Music Festivals Pollute the Environment, What Can You Do To Help?

With the arrival of COVID-19 in December 2019 and the subsequent quarantines around the world in March 2020, the mass events were canceled, causing millions in losses for their producers and promoters. However, a vaccine against COVID-19 and almost two years later, these have been made again in much of the globe, while in other places they are already being announced for the end of 2021 and the span of 2022.

In Latin America alone, hundreds of music festivals have already started their pre-sale process and the public is pleased to once again enjoy their favorite artists live and direct. Among the festivals we can mention Corona Capital, Vive Latino, Lollapalooza, among others. And while the return of these festivals means the return to normalcy that we enjoyed before coronavirus, they also generate pollution in the environment. However, there are actions you can take to attend these and take care of the environment.

Also read: 4 tips to reduce your carbon footprint by saving energy

Why do music festivals pollute?

Let's start by mentioning the basics. These events are massive, so millions of people attend who will not only go to enjoy a few days of music, but also have physiological needs such as eating, which implies that there will be both organic and inorganic waste.

On the other hand, these festivals are usually held on the outskirts of the main cities or in rural places, they are seldom done in the cities, this implies that attendees must move from one place to another so they must use transport, which produces carbon emmisions. It has been proven that 80% of the carbon footprint produced by a festival comes from transport. In addition, the energy expenditure that is generated is abysmal, taking into account the lights, sound, and energy sources for the show that are usually not renewable. Let's not forget the impressive waste of cigarette butts, cans, and plastic and glass bottles that can even cause wildfires.

Something that is rarely taken into account is the physiological waste that pollutes due to the chemical substances that are usually consumed in these types of events, not to mention that there will be hundreds of attendees who consume prescription drugs in their daily lives. At the 2019 Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom, for example, wildlife was affected by urine laden with recreational drug substances that many of the attendees disposed of on the grounds surrounding the place where the event was held. event. These substances seeped through the ground to reach rivers, putting ecosystems and vital wildlife resources at risk.

What can you do to avoid contamination on your own?

Although these types of events mean an increase in the economic entry for a country through the cultural sector, it is more than clear that they are not usually sustainable and put the very life of planet earth at risk by contributing to the pollution that results in the climate change. That is why the producers and sponsors of these events must begin to focus the events so that they have a sustainable and responsible realization, as well as the governments of the countries where the festivals are held.

From the individual, these are some of the things you should do:

• Share transportation with as many people as possible to reduce vehicle pollution.
• If you come from another city within the same country and the flight is less than two hours, opt for the road trip. Sure, it will take longer to arrive, but you will be reducing your carbon footprint considerably.
• Prevent your physiological waste from ending up in natural places that do not have the ability to filter the chemicals that your urine may have. It does not matter that you have to wait to use the bathroom provided by the festival, it is preferable to urinating on the floor.
• If you are going to use recreational drugs, make sure you complete the previous step and that none of the drugs you consume fall to the ground.
• Don't throw away the butts. Store them in a glass bottle and throw them away when you get home.
• When leaving the event, collect the garbage that you see lying on the ground and make sure to dispose of it in the appropriate place.
• If you have the opportunity, invite your friends and acquaintances to demand that the festivals have sustainable policies.