What with all the trash generated and artists being flown across the world, music festivals have never been the most sustainable. But times have changed, and green initiatives in music festivals have gone way beyond just reusable cups at the bar. We’ve discovered sustainable music festivals around the world where you can combine eco-friendly entertainment with places that also double as vacation destinations. Now you just have to find a sustainable way of getting there…
Glastonbury, UK
The big daddy of festivals in the UK started in 1970 and has kept the same original green ethos of its hippie founder, Michael Eavis. As it takes place on his working farm, he has a vested interest in keeping the land as clean as possible and has used green initiatives to protect it. In 2017, more than one million plastic bottles were sold at Glastonbury - now single-use plastic is completely banned from being sold. In 2023, after years of work, Glastonbury was powered entirely by renewable fuels and renewable energy using lower impact, fossil-fuel free electricity or run on solar photovoltaic and battery hybrid systems. Eavis also gives the land a break every few years so the grass can grow back and the cows can have their home to themselves for a summer (aww).
Boom, Portugal
Deep in rural Portugal on the banks of a lake near the Spanish border, Boom Festival is a 'psychedelic global gathering of music, arts and culture’ committed to sustainability. The founders are seen as pioneers in green initiatives for music festivals and use permaculture principles to give back and regenerate their land throughout the year. Water, compost and money made at the festival are invested back into tree planting, water management and soil health. Boom is seen as an example for eco-friendly music festivals and has won the Greener Festival Award eight years in a row.
Bonnaroo, USA
Since its debut on a rural Tennessee farm two decades ago, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival strived to be one of the country’s greenest music festivals, investing in recycling, composting, solar energy and other improvements. They have been carbon neutral since 2008 and the non-profit Clean Vibes is on hand to sort trash, diverting 4,000 tonnes of waste from landfill. $1 from every ticket goes towards sustainability work from composting and solar to carbon offsets, food recovery efforts and food bank donations.
Pohoda Festival, Slovakia
Pohoda has been voted Europe’s most environmentally friendly festivals and is one of the friendliest and calmest too. Unusually it is set in Trencin Airport, giving a spacious atmosphere that’s compounded by the fact that ticket numbers are capped. This means less pressure on resources and smaller queues for their top-of-the-range water-saving vacuum toilets. A mobile solar power station and 17 waste separation points are just part of its deep commitment to the environment. Headliners have included Jamie XX and Central Cee so it is a good chance to catch huge acts in a smaller venue.
Shambala, UK
You could tell Shambala was serious about protecting their environment when they put a ban on that ultimate festival favorite- glitter. As well as the shiny micro plastics, the festival is completely meat, fish and cow’s milk free. Initially controversial, 94% of respondents to a post-festival survey said they wanted it to remain totally vegetarian and a third said the experience led them to eat less animal products in their everyday lives! As Shambala runs completely on renewable energy the biggest part of their carbon footprint comes from people traveling to the site. They are trying to lessen this with a discount for those that take public transport and free guided cycle tours to the site in a secret location in the English countryside.
Woodford Folk Festival, Australia
The owners of one of the most popular festivals in Australia chose to add caps on the number of people that attend to achieve their aims of sustainability. Located at Woodfordia, a former barren dairy farm in Queensland, the land has been regenerated with 120,000 trees, orchids, ferns and sedges. There is a lake to cool off in, tree-filled campsites, butterfly walks, ponds and wildlife to add to the magical atmosphere. Taking place over new year’s (summer in Australia), the atmosphere is electric. 27 venues and over 2000 performers provide entertainment with a spectacular fire event to celebrate new year’s day.
Long Story Short...
As you can see, green initiatives in music festivals are only increasing with many of them now run completely on renewable energy. Festival goers can also do their part by leaving no trace, bringing reusable camping gear and choosing festivals that really care about sustainability. We’ve sorted partying with a clear conscience, it’s time to travel that way too… cycle trip to Slovakia anyone?
Written by Laura Sedlak
