“ THERE ' S MONEY AVAILABLE TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THE GRID WHERE THAT MAKES COMMERCIAL SENSE .”
COVER FEATURE
Soundscape ' s panels at The Green Gathering
and expand awareness and give people opportunities to look at alternative lifestyle . There ' s both a combination of really established , committed environmental activists and thinkers involved and of course new and younger people who come along and pick up the message .”
Cox says that among the more positive findings of the More Than Music report is that the festival sector in general has become more proactive in using the events as platforms to encourage positive change , and to guide and inform audiences about sustainability issues whether via talks and activities on site or through communication channels .
Other key signs of improvement illustrated in AGF ’ s survey include bans on single-use plastic serveware having increased from 54 % in 2022 to 75 % in 2023 , a reduction in average waste per person per day ( PPPD ) from 0.75 kg to 0.5 kg , and more festivals going fully vegan or vegetarian .
Its findings also include an increase in water use at both urban and rural camping festivals , significantly at the latter , with an average of 26 litres PPPD , up from 19 litres PPPD in 2022 . O ’ Neill says the increase could be due to various factors ,
Claire O ' Neill however , it does align with the hottest summer on record being recorded in 2023 .
With climate change already here and happening , resulting in increased rainfall and extreme heat becoming regular challenges at events , festival operators are increasingly being forced to invest in inclement weather mitigation measures . Live Nation ( LN ) is investing £ 2 million in new and enhanced infrastructure for this year ’ s edition of its Creamfields festival in Daresbury . Much of that investment is being spent on a new 30,000-capacity indoor main stage supplied by Acorn Event Structures . It has been designed to dramatically increase coverage in case
“ THERE ' S MONEY AVAILABLE TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THE GRID WHERE THAT MAKES COMMERCIAL SENSE .”
of inclement weather . LN said the festival site will also see extensive improvements to the field drainage systems to mitigate potential disruptions caused by adverse weather .
Says O ’ Neill , “ We ' ve been very focused for a long time on prevention of the worst impacts of climate change but now we ' re having to deal with adapting to those changes . If we don ' t keep on making sure that sustainability and reducing our emissions is a priority , then that ' s only going to get worse .
“ Today it is already a critical issue , and it will get worse if we think that reducing our emissions is a nice to have optional extra , and one of the lower things among the budget priorities .” accessaa . co . uk 25