Sustainability
At the Noordelijk Film Festival, we are committed to working towards a more sustainable future. We believe that small steps can have a big impact. Our goal is to make the festival more sustainable and to make a positive contribution to society.
On this page, you will find all the information about how we do this as a festival.
Step by step, we are working together to build a greener future, allowing festivalgoers to enjoy the festival in a conscious and responsible manner! 🌱
Sustainability and the Noordelijk Film Festival
At NoFF, we believe it is important to contribute to a livable world, in addition to organizing our wonderful festival. We strive to make conscious choices in the areas of social responsibility and sustainability, and actively seek smart improvements that make an impact. There is still much to be gained, but we believe that with many small steps, we can make a big difference together!
De Harmonie and the baseline measurement
The Noordelijk Film Festival and festival center Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie are delighted to be working together on sustainable ambitions. From conscious water and energy consumption to serving organic coffee, tea, and wine —every step counts. We see the festival as a temporary community for testing new ideas, which we then apply structurally at De Harmonie and at the other NoFF locations.
In 2024, we conducted a baseline measurement to map out consumption in the areas of food, transportation, and waste. This year, we set improvement or savings targets for these areas. Examples include:
- Replacing disposable cups with reusable cups: 3 fewer containers of residual waste.
- Transporting film guests in hybrid and electric cars, 300 kg less CO2 emissions.
- No more beef on the audience and crew menu: 300 kg less CO2 emissions.
This year, we will also be mapping out our digital sustainability, the materials used for venue design, our merchandise, and crew clothing, so that we can set goals for the coming years based on this information.
Partners and collaborations for a more sustainable festival
We are working with many more wonderful partners to become more sustainable. For example, we separate our waste with
In addition, the organization GROENN is acting as a supporting partner in conducting the baseline measurement. They help festivals become more sustainable and share their knowledge and experience with us. We are very happy about that!
Food at the festival
We want everyone to be able to contribute to sustainability. That is why we base our offerings on the EAT-Lancet diet: fewer dishes with meat, cheese, and dairy, and more with vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Research shows that this diet benefits both our health and the future of the planet in the long term. From 2025, beef will disappear completely from the menu, both for visitors and for the crew.
Read more about the EAT-Lancet diet here.
Animal welfare
Our focus is currently on sustainability and CO₂ reduction, so we are not opting for 100% vegetarian or vegan, but for a middle ground to which everyone can contribute directly. However, we recognize that the meat and dairy industries cause a great deal of suffering, and that needs to change. Eating less meat and dairy already helps, but if you want to avoid animal suffering altogether, choose only products from animals that have been raised in good conditions, or stop consuming them altogether.
Do less, with more impact!
Many people want to contribute to sustainability, but with so many choices and considerations, it can be difficult to know what really makes an impact. Everyone also has personal circumstances, which means that the possibilities for sustainable actions vary. That is why we are sharing Fork Ranger’s Impact Compass. This compass clearly shows the impact of different choices: for example, it shows that avoiding beef is much more effective than choosing between an organic and a regular cucumber. This way, you can achieve more with fewer actions, making sustainable living easier! View the compass here and discover the free Fork Ranger app full of tips for more sustainable eating and drinking. For more information, visit the website here.