Garbage chaos after Airbeat One: Who will clean up now?

Garbage chaos after Airbeat One: Who will clean up now?

The celebrations took place at Airbeat One for five days, and the impressions were consistently positive: happy faces, spectacular fireworks and colorful memories adorned the reports from festival visitors. But as is often the case, a big problem remains after the celebration: the rubbish on the campsite. Many visitors showed themselves to be responsible and took their waste to drop-off stations. Some even received a garbage deposit of ten euros back for a half-filled garbage bag. Unfortunately, there were also numerous campers who simply left their tents, pavilions, cans and garbage bags behind. A portable toilet was left improperly, further aggravating the situation. Events like Airbeat One attempt to encourage cleanup with measures such as a trash deposit and organizing the return of camping equipment to be passed on to those in need. The appeal to dispose of rubbish should be seen as common sense, as the dangers of rubbish left behind should not be underestimated - not to mention forgotten parts of the tent, which could cause a lot of trouble for the next group. Nordkurier reports that such problems often recur on festival grounds and campsites.

But what can be done about the flood of garbage? The answer is obvious: more and more festivals are focusing on ecological improvements and environmental protection. Waste concepts are continually being developed, and the trend towards organic and regional products is also on the rise. Shuttle services for traveling by public transport are now commonplace almost everywhere, and cup deposit systems are becoming more common every year. The Øya Festival in Oslo in particular has earned the title of one of the “greenest festivals in the world”.

Tips for avoiding waste and zero waste

To protect the environment and minimize waste, there are simple measures that every festival visitor can take to heart. FM4 has some useful tips compiled:

• Informiere dich im Voraus: Kläre Regeln zu Speisen, Getränken und Behältern.
• Wasserflasche: Nimm eine Mehrwegflasche aus Edelstahl oder BPA-freiem Kunststoff mit.
• Taschen-Aschenbecher: Achte darauf, Zigarettenstummel umweltfreundlich zu entsorgen.
• Mehrwegbecher: Mit einem eigenen Becher kannst du Einwegbecher vermeiden.
• Besteck und Box: Bringe dein eigenes Besteckset und Behälter mit, um Müll zu reduzieren.
• Bio-Glitzer: Verwende nur kompostierbaren Glitzer.
• Festival Outfits: Plane wiederverwendbare Kostüme, um Abfall zu vermeiden.
• Zelt: Nimm dein Zelt nach dem Festival mit oder repariere es.

To go one step further, Zero Waste e.V. is committed and offers workshops and interactive lectures. These events provide information about how celebrations and environmental protection can be combined. The Zero Waste Association shows sustainable alternatives and explains the five principles: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse and Rot. It also points out the importance of using unpackaged snacks and reusable containers to further reduce the amount of waste.

With these approaches, nothing stands in the way of a carefree festival season that also protects the environment. Celebrating can be so much more conscious and beautiful!