The Aruba International Film Festival is very excited about its plans to reduce the environmental footprint of its week-long event by adopting pro-environmental practices in its planning. The film industry, historically, has been at the forefront in raising critical issues for society, and current concerns about environmental threats from climate change and over-exploitation of resources are no exception.
The AIFF acknowledges that climate change is an important issue, and recognizes that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is everyone's responsibility. To this end, they are launching a two-pronged initiative.

Partnership with Arikok Park
Producers Giuseppe and Jonathan Vieira have joined with The Arikok National Park Foundation to contribute to maintaining a "Green" Aruba, helping with several projects in the Park:

1. AIFF will offer Arikok a place to set up a booth at the festival. There they can inform the public about the initiatives the Park is taking in reforesting and sustaining the plants in the Park, and providing a habitat for Aruba's natural wildlife. Park Rangers will also be able to enlist volunteers and to organize hiking tours from their booth.

2. AIFF will sponsor an Earth Day activity at the Park on April 22nd in which local schoolchildren will be invited to learn about ways to reduce their carbon footprint through conservation and the use of eco-friendly technology. The lesson will culminate in the reforestation of the Hoji Shon Shoco (Mr. Owl's Garden) area of the park, near the Visitor's Center, an area of approximately 10,000 square meters. These trees, in turn, will revive the habitat for birds such as the Aruban Parakeet

3. AIFF will pursue the idea of reforesting the Plantation Prins area of the Park with coconut seedlings collected during the cleanup of Rancho Daimari . AIFF will also plan a fundraising activity to partially offset the cost of an irrigation system to maintain those trees. Added benefits are that the abandoned coconut plantation at that location will be cleaned and that the activity will include instruction on planting a sustainable garden in the Aruba climate.

4. AIFF will offer support for the Park Foundation efforts to construct a greenhouse in which to grow trees for Park reforestation. They will do this by encouraging corporate responsibility among the corporate sponsors and vendors at the Festival.

Link: http://www.arikokpark.com/

Paseo Herencia to Go Green
Playing host to the Aruba International Film Festival is a big responsibility, and AIFF wants to make sure that its negative impact on the environment is minimal. To that end, they have met with the merchants at Paseo Herencia to do all we can to keep Aruba green.

1.
Recycling bins will be placed around the compound, collected daily and contents recycled.

2.
Guests will be given tips for Going Green at the Festival.

3.
Maps for walking to the Festival will be provided.

4.
Bicycles will be made available for rent at reasonable prices to provide participants with a healthy way

 
of getting around during the festival, and bike racks will be installed at Paseo.

5.
Reusable water bottles will be available, to be filled with pure Aruba drinking water.

6.
Restaurants at Paseo Herencia will be provided with AIFF cups, napkins and other paper products

 
made entirely of recycled and recyclable paper.

7.
AIFF continues to explore alternative, environmentally friendly means of transportation before and

 
after all the activities of the festival.