A music party in the middle of the Amazon is not want you would expect - no monkeys other than the strange moves on the dance floors.

The site is an old quary that was exploited by miners when Duran Duran were still cool. Long before that the area was pristine forest. Despite the destruction, the site just outside the city of Manaus is surrounded by secondary forest and four beautiful lakes, a waterfall and two small rivers that empty into the mighty Rio Negro.

This unusual eco-park was created last year for the first ECOSYSTEM after the government allocated approximately 360,000 square metres for the pioneering festival. Because the festival is was created by Liquid Sky Music to raise funds for the Greenpeace Amazon campaign and raise environmental awareness in the region, the festival adopted the principles that we preach.

Today ECOSYSTEM makes a difference by adopting practices that minimize agressions on teh environment.

With a lot of work, the site is becoming the first environmentally sound venue of the Amazon. It will be used as a platform to promote protection and the culture of the rainforest.

how is it built?

The permanent structures for the eco-park are being built with the best eco-technology available in Brazil. The goal is to ensure integration with the Amazon environment, providing a low impact interaction with Amazon nature. Aspects of ECOSYSTEM including illumination and special effects will focus on the surrounding environment instead of creating an artificial club atmosphere.

The two main structures are made from ecologically certified wood from the Amazon inspired by the ancient architecture of the Yanomami indigenous people.

The timber has been certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC), the only internationally recognised forestry eco-certification.

The open 'huts'provide a natural air circulation system avoiding the use of ozone-destroying air conditioning. The floating stage is made of soft timber, also FSC certified, and will have a straw roof to protect the artists from the sun and the rain.

On the electric and hydraulic installations, PVC, a plastic rich in chemical pollutants, will be replaced by iron and polyethylene. The dance floors will be covered with a layer of FSC certified plywood. The paints will be made of organic pigments and lime, and the colors will also be inspired on indigenous knowledge. Local communities will manufacture the benches, hammocks and straw mats to be used at the chill out areas, giving them a chance to expose their unique skills on sustainable use of natural resources.

bring your skatebaord

New to this year's ECOSYSTEM party is a skate ramp that will be a permanent structure for the park. The ramp is made from FSC certified wood as well - making it the first FSC certified skateboard ramp on the planet.

you missed woodstock? come to woodstick!

Also a first for ECOSYSTEM is the Woodstick stage. The space isw dedicated to amateur artists and many have already signed up.

where does all the garbage go?

All the garbage is going to be collected separately and sent for recycling or proper disposal. At the event site, the garbage bins will be properly identified, advising partiers how to dispose plastic, glass, aluminum, old batteries, cigarette butts and organic waste.

Another goal is to reduce the amount of garbage, using biodegradable materials where possible and, for instance, using returnable glasses instead of plastic glasses. We are counting on the cooperation of people to keep the event site clean and to be successful with the recycling.

how will people get there?

Public tranport to and from the venue will be exclusively by bus. Cars will be avoided at all costs. A rotation system of buses leaving from the main hotels and places of Manaus will make it possible for the public to go to the venue at any time, making unnecessary the use of taxis or private cars.

Renewable solar energy will be promoted at the venue as a clean, safe and viable alternative to dangerous and polluting fossil fuels and nuclear power. Still very incipient in Brazil, the goal is to inform people of the existence of renewable alternatives to generate electricity.

phew, what about the human waste?

The sewage will receive biological treatment in order to avoid contamination of the soil and water sources.

ok, but what are people going to eat?

We will be dinning in style on some local Amazon dishes, especially fruit based juices and ice creams. Endangered fish species will not be part of the menu, as well as genetic engineered (GE) ingredients.

who else will be there?

Parallel to the music event, several local and non-local organizations working for the protection of the Amazon and its people will be present, promoting their ideas and goals. A set of kiosks for information and public engagement is part of the permanent structure for the event. There will also be a dedicated area for presentations and exhibitions, allowing you to get in touch with the Amazon reality, to access information and get involved. AAlso important to know is that 33 percent of the funds raised from the entrances will be donated to the Greenpeace campaign to protect the Amazon. Greenpeace will use such resources to increase its capacity to investigate, denounce and act against crimes to nature.

who are the tough guys at the door?

Following the our peaceful principle, the security of the event, inside and outside the site, will have no guns. We rely on the good spirit of people to make this a peaceful celebration of life and the Amazon rainforest.

how do we do it?

Ecosystem 2.0 is not a commercial event. It's a non-profit event. All artists are coming to perform with no charges, and most of the people involved with the production of the event are working on a volunteer basis. The spirit of the event is the spirit of celebrating life and nature, combining environmental protection with cultural vanguard, and counting on the support of different sectors of society to make it come true.