Written on 29^th July 2019

Upcoming UK Sustainable Festivals

Sustainable festivals are increasingly becoming more and more popular. With Glastonbury and Latitude behind us, here is a list of upcoming festivals known for their green initiatives.

The Green Gathering

1-4 August 2019

Located in Wales, The Green Gathering has sustainability as a core theme throughout. The festival uses renewable energy and encourages festival-goers and those playing the festival to reduce emissions while getting to the festival as well. The food is locally sourced, mostly plant-based, and the food waste is composted. They also offer workshops on foraging and reducing waste. Other workshops include up-cycling with the non-food related waste on site. The festival has a recycling rate of 73%. 

Green Man

15-18 August 2019

Another festival in Wales is Green Man, and the name itself speaks to the eco-conscious heart of the festival. All tents and food left behind go directly to ‘Help Refugees’ and other organizations. Those attending the festival are encouraged to recycle as much as possible. The festival has water filling stations throughout the site, and festival-goers must buy or bring their own reusable cups to use at the bar stands. Plastic straws are banned (and always have been), and food vendor packaging and cutlery must be compostable. Workshops include foraging, medicinal herb and natural paint making, soil conservation, etc.

Sunrise

16-18 August 2019

Sunrise festival describes itself as an “ethical-living, organic, arts and music festival”. It has won lots of awards for it’s ethical and socially responsible efforts. Located at an estate in Hereford, the festival is small with a large spirit. There is a sitewide policy that everything traded and used is ethically sourced, and large and/or unethical brands are discouraged in favor of smaller, greener businesses. All food at the festival is locally-sourced, plant-based, and organic where possible. Food waste is composted onsite as well as having compost toilets that are chemical-free. The workshops and classes offered include yoga, meditation, living off-the-grid and many more. There is also a full program of speakers that discuss all things eco and sustainable.

Shambala Festival

22-25 August 2019

Shambala is a pioneer of sustainable festivals in the UK. Located in Northamptonshire, the festival has won numerous awards for environmental efforts made. It is the first and only festival to win a five-star Creative Green certification.  Shambala runs on 100% renewable energy sources and has a ban on single-use plastics. There are no plastic water bottles onsite and they encourage festival-goers to bring refillable bottles. All food on site is packaged in compostable cardboard and wooden cutlery. There is no Coca-Cola or any mass-produced beverage on site either which reduces the festivals carbon footprint. In fact, it is carbon net positive. The wind turbine investments from audience donations mitigate seven times the amount of CO2 produced by the festival a year. Ticket purchasers are charged a £10 recycling deposit that is fully refundable for those who bring recyclables to the sites ‘Recycling Exchanges’ at the end of the festival. In 2018, Shambala was able to manage waste so well that it didn’t send any of it to a landfill. There are also talks, debates, classes and workshops that are eco-themed.