Six ways to be a sustainable festival-goer
1. Dress the part
If you enjoy dressing up at festivals there are plenty of ways to create a unique look and avoid disposable novelty clothes. Borrow from friends or find interesting second-hand clothes and fancy-dress costumes online and in vintage shops. Swap accessories with friends at the festival to avoid taking too much. While it’s tempting to glam up with some glitter, even eco-friendly glitter is made from plastic. There’s no legal limit on how long it takes to decompose in the natural environment before it’s called ‘biodegradable’, so many eco glitters could last as long as plastic.
2. Be weather wise
Remember a hat and sunglasses to avoid buying duplicates at the festival, and bring suncream that’s eco-friendly, too. When buying sun lotion, avoid brands that contain the three O’s: oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene, all of which are harmful to marine life once they’re washed off. Look for creams that use zinc oxide and titanium oxide instead. If you’re in the UK it’s likely to rain at some point during the festival and there’ll be little shelter in the middle of a field, so pack a lightweight raincoat rather than relying on disposable ponchos or improvised bin liners.
3. Share the journey
Make your way to the festival by public transport as far as possible or lift share if that’s not practical. (Foo Fighters – pictured – set a great example by taking the train to Glastonbury this year.) Travelling with others means you’ll feel part of the pre-festival buzz, and sharing luggage space will encourage you to only pack the essentials. Use local WhatsApp or Facebook groups, or post on neighbourhood websites like Nextdoor to let others know. If your home will be empty while you’re away, turn off all electricals apart from the essentials (the fridge!). Don’t forget to switch off things like wi-fi and items that you’d normally leave on standby.
4. Say no to single-use
Don’t forget your refillable bottles and insulated mug (if you’ll still need your coffee fix). Some festivals offer reusable cups for a small charge so ask at the bar. Take cutlery too – wrap it in a tea towel to keep it clean and dry. If you need to freshen up but don’t fancy the showers, avoid wet wipes. Most aren’t biodegradable, causing over 300,000 sewer blockages every year. If you must use them, choose a ‘certified flushable’ brand such as Natracare, but a flannel is better. Cheeky Wipes make reusable wipe kits and other washable self-care products.
5. Be a happy camper
If you’re new to sleeping under the stars borrow any camping equipment you don’t have, to avoid buying it new (or buy second-hand). When the party’s over, bring everything home with you, to buck the trend of festival-goers leaving cheap tents behind. Some event organisers have countered this by having collection points for unwanted camping gear and unopened food, so check if your festival will have one. If any of your tent kit is broken, take it home to be mended or upcycle it. Decathlon has trialled a No Tent Left Behind scheme, with campers getting a full refund if they return the retailer’s popular £30 tent, to encourage people not to discard them.
6. Leave no trace
Most festival sites will have recycling bins for different materials, so find and use them as directed. Do a good deed by picking up any litter you spot on your way to the bin – that’s one less thing for someone else to tidy up at the end of the event. When packing up, check your camping patch to make sure you’ve got all your tent pegs – many festival sites are used by livestock out of season, and campers’ litter can be harmful to animals.
ALL IMAGES © GETTY
More ways to live a sustainable life
You can find lots more ways to take action for UK nature at home or in your community on the Save Our Wild Isles website.