It wouldn’t be summer in the UK without festivals. Over the course of the season, more than 30.9 million people are due to flock to large-scale music events across Britain, for a string of events that are estimated to contribute more than £4bn to the national economy.
But for all the cultural, social and economic benefits offered by big-name festivals, the environmental impact of such events is not to be underestimated – and, in the wake of Blue Planet 2, School Strikes 4 Climate and Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Summer Uprising’, is becoming a key issue for the public.
Festival ticket retailer Ticketmaster recently revealed the results of its survey of 4,000 UK festival-goers across a wide range of topics including sustainability, music and “getting lucky”. The study found that waste reduction and recycling is the number one priority for 62% of festival visitors in summer 2019 – who ranked it as even more important than the setlist and the accommodation.
But are you just as clued-up about the environmental impact of festivals as these green-minded folks? Take our ten-question quiz to find out whether you’re a green festival headliner, or whether you need to practice your bars a little more before taking to the stage.
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Sarah George