Eco-responsible events under scrutiny

Over the past few years, the word "eco-friendly" has entered the vocabulary of all sectors — including the event industry. At first glance, this transition seems promising: zero-plastic festivals, solar-powered stages, shared shuttles, dry toilets, and reusable cups.

But one question remains: is this truly a structural revolution or just a thin layer of communication polish? What is often referred to as “greenwashing” — could it be quietly creeping into the backstage of our favorite events? One thing is certain: the events industry can no longer ignore environmental concerns.

This article offers an overview of current practices, real commitments, contradictions, and weak signals of a transformation that, if done right, could reconcile celebration with conscience.

image showing three people discussing ecology (source : Grand Annecy)

By nature, the events industry is resource-intensive. It involves extensive travel, temporary energy-consuming installations, complex logistics often harmful to the environment, and massive waste production.

Some telling figures:

• A medium-sized festival can generate several dozen tons of waste in a single weekend.
• 80% of an event's carbon footprint comes from audience transportation.
• Stages consume large amounts of energy (sound, lighting, screens), often powered by diesel generators.

In light of these facts, the pressure is mounting. Audiences are more vigilant, public institutions are tying subsidies to environmental criteria, and partners expect tangible commitments. The events industry now faces not just an opportunity, but a necessity to transform.

Some festivals, venues, and organizers go beyond promises: they experiment, invest, and document their approaches. Here are a few good practices seen in recent years:

This small change has become the norm at many festivals. Combined with a deposit system, it drastically reduces single-use plastic consumption.

Recycling teams assist attendees in sorting waste without forcing them. Visual bins, clear signage, and waste valorization systems are implemented.

Some stages are powered by solar panels or biodiesel generators. Others test hybrid systems using batteries and energy recovery technologies.

Free shuttles, partnerships with public transport, bicycle parking, carpooling incentives… Several festivals provide concrete mobility solutions.

Short supply chains, vegetarian menus by default, waste reduction, compostable tableware: food offerings are also shifting towards more sustainable models.

While sometimes less comfortable, they save thousands of liters of water and enable independent waste processing.

While many initiatives are genuine, others are more about marketing opportunism. An event that claims to be eco-friendly while flying in artists on private jets or importing most of its materials raises questions.

Here are a few criteria to distinguish real commitment from mere image management:

• Does the festival publish an annual carbon footprint report?
• Is the approach integrated across the board or limited to a few visible gestures?
• Are there measurable goals over time?
• Are the commitments concrete and verifiable?
• Is the audience involved and informed about the actions taken?

Responsible communication only holds value when backed by clear, transparent, and long-term actions.

Environmental responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of organizers. The public plays an essential role too. Each participant can contribute by:

• Using public transport or cycling
• Avoiding single-use items
• Respecting recycling instructions
• Using dry toilets properly
• Choosing local events over long-distance travel

Building a more sustainable culture also means changing mindsets — favoring low-impact shared experiences over high-energy performances.

Large decorative letters at an outdoor festival spelling “We Love Green” for sustainability. (source : Luniwave)

At Tonight Pass, we believe technology can support this transition. By digitizing event access, reducing paper use, optimizing crowd flows, and highlighting eco-conscious events, platforms can be powerful enablers.

Among the features we’re developing:

• 100% digital ticketing
• No paper printing
• Event pages with "eco-friendly" tags
• Practical information to promote sustainable mobility
• Useful notifications (rain alerts, schedule changes, shuttle info)

Our goal: to make access to more responsible culture easier — without sacrificing spontaneity or experience quality.

Eco-responsibility in the event industry is neither a trend nor a burden. It is a slow but essential transformation, driven by convictions, regulations, and social expectations.

Some players are moving fast, others are still exploring — but all know that the throwaway model has reached its limits. The real revolution is not in the spectacle: it lies in the details, the habits, the logistics.

And what if tomorrow’s festivals became engines of change, showcases of innovation, and labs for sustainable solutions?

Maybe that’s the true challenge for the future of events: to keep the magic alive... without heating up the planet.