A festival-goer gets into the green groove at Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival.
Credit: Peats Ridge Festival
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Luckily for all those who have since enjoyed the Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival, Grant had an epiphany:
"One day it just clicked. What I love about festivals is that people can step into this space, and it's a space where they're open to new experiences and perhaps this is actually the best place to teach them about sustainability."
Spreading the word
But are the Bacchanalian free-for-alls that are music festivals the place to be taking such a serious message? If people are there to let their hair down, consume mind-altering substances and lose themselves in the music, will they take any notice of environmental initiatives?
"When they come to the festival they're exposed to how we do things; we don't shove it down their throats," says Grant.
"There's this stuff happening at the festival that engages them in the environmental learning process without forcing them into it."
And it's true that there's a strong and visible sustainability message at every level of the festival, the following are just some of what can be found:
-- Composting toilets (which, from personal experience, are far less smelly and disgusting than your standard Portaloos)
-- Solar-powered mobile phone recharge stations
-- A bike chaperone service that encourages cycling to the event
-- Organic food served on compostable plates and cutlery
-- Four-bin sorting stations (organic waste, general waste, recycling, paper and cardboard) with friendly bin monitors to help you figure out what goes where.
