Safety Concerns Surrounding SXSW and Other Major Festivals

March 22, 2015April 20, 2015 rbradfo

Now that we’ve learned a little about how SXSW benefits Austin, it’s time to focus on the not-so-positive aspects of SXSW. WARNING: This might get a little dark.

SXSW started in March of 1987 and was projected to have approximately 150 attendees. Instead, more than 700 people came. And it just went up from there. The first major spike in SXSW attendance was in 2010, when the interactive portion of the event drew in 40% more people than the previous year’s festival. The following year, more than 20,000 people attended the festival — the most on record (until 2013). With that many people flooding the city, there are a number of safety concerns to address.

On March 13, 2014, 21-year-old Rashad Owens drunkenly drove his car through a crowd of festival goers waiting for a show outside of The Mohawk on Red River St. Four people died as a result of the crash and dozens of others were injured. It was the first time any serious fatalities arose during SXSW, but it scared festival goers enough that the City of Austin decided something needed to be done in order to avoid this sort of tragedy happening again.

In 2015, the City of Austin cut the number of free shows and parties available during SXSW, many of which entice people to attend by offering free alcohol and music, by nearly 25% in an effort to lower the number of drunk pedestrians and drivers on the streets. While locals may have been in a tizzy about losing their free shows, the idea of limiting the number of free events available actually proved to be somewhat effective — despite reporting long lines and maximum capacity at many of the events around town, there were no major safety issues reported during SXSW 2015. In fact, fire marshals were on top of their stuff this year and sanctioned more than 18 venues that were not meeting safety regulations.

So how are large festivals and overpopulation connected? And are there any real solutions?
To answer the first question, large festivals such as SXSW, Coachella, and Lalapalooza attract literally tens (and even hundreds) of thousands of people each year to begin with, but with population on the rise, these events are sure to draw in larger and larger crowds as the years tick by. Some festivals, such as Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) have attempted to limit the chaos by extending the event to two weekends rather than the typical one weekend only. Unfortunately, this method has proven to be ineffective. Rather than having one crazy weekend, there are now two — not really something the locals look forward to in October (when traffic is already bad enough for UT football season). Other festivals have followed in SXSW’s footsteps and attempted to limit the number of activities during the festival — this has been somewhat effective and safety has become less of an issue.

As far as solutions are concerned, there are lots of options available, but executing them will take time and will likely require years of revisions to truly perfect. Until then, there are ways in which you can help make your city safer during times of increased visitors.

Remember to Use a Taxi/Rideshare Option(s)

As discussed in a previous blog, taxis and rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft are available in dozens of major cities across the United States. If you’re going to be drinking, there is NO EXCUSE AT ALL to drive — allocate the extra money for your weekend to be able to afford increased prices for these services during high-volume events.

Drink Plenty of Water

Not only does drinking water help you stay somewhat sober, it keeps you from dehydrating. Dehydration is a serioussafety riskduring large festivals — with all the fun surrounding you, it’s easy to forget to grab a bottle of water before heading to the stage. This is a huge mistake to make and could end up costing you a lot of wasted time, wasted money, or even worse — your life. Stay sober, stay healthy, and drink your water!

Keep Your Belongings Close

Theft is another safety concern during big festivals. Some theft operations area little bigger in scale, but armed robbery and car break-ins are not uncommon. Be sure to carry a minimum amount of cash and be prepared to alert your bank if your debit card is stolen. Luckily, we are in a day and age where you can quickly cut off your cell phone or credit card ifyou’re caught in a sticky situation and vehicles can be traced using GPS tracking systems in the worst case scenario that someone jacks your ride GTA style. Don’t travel alone — always have a friend (preferably, many friends) with you and avoid areas that seem sketchy (dimly lit passageways, secluded areas, or parking garages that are not staffed with security guards). You are in control of your safety more than you know!Have a big festival experience you want to tell us about? Good experience? Bad experience? Let us know in the comments section below!

