Summer, sun, festival time! After the two-year-break, many festivals are finally waiting in the wings or have already started. There is hardly anything better than spending the days and nights with friends, dancing, partying and discovering new bands. Quite often, I came back home with new favorite acts and songs.

What really bothers me about festival visits though, is the huge amount of trash that piles up afterwards. And unfortunately not only around the recycling spots … But sustainable or even zero-waste living at a festival? Is that even possible? 

Let’s start with the food. By today, many festivals offer a whole range of vegetarian or vegan food stalls. And when in doubt, there are definitely fries somewhere. On the campsite, however, the ravioli cans prevail. But vegan food is just perfect for a summer weekend at the festival! Couscous and Co. don’t need refrigeration, can be prepared with hot water and spiced up with any ingredients. Sweet or salty, spicy or mild, according to your taste (top tip: couscous, cinnamon, apple, and a bit of honey!)

When it comes to cosmetics and toiletries, it’s even easier to avoid waste: a bar of soap instead of a plastic bottle with shower gel bottle and a jar of toothpaste tabs instead of a tube, and you’re all set for the festival. If it should be the classic shower gel, then please avoid the trial sizes. They are expensive and you get way more plastic than anything else … 

You can find more tips for a plastic-free bathroom here.

If you do end up with trash (it’s really not that easy to avoid it altogether, especially when you’re trying out the food stalls), dispose of it at the appropriate stations. Of course, it would be even better to take it home again where it can be separated to fully exploit the recycling potential.

By the way, I found it really frightening how many tents, sleeping bags and even pieces of furniture are simply left behind after such a festival! Much of it is only slightly broken or dirty. Volunteers collect these after the festival, clean and repair them, and make the equipment available to homeless people and people in need. Over 100 tents were collected at the Hurricane last weekend! For more info, you can check out the hashtag #NachSommerKommtKalt. By the way, the next collection will be at the Deichbrand. Maybe we’ll see each other there 😉