Green Tips For Campers
GREEN TIPS FOR CAMPERS
We can enjoy this world and have a wild time without destroying the planet. Here are some simple tips on how to be green at Waveform. Once you have got the hang of this – which you undoubtedly will... there is a big wide world out there to change. We need to create a new culture which has a minimal impact on the earths vital systems and everyone of you has a part to play in this. We can make the wave of change that we all dream of together.
GIVE OUR ECO RANGERS A HUG
The Eco Rangers will be roaming all over the site, making sure that everything is staying environmentally friendly. We are a very friendly bunch and would love it if you asked us questions on eco-initiatives at the festival and where to find things like recycling points. Also if you see any eco problems happening on site such as leaky taps, an invasion of very distressed looking frogs, litter or anything please come to us so we can sort it out!
LOVE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Travelling by train, coach or bus is much more environmentally friendly then travelling by car. Trains emit the least amount of CO2 compared to all other forms of transport so we really encourage you to travel by train and have set up shuttle buses to and from the train station to help you do this easily. Coaches and buses are the 2nd best way to travel with cars coming in a poor last. Check out our getting here page for more details. As a way to try to discourage people bringing their cars we will also be asking you to buy a ticket per vehicle you bring on site.
SHARE YOUR CAR
If you have to travel by car then please car share. It is a great way to reduce the impact you have on the environment. If you get 5 people in your car you will each be emitting nearly 5 times less CO2 and 5 times less pollution then driving on your own. It’s also a lot more fun! If you didn’t do it this year but want to do it next year check the lift share forum linked on our website. If you see one of the eco rangers gathering information on how you travelled to the site - join in and tell them all. This will help us find out how much CO2 is being generated from people travelling to the festival.
RECYCLE FOR LIFE
We can recycle TETRAPAKS! Put any of these in the tetrapak recycling bins. We will also be recycling paper, plastics, metals (including those wasteful nitrous canisters) and glass etc. Waveform was the first dance festival in the UK to have really effective recycling. We will also be giving out clear plastic bags for you to recycle in your campsite. Recycling is an important way to save natural resources. Each tonne of paper recycled saves 15 average sized trees and we like trees. A lot! Mentally hugging a tree now J Also 25 plastic drink bottles makes a fleece jacket – well isn’t that exciting. Recycling also saves energy. You can make 20 cans out of recycled materials with the same amount of energy it takes to make a single one can from virgin material. We would love to recycle as much waste on site as possible. Join our mission. Waveform is like a mini village of its own – so it’s a good testing ground to show how green us humans can be. It is estimated that up to 90% of what is put in our bins could either be reused or recycled. It would be amazing if we could reduce our waste by that much. It is in your hands.
COMPOST FOOD AND DISPOSABLE CUPS/PLATES
This is a quick and easy step that has a huge impact. If everyone did this we would drastically reduce the levels of methane going into the atmosphere. Methane is a really powerful greenhouse gas that we don’t hear much about. All the biodegradable material such as food waste and paper that gets buried in landfill sites ends up decomposing without any oxygen producing huge amounts of methane. Cows also fart methane! So another step would be to reduce your beef and milk intake! The less we can send to landfill the better so please put food waste in the compost bins. All disposable cups and plates from cafes on site will also be compostable so you can put these in as well. Compost bins will be provided outside catering stalls and within the camping area. Look out for the signs. All waste food can be placed in the compost bins. Please tell the eco rangers if you find a café using non compostable cups – it’s our job to make sure all the Waveform eco plans actually work on the ground!
COLLECT YOUR LITTER
Collecting our litter is something that we all do. There are some occasions which are a bit surprising though… like at the end of the night when the main stage is turned off and everyone seems to have forgotten their beer cups.. what’s going on? It’s a mass collective thing. If one person does it – it gives and excuse for another person to do it – and they will just automatically without thinking. Break the loop. In fact why not start one of your own. But a green one that means we aren’t shocked by our collective behaviour.
SAVE THAT WATER
Water is life! Clean water is something to treasure especially as it takes a lot of energy to produce it. Simply just make yourself aware of wasting water when you use taps or showers. It’s so easy. Just don’t leave taps / showers running when not in use. And try not to use too much. If you see any broken/leaky taps and showers please tell one of our Eco-Rangers or a crew member. A leaky tap with only a tiny trickle of water wastes something like 60 litres of water and hour!
USE BIODIESEL - but only if it’s locally produced!
We will have locally sustainably produced biodiesel onsite for you to fill up your vehicles on your return journey. Biodiesel is a diesel substitute which is obtained from plants – so it’s a renewable energy source to fuel your vehicle. Biodeisel can be used in unmodified diesel engines and you can put either pure biodiesel or a mixture of biodiesel and normal diesel into your vehicle depending on its type. But don’t believe the hype – it won’t save the world – but it is a good stop gap until we invent a better solution. Come on guys – get inventing!
TAKE UNWANTED ITEMS TO RE-USE BOXES
We will be setting up re-use boxes in the festival for people to put in their unwanted items. These items can then be picked up by anyone who wants them. If there are any left over after the festival we will give them to charity. These items can be anything from blow up beds, old tents, pots and pans, hats, scarves or dodgy sunglasses. This is especially important at the end of the festival when things get left. Anything you don’t want anymore just put them in. Give them a new lease of life!
CREATE A GLASS FREE HAVEN
Glass hurts! Let’s not leave it lying around. We want our toes left by the end of the festival! No really we do! Waveform has a no glass policy for this exact reason. We will have glass amnesty points where all glass will be recycled.
RECYCLE THEM BATTERIES
Batteries contain heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury which are harmful to wildlife and pollute soils and rivers. 300 million batteries go into our landfill sites each year! We want to be part of the solution. Any batteries that you think of throwing away – put them in the metal recycling point or even better give it to one of the eco rangers to dispose of. They are after all eco-hazards! Any other eco-hazards on site please tell our eco rangers. We are there to stop the pollution. If you have rechargeable batteries then big smiles to you! You are doing more good then you probably know. To make it easier for you we have power points where you can recharge these on site.
GET YOUR BUTTS OFF THE GROUND
95% of all cigarette butts are made of cellulose acetate (a plastic) which persists in the environment, leaks toxins and ends up in the stomachs of animals. To prevent this from happening we will be distributing containers which you can put your cigarette butts in.
LET ECO-FRIENDLY SOAPS AND SHAMPOOS RULE
To prevent build up of toxins in the land around the festival it is really good to use natural, phosphate free, biodegradeable soaps, shampoos and conditioners. We will be supplying these in all showers and sinks. Also all stalls at the festival will only be selling and using these types of soaps. Please use them.
