It seems every event nowadays is a green event, but what actually makes a "sustainable festival" sustainable? Read our checklist for festival organisers and festival-goers.

1. Renewable power

Use renewable energy from solar, wind and biofuel; and minimise energy  use as much as possible. You could even feature some cool examples of alternative energy at smaller stages around the festival, such as a solar powered stage, a bicycle-powered dance tent, or a dance floor that generates energy from vibrations when people dance on it.

2. Transport

Provide options to reduce car transport to the festival, such as a regular shuttle bus pickup from the nearest train station, a car pooling website and bike-friendly measures.

3. Toilets

Use low-flush or, better still, composting toilets, plus waterless urinals. Provide waterless hand-cleaner. Put posters inside toilet cubicles to introduce visitors to composting toilets.

4. Packaging

Food vendors should be required to use biodegradeable plates, cutlery and packaging; efforts to minimise takeaway packaging by encouraging visitors to bring reusable plastic plates; use of real, washable crockery if practical, etc. Avoid plastic water bottles with plentiful drinking water refilling points. Ban, or at least discourage, vendors from selling drinks in disposable containers and instead sell reusable cups and bottles that vendors can refill.

5. Food

Encourage vendors who sell/use organic ingredients and fresh local produce; encourage vegetarian options and limit the amount of red meat sold.

6. Waste management

Provide a three-stream (waste/recycling/composting) waste system with bins emptied regularly.

7. Education

Include a program of green living talks and workshops during the festival; get the green message out of the green ghetto with environmental messages in art installations, roving street theatre performers, fun environmentally-themed children’s activities and so on.

8. Site improvements

Take a proactive role in contributing to improving the environment of the festival site during the rest of the year by supporting bush regeneration, landcare, tree planting, etc.

9 Paperwork

Advertising and ticketing should use recycled paper; minimise paper with e-ticketing

10. Carrying capacity

Ensure your festival site is capable of handling visitor numbers and recovering from the impact of your festival without permanent damage; fence off any fragile areas, etc.

In short, minimise the festival's footprint, leave the site in as good, or better, condition as you found it, and promote green living and ideas during the festival.