Pop Pulse on Pollution Solutions

March 2, 2015March 4, 2015 sadams7

A rapid increase in urban area dwelling poses one of the most detrimental threats against long-term sustainability. The environment truly suffers the most, even though we are quick to defend our human discomforts: sitting in stagnant bumper-to-bumper traffic, washing dishes by hand, heck – we’re even irritated by sorting our waste to reduce the amount of rubbish and refuse. Some people don’t even bother getting their trash to a bin; making habit of discarding garbage on the side of the road or on the sidewalk.

If only the affect was considered before we complain about trivial things and taking the easy way. All it takes is a few minutes of research to understand WHY it is imperative to our existence as a species to develop renewable sources and WHAT you can do leave a smaller footprint.

Not to recall stereotypes of a neo-pagan, tree-hugging, hemp-wearing, peace sign-posing hippy, but if the Earth was treated like the gift that it is, we wouldn’t have issues of deforestation, air pollution, and mass sewage storage. Pollution alone can (and has) dismantle ecosystems, endanger and eradicate various species of animals who also call this big spinning rock home, and cause disease and health issues for the Earth’s most dominant and dangerous species.

If the majority of civilization is headed towards occupying major cities, we need to get our priorities in order. For one, if the bulk of your neighbors and fellow cityfolk subscribe to environmentally hazardous (basically lazy) behavior, you are more likely to adopt these behaviors by succumbing to a risky form of groupthink. Many of the latest residents tourban areas will have roots in tending farms and looking after land, so it’s important for their new communities to assist them in making economical choices that can sustain city living.

The United States Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a comprehensive list of ways you can reduce air pollution at home, on the road, and in store by adjusting buying behavior. We recap the big ones for you, but please visit the full list here.

AT HOME:

Conserve energy by turning of appliances and lights and unplugging devices when they are not in use or when you leave the room
Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans
Keep woodstoves and fireplaces well maintained
Plant trees around your home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter. Potted plants also do a great job of reducing air pollutants. We recommend fruit trees, river birch, holly, star magnolia, and boxwood. David J. Nowak of the USDA Forest Service coined the mnemonic device to aid in remembering the benefit of trees: Temperature reduction, Removal of air pollutants, Emission of volatile organic compounds and Energy effects on buildings
Connect your outdoor lights to a timer or use solar lighting.
Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120F.
Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers.
Make the choice to smoke outdoors, or quit altogether

ON THE ROAD:

Keep tires properly inflated and aligned.
In the summer, fill gas tank during cooler evening hours to cut down on evaporation. Avoid spilling gas and don’t “top off” the tank. Replace gas tank cap tightly.
Avoid waiting in long drive-thru lines. Park your car and go in.
When possible, use public transportation, walk, or ride a bike.
Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks (especially for spark plugs).
Use an energy-conserving (EC) grade motor oil.
Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
Join a carpool to get to work.

MAKE SMART PURCHASES:

Choose efficient, low-polluting vehicle models.
Choose products that have less packaging and are reusable.
Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.

Our Air! It’s Getting a Little Polluted

March 2, 2015March 4, 2015 dspiro

Air pollution is a major problem that can ruin an entire city’s, let alone the world’s, health very rapidly. It can cause heart and respiratory illnesses such as asthma in children and elderly in significant numbers. However it is not only a health hazard. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, air pollution can also damage trees, crops, other plants, lakes, animals, buildings, monuments, and statues. Needless to say, clean air needs to be a top priority.

In the U.S. Congress passed the Clean Air Act, giving the federal government authority to clean up air pollution in this country. Other countries, China for example, do not have the current needed efforts to compete with the rising pollution dominating their most industrialized cities. The rates of asthma and other illnesses have soared over the last few decades. Fortunately political and nonprofit efforts have managed to curb the increase in pollution which is a good start to solving the problem. One particular nonprofit effort to combat air pollution in China is called Greenpeace East Asia to where you can donate or find more information of their efforts here.