The people have spoken and what they want is a cleaner, greener planet and traceable eco-friendly solutions. This goes for the hundreds of thousands of people that attend music festival events every year. A 2019 Ticketmaster study revealed 62 percent of festival-goers consider waste reduction and better recycling facilities their number one priority. The millennial demographic in particular is at the forefront of demanding these changes. They make up 45 percent of the 32 million people who attend music festivals annually.
With full artist lineups spanning multiple days and the inclusion of art, food, and other forms of entertainment, the music festival scene has largely been a strain on the environment for years. Early efforts of creating more eco-friendly music festivals included going digital with concert promotions and flyers rather than using paper. Additionally, the increased promotion of ride sharing and carpooling have continued to be on the rise. But attendees want to see their needs met as part of a full experience that also aligns with their values.
This includes strategies that might not be immediately visible like recycling and composting generated post-festival, but also includes ways that are usable and highlighted during. One of the prime ways to meet the general needs of concert goers while leaving behind a better carbon footprint is by investing in FloWater’s Refill Stations.
FloWater Eliminates the Need for Plastic Waste
One of the biggest sources of environmental strain at music festivals is the amount of plastic waste that gets left behind. This comes in many forms. Everything from plastic cups to merchandise packaging adds up to the tons upon tons of waste that’s generated at every event. A majority of this comes from single-use plastic water bottles.
Staying hydrated at green music festivals, which are nearly always outdoors, is essential. Everyone needs it in plentiful measures. Some music festivals have already attempted to alleviate the amount of plastic waste distributed. Coachella has a recycling store which incentivizes people to recycle their empty bottles, cups, and cans; although the return is a fresh cold bottle of water. Additionally, there are prizes involved, including refillable and reusable bottles, which can be earned through this initiative.
Bonnaroo takes sustainability a step further by offering a refillable cup or bottle to be used during the festival in lieu of relying on the purchase of single-use plastic water bottles. Other main music festivals have implemented similar protocols. For concert-goers this is a popular perk, which means it must be a priority for festival organizers.
Offering an alternative container to hold the water is a benefit, but when it comes to where that water comes from, some sources are better than others. Standard water fountains are slow to dispense, not often chilled, and often unsanitary. Single-use plastic water bottles are costly on all levels and not a sustainable option. In the near future, they won’t even be available for purchase at most major music festivals. The answer is a portable water refill station that delivers what people want, but with a much lighter carbon footprint.
FloWater Provides Fresh, Chilled Water Every Time
FloWater exceeds industry standards with its quality of water and design innovation. The water goes through seven stages of filtration for the best-tasting purified water that’s always dispensed at an optimal, chilled temperature. Each filter has been designed to purify and improve the water.
The first three filters focus on removing all dust, dirt, and sediments from the water source. A specialized carbon filter removes chemicals, like chlorine and radon, as well as unpleasant odors or tastes. Next, the advanced osmosis stage uses a semipermeable membrane to remove the smallest of particles, including everything from bacteria to pesticides. This filter is five times more efficient than anything else available on the market.
The next three filters add in activated oxygen, a proprietary blend of trace minerals, and electrolytes to fortify the water and neutralize the acidity in the body. The addition of magnesium, potassium, sodium, and calcium are especially important for hydration for all-day concert events when replenishment of these are key. Finally, the coconut carbon finish gives FloWater its distinct, crisp-tasting appeal that makes it refreshing and delicious.
Although people would rather have the opportunity to refill their reusable water bottles, they also expect to have a quality product. With FloWater, it delivers on both. It eliminates the need for single-use plastic bottles and offers a consistently satisfying way to hydrate every time.
FloWater Offers a Sleek, Efficient, Sanitary Design Innovation
The sleek design of the FloWater Refill Station is a plus for festival managers because of how low-maintenance and convenient they are. The station dispenses water in under 10 seconds for a 24-oz. bottle (although it fits any refillable container size). This helps to appease antsy, thirsty people waiting in line. It auto-replenishes every time water is dispensed and holds seven gallons of purified water at all times. Once it’s set up, it runs on its own without the need to constantly refill the supply.
FloWater’s refill station also has less grime and germs than standard drinking fountains and water coolers with a one-touch button to fill and a recessed dispense nozzle. The water streams out quickly and easily without having to touch the rim of a water container to the spout. With activated oxygen as part of the filtration system, this provides chemical-free sanitation for the stainless steel tanks. This innovative solution results in less waste, less wait time in line, and less of a hassle for festival managers and staff during the event.
Advance or Get Left Behind
When people make buying decisions, they are focused on if the product, service, or activity aligns with their values. The focus on climate change is one of the top priorities for most age groups today. For venues that lag behind the continuous change to promote more eco-friendly music festivals, they’ll begin to lose attendance numbers and struggle to earn them back. Festival managers and organizations have to make immediate changes to keep pace with the demand of what people want and expect.
Many green music festivals and artists are aiming for zero waste events and tours. Live Nation Entertainment announced its global sustainability coalition in 2019. As the world’s leading live entertainment company, they have aggressive goals and specific actions items in their efforts to reduce its environmental impact across the board. Among its proposed initiatives are:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030
- End the sale of single-use plastics at all their venues and festivals by 2021
- Reduce or eliminate the use of fossil fuels and opt for renewable energy where possible
It won’t be long before plastic bottles aren’t available at the majority of music festivals worldwide. Since nearly all venues do not allow already-filled containers inside their festivals, it pushes the need forward for water refill stations like FloWater.
An all-day, multi-day music festival cannot maintain a water solution for its attendees. The resourcefulness, quality, and environmentally-conscious availability of FloWater makes sense for event managers, large and small, to secure for their future events. It benefits both the attendees and those who are supplying it. It tastes great and is dispensed at a consistently chilled temperature. It doesn’t have to be constantly monitored or doesn’t require emptying recycling bags or picking up plastic waste from single-use bottles during and after the concert. In short, it makes the experience better for all.
The Positive Impact of FloWater on Creating Eco-Friendly Music Festivals
The strides being made today are what will be the standard in the future. For the next generation, reusable water bottles will be the first choice, not just an environmentally-friendly option. The presence of water refill stations, such as FloWater, will be available in more events and areas. They are already popular in airports, hotels, schools, and other businesses.
Since they can provide a consistently quality product to a high-capacity crowd with minimal maintenance and environmental impact, it’s become a premium solution for music festival organizers to take advantage of its capabilities too.
Music festivals have begun issuing sustainability reports and addressing environmental issues to show what’s being done to continue eliminating plastic waste and providing improved ways to protect the environment. The impact of ending the sale of single-use plastic water bottles is a huge move which saves tons of waste every festival, every year.
These initiatives will only continue to grow and will begin to make their way to individual sustainable concerts and events as well. Starting at the music festival level makes a statement to millions of people who visit music venues every year. It illustrates how each person makes a difference in advocating for climate change.
The bonus of having a FloWater Refill Station as the permanent alternative to single-use plastic water bottles is that it tastes great and provides convenience and cleanliness that other water source solutions do not provide. It does its part to move the sustainability initiative forward. It is a smart investment as corporate-level changes are already underway to provide people with resources that cut down on waste generation and reduce the overall negative impact on the environment for music festivals of the future.
Sources:
- https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2019/06/fans-want-more-sustainable-festivals-major-study-from-ticketmaster-finds/;
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90421665/can-music-festivals-go-from-generators-of-garbage-to-sustainable-innovators;
- https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2019/05/live-nation-sets-sustainability-goals-for-concerts-and-live-events-as-part-of-ongoing-green-nation-program/;