Compost your cutlery and avoid campsite ‘Armageddon’: how music festivals are going sustainable

As warmer weather arrives in Australia, the outdoor music and festival season reaches its peak. Reducing a festival's carbon footprint is simple, and there are numerous ways to do so. For the upcoming Strawberry Fields festival on the Murray River near Tocumwal, New South Wales, organizers are offering charter buses, public transport, and shuttle services to encourage attendees to travel sustainably.

By using these alternative modes of transportation, the festival aims to lower transport emissions and minimize the impact on the local community.

Other sustainable practices at the festival include offering camping rentals, pre-pitched tents, and glamping accommodations. This allows attendees to bring fewer personal items, reducing the amount of waste generated at the event. Additionally, the festival features a renewable-powered stage, sound system, and lighting, as well as composting toilets and rewards for eco-friendly behavior.

According to Berish Bilander, chief executive of Green Music Australia, audience transport and waste are the primary concerns for greenfield festivals. In urban areas, energy use, such as diesel generators or electricity, and waste management become more significant factors. To avoid "campsite Armageddon," where discarded tents, marquees, chairs, and eskies are left behind, Bilander suggests borrowing or hiring equipment and investing in quality gear.

Organizers and attendees can collaborate to minimize single-use plastics in urban areas by encouraging the use of refillable water bottles. The WOMADelaide festival in Adelaide's Botanic Park already diverts 99.5% of event waste from landfill by mandating compostable and reusable food packaging, cups, and utensils. Permanent live music venues can also reduce energy consumption and noise pollution through renewable energy and efficiency measures, such as improving insulation or installing solar panels.

Festivals can further support sustainability initiatives by participating in programs like Green Music Australia's sustainability certification and directory of participating venues. Additionally, some festivals offer dedicated events, like The Planting at Woodford folk festival, which focuses on revegetating and restoring the land, fostering a connection between festival-goers and the environment.