Summer in London has arrived and with the heat comes festival season. Glastonbury Festival just had an amazing run a few weeks ago with performers like Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975, Rod Stewart, and Charli XCX bringing in crowds of up to 60,000.
Glastonbury has been one of the biggest festivals in music since its creation in the 70s, and every year thousands flock to Worthy Farm in South West England to attend. Along with being a hotspot for music lovers around the world, the festival is one of the most sustainable of its kind. How, though, with thousands of guests in attendance, does the festival manage to reach its sustainability goals? And how can other large-scale events learn from Glastonbury?
Crowds at Glastonbury. Image from the BBC.
In 1984, certain parts of the festival grounds began running on solar, wind, and pedal power. Michael Eavis, co-creator of Glastonbury, says that the five-day concert has been eco-conscious since its inception, using milk, straw, and cider directly from the Farm itself. "We were green then, and we are just as green now," Eavis reflected (Sustainability Magazine). Half a century later and Glastonbury is still constantly striving towards their environmentally friendly objectives.
In 2019, the festival banned single-use plastic water bottles and two years ago, it banned disposable vapes. On the festival website, a list of achievements sits proudly under a banner displaying the words, "Love the farm. Leave no trace. Reuse. Reduce. Respect." Among these achievements are no fossil fuels used for power anywhere on the festival site, sustainable travel initiatives for festival-goers, the country's largest events-run on-site recycling plant, and all reusable or compostable tableware and plates.
Image from Glastonbury Festival's website.
With a focus on conserving and maintaining the ground that services it, Glastonbury continues to prove itself as a leader in sustainable business practices. It is clear that from the very beginning there was an appreciation and concern for the environment and the future of music, music fans, and the Earth they exist in. The festival's longevity and success is a testament to the care and thought they put into their operations. Glastonbury Festival is one of the most loved and iconic events for artists and fans alike, and other events of its kind should look to it for guidance and inspiration.