A festival ground with tens of thousands of visitors leaves a mark, whether that's waste, energy use, or traffic. More and more festival-goers want to be more mindful about that, but don't want complicated rules or expensive purchases. The good news: going to a festival sustainably doesn't have to be hard. These five steps take almost no effort and together they make a real difference.
1. Return your deposit cup
This is maybe the simplest and most underrated step. Almost every festival uses a reusable deposit cup instead of disposable ones. You pay a couple of extra euros with your first drink, and you get that back when you return the cup. Yet every festival season thousands of cups end up on the ground, in the bushes, or just forgotten somewhere, because people don't bring them back.
Every cup that isn't returned means extra waste and extra production of new cups. By simply returning your cup at the end of the night, you're already doing more than most visitors.
The tricky part is mainly keeping that cup with you all day without losing it. A festival cup holder on your belt or waistband keeps your cup within reach, so you still have it at the end of the night to return. Read how the whole deposit system works in deposit cups at festivals: how it works.
2. Bring your own water bottle
More and more festivals have free water refill points on site. Bringing an empty, refillable bottle saves dozens of plastic cups per day, and it saves you money too. Check the festival's website beforehand to see if refill points are available, this is usually clearly stated.
3. Travel together or by public transport
A large part of a festival's environmental impact isn't on the grounds itself, but in how visitors get there. If you're driving anyway, fill the car with as many people as possible instead of everyone driving separately. Many festivals also offer a combined ticket with bus or train, often just as easy as driving yourself and without the stress of finding parking.
4. Clean up your own waste
Sounds obvious, but on a crowded site it's easy to just drop an empty wrapper. Bring a small plastic bag for your own waste, especially in spots where you don't see a bin nearby. It saves the organisers cleanup work, and a cleaner site is more pleasant for you too.
5. Choose consciously what you bring and wear
Sustainability doesn't stop at the festival gate. Choose items you'll use again and again instead of disposable things you throw out after one festival. Think of a good rain poncho that can take a beating, reusable earplugs, and a cup holder that goes with you to every festival for years instead of a one-time gadget.
Festiclip is such a product: 3D printed in the Netherlands, built to last, and available in any colour. Read more about how a clip like this works in what is a festival cup holder.
What you actually gain
These steps aren't just good for the environment, they often save you time and money too. A deposit you get back is literally cash in your pocket. Your own water bottle saves you queueing at the bar. And items that last you for years only need to be bought once instead of every festival season again. Choosing sustainably and choosing practically often go hand in hand at a festival.
Sustainable doesn't have to be complicated
None of these five steps cost you extra time or complicated prep. Together they mean less waste, less spillage, and a cleaner site, without giving up any of your festival fun. Want to make sure you haven't forgotten anything else? Check our full festival checklist 2026 before you leave.
Brands can contribute too
More and more festival brands and organisers are choosing sustainable giveaways over disposable merchandise. A printed cup holder, for example, gets used by visitors for years instead of thrown away after one day. Want to explore this as a brand? Request a quote for printed clips with your own logo.