The Spring/Summer 2022 festival lineup is heating up, with so many major music fests, arts and crafts shows, and food festivals taking place across the globe and in the US. In Summer 2022, for instance, you can take your pick from Lollapalooza (taking place in July in Chicago), the Pitchfork Music Festival (in Chicago), and the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City for your next event. Many would say that the only downside to festivals is their carbon footprint.
According to research conducted in 2020, festivals can harm the environment by bringing hundreds of thousands of people to one place at the same time. In the average music festival, 7% of carbon emissions are caused by waste, 13% by energy, and a whopping 80% by attendee travel. This can not be left unchanged. If you are traveling to a festival this Spring/Summer, how can you do your share to support the environment in a more sustainable manner?
Taking Advantage of Dedicated Transport
Festivals are doing their share to lower their carbon footprint. They are protecting trees onsite, relying on renewable energies, and providing dedicated transport to the event so that attendees don't have to drive their cars. Many are also promoting car-sharing services like GoCarShare or Liftshare, providing information about the impact of festival travel, and promoting the use of electric cars.
Additional incentives that could be put into place include imposing a surcharge for cars entering the festival area that are not full, and a discount for those that have a full occupancy.
Offsetting Carbon Footprints
You may have no option but to rack up a larger than usual carbon footprint because the festival you have your heart set on is taking place in another state or abroad. If so, the first step to lowering the impact of your trip is to be aware of your flight footprint. There are many online calculators that will enable you to understand the pressure you are putting on the environment via emissions, excess waste, and logistics.
Once you have an actual amount, you can offset it by contributing to various projects. These include tree planting, paying for clean stoves for homes in Honduras, water treatment projects in India, wind energy projects in the Caribbean, and forest conservation projects in the Amazon.
Considering Walking or Cycling
If you live relatively close to events you wish to attend, you can definitely ditch motor vehicles and use your feet or your bike to get there. You won't have to wait in queues to park, and you will definitely save on fuel and car maintenance.
If you live mid-distance from an event, why not take a couple of days off work and turn it into a weekend of entertainment and cycling? You can look for scenic routes to your destination, camp by night, and visit beautiful parks and other natural landscapes on your way to the event for some more family fun.
There are many small steps you can take to reduce the total carbon footprint of your chosen fair. These include sharing your ride, using dedicated coaches and buses, and cycling or walking to the festival site. If you are taking a plane to the festival, carbon offsetting is a must, and the good news is that this goal is easy to achieve and there are a host of meaningful projects to choose from.
Join FestivalNet Today
Here at FestivaNet, you can search for a fair, event, or any other festival you wish to attend. Sign up and become a member today for exclusive benefits and book your tickets to an event this year!
image: tony phamvn
