How to rave sustainably: adopting the eco-rave

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

How to rave sustainably: adopting the eco-rave Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/20/2023 - 00:00

Bryce Poirot

Going to large music festivals, clubs, raves and parties appeals to many people, and after not being able to participate in these large gatherings during the covid-19 pandemic, people are eager to return. PLUR - Peace, Love, Unity and Respect - is a common phrase in rave culture; valuing and respecting the earth that you have the privilege of partying on is the best way to spread love. It's important to practice the mantra, “No Planet, No Party."

What is an eco-rave?

An eco-rave is a rave or festival that has sustainable practices in mind. Before you go to a rave or festival, research whether or not the organizer has pledged to make their event carbon neutral. Beware of greenwashing, which is when a company provides a false narrative that they are sustainable or environmentally conscious in order to give consumers peace of mind. Read more about greenwashing here.

Thrift your clothing

Finding the perfect festival ensemble at a thrift shop can help make your outfit pop even more; plus, you'll have a story to tell your friends about where your outfit came from. Check out this quick guide to thrifting.

Party local

In addition to the expenses associated with traveling, travel increases your carbon footprint. If you are willing and able to find a local festival or rave, attending local events is more sustainable. If you are traveling by plane, you may be able to purchase a carbon offset.

Carpooling

Carpooling is a fun way to arrive with your friends at the same time, cut travel costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Splitting the gas money or rideshare cost can also make the evening more affordable. Learn more about traveling zero waste.

Bring your own reusable water bottle

Rather than purchasing water or beverages sold in single-use plastics at the event, bring your own reusable bottle. Most venues have places to refill your water bottle.

Clean up after yourself

Littering is not cool. Not only are you adding trash to the environment, but someone else has to clean it up after you leave. Find the proper recycling and landfill areas at the event and dispose of your waste correctly. This puts the "respect" part of PLUR into effect.

Do your own research

Who is running the event? Does the company use sustainable practices? Will there be vegetarian or vegan food options? Is the stage made of sustainable materials? If you find a festival that follows sustainable practices, spread the word and use the power of your dollar to reward this practice.

Going to large music festivals, clubs, raves and parties appeals to many people, and after not being able to participate in these large gatherings during the covid-19 pandemic, people are eager to return. PLUR -- Peace, Love, Unity and Respect -- is a common phrase in rave culture; valuing and respecting the earth that you have the privilege of partying on is the best way to spread love. It's important to practice the mantra, “No Planet, No Party."

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New innovations in zero waste

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

New innovations in zero waste Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/10/2021 - 00:00 Kayla Vasarhelyi

Every year more than 150 million tons of single-use plastic is produced worldwide. The majority of this plastic makes it back into the biosphere, whether in landfills or natural spaces. Plastic poses a serious ecological threat because it doesn’t fully decompose, but breaks up into smaller pieces called microplastics, which can be eaten by and accumulate within wildlife. While the threat that plastic poses to the environment seems unavoidable at times, people are working hard to reduce the amount of petroleum based plastic that makes it into the biosphere. Here are four innovations that are helping to reduce our plastic waste.

Algae-based plastics

Algae, an umbrella term used to describe seaweeds, kelps and photosynthetic eukaryotes, can be used in plastics and has become an increasingly popular substitute for petroleum based plastics.
Algae will provide enough biomass to produce large quantities of this form of bioplastic as they are the fastest growing organisms powered by sunlight.
Algae also has the advantage of being able to take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the growing process.
Start-ups are already beginning to use algae to create hyper-compostable single-use plastic products. Some examples of this are Loliware, a company creating single-use straws out of seaweed that can sustain over 18 hours of use and will break down at the same rate as food waste and Ooho, an edible and biodegradable water pouch made of algae.

PLA plastics

PLA plastics are bioplastics derived from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugar cane.
PLA plastics are among the most used bioplastics in the world as they have a wide range of versatility. These plastics can be made into items from single-use cups to long-lasting medical screws.
These plastics are able to decompose into organic matter if sent to an industrial composting facility.
PLA plastics are indicated by a number seven recycling symbol. However, this does not mean they are recyclable like petroleum based plastics. Number seven PLA plastics should instead be composted or thrown away if composting is not available.

Plastic eating mushrooms

Students from Yale University discovered that Pestalotiopis microspora, a species of mushroom from Ecuador, is capable of surviving on a strictly plastic diet.
This mushroom consumes polyurethane, the main ingredient in plastic, and turns it into organic matter.
Pestalotiopis microspora is not the only mushroom capable of plastic decomposition. Oyster mushrooms, a very common species, also has this ability.
These mushrooms can survive without oxygen, making them an ideal candidate for cleaning up landfills where oxygen is extremely limited.
Researchers are also working to create at-home recycling kits using these mushrooms.
Pestalotiopis microspora and oyster mushrooms are both edible, meaning at-home recycling kits would provide both a food source and a way to decompose plastics.

Ecobricks

An ecobrick is a plastic bottle packed full with used pieces of plastic.
Ecobricks reduce the surface area of packed plastic to keep it from degrading into tiny microplastics.
Ecobricks are made to a certain density and can then be used as reusable building blocks to build walls, structures, green spaces and even furniture.
Some purposes of ecobricks include keeping plastic out of the biosphere in the long-term and “raising the collective ecological consciousness of those involved in the process.”
Ecobricks only require cleaning, drying, and then packing plastic into a plastic bottle, which means they can be made by anyone! To find more information about how to ecobrick and where to drop off any ecobricks click here.

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