Festival season is upon us! Get excited for unbelievable artist lineups, picturesque settings, and…a lot of waste?
While festivals are full of fun and good vibes, they also create a lot of waste. Given the temporary nature of a festival campsite, organizers and attendees alike tend to opt for temporary solutions when it comes to food and hygiene during the event.
However, there are plenty of ways to make your personal festival experience more sustainable while organizers work to do their part to make the infrastructure of the event more earth-friendly as well. Here are some of our top tips to be more sustainable this festival season.
Travel constitutes up to 80% of a single festival’s carbon footprint. When you consider how far people travel for festivals, it’s easy to see how this is the largest concern when it comes to sustainability. Opting to carpool or use public transportation makes a huge difference in emissions. Taking a domestic train instead of flight saves 70% of carbon emissions, and carpooling with four passengers saves about the same. Factor in all the other festival attendees who also take a car or train, and you can see how big of a difference this makes.
Single-use items are pervasive at festivals, but with a little planning, you can minimize your personal waste while you’re camping out.
There’s no need to go out and buy mini sized toiletries if your personal care products are plastic-free and travel-friendly in the first place. At The Earthling Co., we have plenty of items that will serve you just as well at a festival as they do at home.
You don’t have to contribute to the sea of endless water bottles at the end of each night. Festival organizers don’t always recycle the bottles, either. Skip the waste and bring your own bottle. Plus, hydration is crucial with long days outside in the sun. Don’t forget to bring a reusable coffee cup for the mornings, too!
Whether you’re making your own food or buying it, bringing your own reusable cutlery will go a long way to save on some plastic. They usually come in easy-to-carry pouches so you won’t lose track of your utensils.
It can be tempting to go out and buy new outfits and other items in your excitement for a festival. Instead of buying new, try to wear clothes you already own, or go thrifting if you really want to find a new fit.
Similarly, try to use your own tent or share with a friend who already has one. A shocking number of tents are left behind on festival grounds after the event ends, and each tent requires a significant amount of carbon to produce. You can also look into tent rentals if you’re not able to find one on your own.
Of course, when the festival is over, be sure to bring home everything you brought with you. Dispose of any waste you might have properly, and make sure everything else is packed away so it doesn’t contribute to the massive piles of trash you’ll see as you leave the festival grounds.
Festivals are a wonderful opportunity to experience great music and the best of humanity, so let’s be sure to contribute to that positive atmosphere by doing our part to make them a more sustainable experience.
