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Greening

Green Gear

Green Fests

I Can Recycle That?


Why Be Green at a Festival?

OK, so for that matter, why be green anywhere? Don’t want to preach here, just want to highlight a few pertinent points. There are many topics that we could mention (and we will), but for now let’s just stick with recycling.

And let’s start with landfills. We have to put all of our garbage somewhere, right? But because no one seems to want a landfill as a neighbor, (I know I don’t), we are quickly running out of landfill real estate. Sure we could ship it to some vast wasteland somewhere, but that opens up another tin can of worms.

Now, let’s think about what is in a landfill. A whole bunch of eco-friendly products, right? NOT! So, that said, the rain then creates runoff and the runoff of these potentially harmful products end up in our streams, rivers and lakes.

OK, let’s move on to air pollution.

First, new production creates toxins that are released into the air. The more that we recycle, the less need for new production, and may I mention the positive implications for our landfills. Secondly, some materials release a significant amount of CO2 during new production, adding to global warming. In addition, recycling saves trees which are needed to clean up our air. Thirdly, it makes us much more energy-efficient. It takes far less energy to recycle products than to make new ones. This holds true for plastic, paper, and steel products among many others. Lastly, for the economically-minded, recycling creates jobs and all types of entrepreneurial opportunities.

Are you starting to get the picture? Recycling creates one big, beneficial cycle.

“RocketGirl”
Contributing Writer, MyBestFest

Green Tips

Here are a few tips brought to you by the MBF Team that will help to make your festival experience a little more eco-friendly.

  • Leave the water bottles in the store…sure you can recycle them, but we have an endless supply of water from the tap in this country. Grab an aluminum water bottle and bring some water purifying tablets with you if you are worried about the water quality!
  • Invest in some gear gone green…see our list of Green Gear here.
  • Pack light...remember you are going away for the weekend, not three weeks!
  • Buy organic and fair trade food items...support fair working conditions and keep your dining pesticide-free.
  • Bring reusable dishes and silverware…plasticware or styrofoam may make for less clean up, but all of those plates and utensils are going to end up in a landfill near you!
  • If the fest allows you to have an open fire use local firewood…if you bring firewood from home it may have chemicals or insects in it that are not indigenous and could harm the area.
  • Use LED flashlights and lanterns...LED lights are the most energy efficient light source available. Between battery savings and bulb efficiency, the result is up to 90% less energy consumption than any other flashlight.
  • Use a fire for most of your cooking if you’re allowed...cooking over a campfire is the most eco-friendly way, so grab a stick, throw a hot dog on it and roast it up!
  • Recycle…even if there are items that the fest that you are attending won’t take, bring a bag with you and drop them at your local recycling center!
  • Compost...check at the info booth when you get in to see if there are compost bins set up at the fest, if not bring a bucket with you and bring your used food items back to your own compost pile.
  • Go back to basics…sure an RV might be fun and make your trip more comfortable in a lot of ways, but a tent and sleeping bag is far more environmentally friendly than a motor home.
  • Car pool…the more people you have in your car, the less fuel used getting there.
  • Throw away your butts!...did you know that it takes over ten years for a cigarette to decompose? Have a little respect for your kind mother and don’t throw your butts on the ground.
  • Leave with what you came with…enough said!


Resources To Help You Be Greener

  • Check out www.pickuppal.com... if you register and login you can arrange a car pool anywhere!
  • Volunteer with Clean Vibes... a company that was formed to actively encourage and promote recycling, composting and proper waste disposal at outdoor festivals and events.
  • Bring reusable cloth bags…plastic bags do not decompose!
  • Try air-drying your hands...do you really need to grab a few paper towels when you could just wipe your hands on your shorts? Think about how many paper towels you may actually use over the course of a year.