aware of what steps they need to take to ensure the same level of success for their festival going forward:

“After working with Klimato we have a clearer vision of the issues and solutions associated with the food we serve festival goers and workers. It is now easy to implement changes that actually make a difference.” - Mia Frogner - Head of Sustainability and Food at Øyafestivalen

Overall, the Øya festival is a shining example of how festivals and events can make a positive impact on the environment through sustainable practices and partnerships. With continued efforts, we can all work towards a more sustainable future, one meal at a time.