Green Attraction

It is with great pleasure that KunstCentret Silkeborg Bad has just received the green certificate “Green Attraction”. This was preceded by a qualification process, where we have put even more focus on sustainability. The work with sustainability and the transition to a greener cultural institution has long been a focus at KunstCentret.

With the certificate, we now have the opportunity to work more systematically and structured with the implementation of sustainability in all departments of KunstCentret. There are still many areas to improve, and we are working to continuously keep up with the times, changes and requirements to bring our institution safely and greenly into the future, so that we can pass on a robust and healthy cultural institution and workplace to the next generations.

We also know that as a respected art and cultural institution, we have a shared responsibility to inspire our guests about transition and sustainability, so that more and more people make greener choices in their everyday lives. The certificate and the underlying tools also give us the opportunity to reach out and involve our suppliers and stakeholders in the green agenda that we at KunstCentret ourselves work with on a daily basis.

The Green Attraction certification was created by HORESTA in collaboration with various organizations, including Danish Museums. The certification ensures that certain criteria within daily operations, management and guests meet the green expectations for the behavior we display today. This includes everything from waste sorting, cleaning supplies, considerations for new investments as well as sustainable considerations and choices in connection with cultural productions.

Here are a few examples:

Towel

We have replaced hand towels in public and staff toilets with small towels made of OEKO-TEX® certified material. The small cloths have not only significantly reduced our residual waste, the cloths also emit 30% less CO2 compared to hand drying with 2 pieces of paper*. The cloths can be washed up to 300 times, which corresponds to a lifespan of 7 years. When the cloths can no longer be used, they are sorted as textile waste for recycling. The cloths are washed by a local company that uses a program that optimizes their own driving routes to save fuel. 70% of the water the company uses for washing is recycled, and they naturally also use Nordic Ecolabel products. The initiative is part of an overall process of reducing the amount of residual waste. In terms of hygiene, we still have to dry our hands after using the toilet, but this can be done without cutting down trees and producing waste.

Waste sorting

After site and usage analyses, we have decided not to have waste bins for the public in every corner. It is unsightly and not relevant at an art center. Waste is not created while you are a guest here. On the other hand, we have made an effort to give guests the opportunity to sort their waste where it is created, namely in our large Sculpture Park area. Here, the public now sorts into up to 4 fractions at the sorting stations, which are located in strategic places in the park. Guests also have the opportunity to dispose of their waste in our cafes and in the toilets. It is also possible to use the waste stations to place deposit containers or as ashtrays, as we have installed holders for these items at the sorting stations.