If you were there, you’ll know that orange was the defining colour of Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Luton. Yellow was still appreciated, and there wasn’t quite enough blue in that sky over Stockwood Park. This being Zero Carbon Luton however, it’s the green that we’re interested in most.
Festivals can have a big environmental impact, and the Big Weekend had a range of measures to address that.
In order to reduce plastic waste, visitors were encouraged to bring re-usable water bottles and refill points were available on site. For those buying their drinks, there was a deposit scheme operating on the plastic beer glasses. (Not everyone was interested in claiming the pocket change and lots of them were discarded on the grass. One enterprising young member of the audience collected them up and earned £25 over the course of the day.)
With a no single-use plastic policy across the site, food vendors used biodegradeable packaging and utensils. Recycling bins were also available, and dedicated bins for disposing of vapes.
The carbon content of the meals was provided too. Each vendor was asked to rate their menu items with a high, medium or low carbon rating so that people could make an informed choice.
With any big event, the largest carbon impact will come from transport, and on this particular point Luton scored very highly. Radio 1 worked with the council on a sustainable transport approach. There was no parking available on site, cutting out thousands of potential car journeys. “We strongly advise ticketholders against driving to this event and advise they make use of public transport wherever possible,” said the organisers, “for both ease and sustainability.”
Instead of cars, visitors were encouraged to take the train as their best option, and easy walking routes were marked between the station and the park. Those with accessibility needs were still able to drive to the site, and a well organised drop-off system through the Butterfield business park kept the roads clear. Cycle racks were also available for locals who chose to bike to the event.
Festival Republic, the event organiser contracted by Radio 1 to run the festival, are committed to halving the carbon footprint of their events by 50% by 2025 (from a 2014 baseline). The Big Weekend in Luton shows the kind of initiatives that will make that possible.
Zero Carbon Luton 
I had heard that the event was well run, but these actions to minimise waste and use of resources make it even better. Maybe it inspires visitors and vendors to demand more of this in everyday life. Bring on a bottle levy, more public transport and well-managed walking routes!