Eco Friendly Inspirations at The Green Gathering

The annual Green Gathering festival near Chepstow, 1^st – 4^th August 2019, is a showcase of real life, low impact alternatives to a throw-away society.

 The Green Traveller Challenge

In the face of climate emergency, The Green Gatheringis inviting festival goers to

take a leap and become ‘Green Travellers’. The festival’s on-site carbon emissions are almost zero, an achievement recognised by the European Green Operations Groupand the International Greener Festival Awards. The last big hurdle for organisers aiming to create a carbon neutral event is travel.

Launched this spring, the festival’s Green Traveller Guideaims to empower ticket buyers to choose low impact transport.  The Guide has tips for finding the best public transport deals, packing light, cycling and lift-sharing. Incentives include complementary festival programmes, express shuttle bus from Chepstow railway station, free guided cycle rides from Bath and Bristol, and special offers on camping accessories courtesy of upcycled tent pioneers Camplight.

Don’t be a Mug – Bring Your Own (#BYOM)

The Green Gathering trialled the Bring Your Own Mug campaign at the 2018 event.

By bringing their own mug, festival-goers at The Green Gathering slashed the waste involved in production and disposal of single-use cups. For those who forgot or couldn’t carry another thing, a crockery hire and wash up service was available, and lightweight enamel camping mugs were on sale at cost price.

Encouraged by the success of #BYOM, the organisers are continuing the campaign at this year’s event and encouraging other events to get involved.

“Disposable culture goes against everything The Green Gathering stands for”

– Em Weirdigan, Festival Director.

 Deep Recycling

There will be 14 recycling stations around the festival with 14 sacks at each station for metal; glass; cardboard; paper; drink cans; food cans; dirty paper plates, cups and wooden utensils; food waste; nappies and wipes; plastic PET drink bottles; plastic trays; plastic HTPE milk bottles; plastic wrap; and tetrapak cartons.

The Green Gathering also boasts an additional recycling ‘Resource’ zone that has even more recycling sacks and stacks than the other stations, and signage provides information on how much different ‘waste’ materials are worth in the recyclables market.

The Resource zone provides equipment to clean items for reuse. This involves an ingenious washing station, called a Tip-Tap, made from recycled tent poles, string and two repurposed plastic bottles.  Daily workshops in Tip-Tap construction will be taking place at this year’s festival.

 Festival-goers frequently say that attendance at a Green Gathering inspired them to change their outlook, habits and lifestyle.

Tickets can be purchased from the ticket agent ‘The Ticketsellers’ via a direct link from The Green Gathering website.

For further information, please visit: www.greengathering.org.uk