June 16th 2024.
Music festivals are a beloved event for many, and Glastonbury 2024 is just around the corner. As music lovers prepare to head to Worthy Farm, one essential item stands out among the rest - the tent. It's a must-have for any festival-goer, along with the obligatory sparkly outfit and the exact set times of their favorite bands. But for some, the thought of taking down and packing up a tent while nursing a hangover is just too much to handle.
Unfortunately, this has led to a huge issue for festivals and the environment - abandoned tents. Even though there has been a decline in the trend of leaving tents behind, around 250,000 are still discarded every year in the UK. At Reading Festival in 2021 alone, a staggering 2,300 tents were left behind. This has a significant impact on the environment as each tent is equivalent to around 8,750 plastic straws. While some are donated to good causes like refugee camps, the majority end up in landfills.
But now, there's a new initiative by Decathlon that not only aims to reduce festival waste but also offers a refund on tent purchases. The Tent Pledge allows customers to buy one of ten tents, use it at their favorite festival, and then return it for a full refund in the form of a gift card to spend in-store. The returned tents will be refurbished, cleaned, and resold through Decathlon's Second Life Programme. This initiative is currently active, and items can be returned until September 13th.
While festivals are known for their overflowing bins, lack of showers, and less-than-desirable toilets, some festival-goers are taking the "grubby" aesthetic to a whole new level. According to research, over a fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are not washing their hands at festivals at all. Even if they're there for multiple days, they seem to have forgotten the importance of soap and water - a concerning trend, especially after the pandemic. The study, conducted by cleaning brand Method, also revealed that 26% of Brits only rinse their hands under a tap once a day, if at all, during a multi-day festival.
Despite the long queues for washing facilities, it's important to remember the potential consequences of not keeping clean at festivals. The top excuses for not washing hands include a lack of facilities and long queues, but some simply believe that being at a festival means they don't need to wash their hands. DJ and broadcaster Jo Whiley, who supports the "No Tent Left Behind" campaign, reminds festival-goers to enjoy their experience in a sustainable way and not to leave their belongings behind.
So, as we gear up for another festival season, let's not forget to take care of the environment and ourselves. And as a final reminder, please don't be a "d*ck" - take your stuff home with you. If you have a story to share about your festival experience, feel free to get in touch by emailing us.
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