The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer which can only mean one thing… festival season is right around the corner! After a tough few years without them, it’s likely that they are going to be bigger and better than ever, and along with this excitement of their return, some people may be feeling nervous about their impact on the environment. 

Whilst a lot of festivals are taking their own steps towards being greener, for example Glastonbury Festival is taking some big steps towards becoming plastic free, you may be concerned about how your own actions can impact the environment. In this case, we have put together a list of steps you can take to ensure that you can reduce your impact on the environment and enjoy your festival with a clear conscience. 

Choose your tent wisely 

Although it might be tempting to order a super cheap tent inorder to grab a bargain, most of the time, you get what you pay for. Buying a cheap tent is likely to mean that it is probably not going to last very long before it has to be thrown away, and that is even if it lasts the length of your festival before ripping. Investing in a good quality tent not only means that it’ll survive the weekend but it will be great to use for a number of years. High quality tents can also be repaired much more easily and are worth repairing. Lastly, it goes without saying, take your tent home with you. 

Toiletries 

In order to make your toiletries selection more environmentally friendly, you just need to keep a few simple things in mind, when you are going to purchase the essential items, be it through visiting Thecleaningcollective.co.uk or your local supermarket. Instead of opting for plastic tubes of toothpaste, try going for toothpaste tablets. Similarly, instead of picking shower gels and shampoos in plastic bottles (if you’re planning to treat yourself to a shower), try choosing their bar alternatives. This simple switch will not only reduce your plastic consumption, but will also be a lot lighter to carry than the bottled versions. For those who enjoy a daily wet wipe wash, opt for biodegradable or even flushable as these can be made from 100% tissue paper. You can then bundle up all your toiletries in a reusable eco bag.

Festival-fits 

Although it can be hard to resist, when filling your online basket with the latest sequinned and frilled fashion statements, before you click check out, it is good to ask yourself ‘will I wear this again?’ and if you will, how many uses are you going to get out of it. If the answer is not many, it might be a good idea to remove it from your basket. Fast fashion produces over 92 million tonnes of waste a year, so if you can repurpose clothes that you already have, or visit a charity shop that would be better than purchasing new items. For accessories, glitter at a festival is usually a must-have, however did you know that glitter is actually microplastic and many animals see it as food. But fear not, biodegradable glitter is now readily available so make sure you choose this over the other. 

Food and drink 

A key part of any festival experience is visiting the food stands and bars. If you want to help to reduce waste, taking your own reusable cutlery, cups and refillable bottles is a good idea. Most festivals will have lots of water stations dotted about so you can refill your bottle throughout your trip. Taking homemade snacks into the festival site with you will also help you to bring less prepackaged food items into the festival, you can carry these around in your eco bag or backpack. 

All in all, the take home message should be, to take everything home. Enjoy your festival to the fullest but remember to leave no trace.