June 26th 2024.
When it comes to large events like music festivals, it's no surprise that there's always a bit of a mess left behind. As thousands upon thousands of people gather at Worthy Farm for this year's Glastonbury Festival, new tents will be popping up left and right, ready to shelter festivalgoers for the weekend. But what many people don't realize is that for a large majority of these tents, this will also be their final hurrah.
A recent survey has revealed that a staggering 70% of people who have purchased a tent in the last five years have either abandoned it or thrown it away, with more than half admitting to only using it once. It's estimated that around 250,000 tents are left behind at festivals every year, adding to the growing issue of single-use plastic pollution. The sea of abandoned tents at festivals all over the world is a clear sign that something needs to change.
But one young entrepreneur believes she has found a solution to this problem in an unexpected material - cardboard. Tayla Evans, 21, has created a two-person tent called EnviroTent that is made of water-resistant cardboard. Unlike traditional tents, which often end up in landfills, these tents can be easily recycled due to their lack of special coatings. In fact, they even survived four weeks in Tayla's garden during a particularly rainy month of March. The cardboard's corrugated insulation also makes the tents warmer in cold weather and cooler in hot weather, making them a practical and eco-friendly choice.
Working alongside sustainable packaging company DS Smith, who conducted the survey, EnviroTent has found a way to ensure that their tents don't contribute to the issue of tent trash. After each festival, the company collects all the tents and recycles them into packaging for other companies. This not only reduces waste, but also gives the tents a second life.
Tayla hopes that her cardboard tents will encourage festival organizers to think more carefully about the impact of tent trash and provide festivalgoers with a guilt-free and enjoyable experience. Paul Clarke, managing director at DS Smith, shares her vision and believes that cardboard can play a crucial role in reducing plastic and creating a more sustainable future. Together, they are working towards making a positive difference and promoting a more environmentally-friendly festival culture.
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