Wanås Environmental Effort
Art institutions have a negative impact on the environment through, for example, climate-controlled galleries, long art transports, and frequent flights. The Wanås Foundation (SWU) has decided to, along with institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York City, and Kulturhuset, Stockholm, work actively with environmental questions to thereby reduce the negative load on earth’s resources.
In this development SWU has decided to become a member of Svanenklubben, the environmental certification available to Swedish cultural institutions. As a member, SWU commits to ecologically sustainable purchases and habits. This change has been comprehensive and demanding but also joyful and inspiring for SWU.
The larger changes for SWU include changing from conventional to green electricity, using an eco-car, switching to printing Svanencertified catalogues, books, and postcards, continual environmental education for the staff, and prioritizing trains and buses for transportation. New this year is a discounted entrance fee for those who travel to Wanås using public transport. Also smaller, but equally important changes in the day-to-day work have taken place, such as changing traditional light bulbs for energy efficient ones, installing the paper saving printing software Greenprint, and switching to digital press invites.
Besides the administrative changes, SWU has chosen to launch its environmental work by presenting an exhibition, Footprints, with artists from the Nordic countries and Germany. Thus, neither artists nor artworks have had to travel far.
We are convinced that every change counts – big as well as small.