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The Quebec Carnival is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year with a renewed ecological awareness. Bonhomme and his team are therefore pushing to reduce the environmental footprint of the festivities. Overview of the green finds from the biggest winter carnival in the world.
Organizing an event of this magnitude, spread over 18 days and across the four corners of Quebec City, requires significant energy. It was necessary to build Bonhomme’s ice palace, erect countless kiosks, construct stages, warm the tents in the harshness of Quebec’s February and coordinate the number of vehicles required to move the equipment and personnel.
In 2023, the production of the festivities had consumed 9,533.3 liters of diesel and just under 1,200 liters of propane, according to data provided by the organization. This fuel was mainly used to power generators and heaters.
The Quebec Carnival, explains its general director Marie-Ève Jacob, hopes to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels from next year. “We commissioned a firm to find alternatives to diesel generators. She will come to Carnival next week to see all of our installations, look at our constraints, but also our energy needs, to come up with recommendations. We expect its conclusions this spring. »
The DG mentions, for example, the use of green hydrogen generators, a solution which could be used for other winter events. “We are the biggest winter carnival in the world, and we are probably the ones with the greatest energy needs,” says Marie-Ève Jacob. “I think it’s our responsibility to be at the forefront of trying to find solutions. »
Last year, the Quebec Carnival recorded all of its emissions to offset them by purchasing 5.3 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in carbon credits. These credits, all acquired for the benefit of Carbone Scol’ERE, finance workshops for primary school pupils with a view to encouraging the adoption of eco-responsible behaviour. A tonne of CO₂ equivalent avoided sells for $26.09 plus taxes under this program.
The organization plans to identify its emissions every two years, but promises to offset them every year — at least, those that depend on its will.
Transportation
“Our GHG emissions come in two parts,” explains general manager Jacob. “There is what we generate as a company to produce Carnival, and there is another measure, that of the GHGs produced by the half a million visitors who come approximately every year, half of whom come from outside. from Quebec. This is what generates the majority of our footprint. »
The Quebec Carnival allows people to measure the impact of their travel and offset them by purchasing credit. It also encourages carnival-goers to reduce their footprint as much as possible once there. This year, the organization has set up parking spaces for winter bikes, and a shuttle will travel to the different sites. A carpooling initiative, in partnership with Amigo Express, will also be tested. All with the aim of offering alternatives to car use.
On site, the Carnival also has the mission of educating its public. A green squad raises public awareness of good ways to sort waste. This year, a fourth bin, this one reserved for food waste which will go to the Quebec City biomethanization center, is added to the trash cans placed on the site. Last year, this table waste represented around 200 liters of compostable materials.
The organization also optimizes the reuse of panels, decorations and other advertising to avoid having to produce them every year. The organization also promotes a local purchasing policy to reduce its ecological footprint and participate in the Quebec economy as much as possible.
Even the Ice Palace is going green: this year, containers covered in mirrors will be part of its structure, a way of giving volume to the imposing castle while reducing the amount of water needed to do so.
“There was a time when the ice came directly from the river,” says Marie-Ève Jacob. “Now, it is made in a factory for safety reasons: so there is no other option than to connect to the City aqueduct to obtain water and create these blocks of ice. »
In 2024, the palace, designed on two floors, takes shape thanks to 3,100 blocks of approximately 135 kg (300 pounds) each. “This is water that we cannot recycle: there is no recovery system under the palace. On the other hand, it also questions us in relation to our footprint. This is why we opted for containers with mirrors. On the other hand, this poses other challenges: the sun which shines on the mirrors is also reflected on the ice. There is a challenge there. »
A little over two years ago, the Quebec Carnival hired an employee entirely dedicated to sustainable development. The organization’s commitment to reducing its footprint even extends to its famous effigy, made for several years from old tubing gleaned from Quebec maple groves.
“I find it a beautiful image, that it comes from our sugar shacks! » concludes Marie-Ève Jacob. “These are small things, but in the end they make a difference. »