Resonance and Responsibility: Music Festivals in a Changing Climate | Anna Borrie
There is a history of music festivals providing spaces for necessary change and revolution. Sustainability is becoming central to how festivals are designed, planned and operated.
“In an era dominated by consumption, speed, and isolation, gathering to collectively listen to music, care for shared spaces, and support one another is in itself a radical act.”
Allegra Rusconi
Sustainability Manager, Terraforma Exo
“Can a weekend of music really change how someone thinks about the planet?” ask Virginia Rollando and Allegra Rusconi Sustainability Managers of Terraforma Exo. “We can’t do it all, but we do see festivals as microcosms of what’s possible. We know we can’t change the world alone.’’ Perhaps it’s not about finding the right answers or the right solution but about taking the small steps that could create hope, a new sense of direction where community creates change. As Rollando acknowledges, sustainability isn’t a milestone to be reached; it’s a continuous commitment to mindful action and long-term responsibility.
Music festivals have been synonymous with change, revolution, and countercultural ideology since the 1960s. The Festival of Life in Chicago in 1968vocally opposed militarism in response to the Vietnam War. While the famous 1969 Woodstock Festival embraced peace and love and became a symbol of anti-war sentiments. Long-standing festivals like Glastonbury continue their history of political activism, withstanding pressure to eliminate bands labelled as overtly political in its 2025 lineup. There is a history of music festivals choosing to provide a space for social, environmental and human rights discourse.
Continuing this legacy of sound, gathering, and cultural change, Terraforma Exo is not only a festival but also a new cultural manifestation for a new ecology of sound produced by Threes Productions. These spaces offer a glimpse into what’s possible, showcasing alternative ways of living and organising society, offering a glimpse into a different future. “In an era dominated by consumption, speed, and isolation, gathering to collectively listen to music, care for shared spaces, and support one another is in itself a radical act,” says Rusconi.
With growing environmental consciousness and rising alarm over planetary health, sustainability can no longer be an add-on; it must become the core of future transformation. As Rollando suggests, “There can be no events in a world where the environment and people aren’t respected. It simply wouldn’t make sense. By shifting from extraction to regeneration and from spectacle to community, sustainable festivals can become sites of collective transformation. In this reimagined cultural landscape, audiences leave not just with memories but with new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.”
Festivals often function as temporary cities, with their own economies, infrastructures, and environmental footprints. An archaeological excavation of the original Woodstock 1969 site by Maria O’Donovan in 2018 demonstrates how festival waste doesn’t just disappear; it becomes part of the landscape, seeping into the soil and ecosystem. Discarded festival items act as a cultural archive, offering insights into attendee behaviour and values that can inform more realistic and effective waste management strategies. What would contemporary festivals leave behind?
When it comes to waste management, greenwashing is far too common. Rusconi says, “One of the thorniest challenges for sustainable festivals is avoiding the trap of greenwashing or exclusivity. We are aiming to be as transparent as possible.” Festival initiatives are increasingly focused on fostering community accountability, making waste reduction and sustainability part of the experience, not just a post-event clean-up. “Not all sustainability goals are met each year due to budget constraints or logistical limits, but we remain committed to incremental improvement, from refining waste management contracts to fostering partnerships that reflect our values.”
Sustainability is not a checklist or a badge; it isn’t something that is fully achieved. We see it as evolving and deeply tied to equity
Virginia Rollando
Sustainability Manager, Terraforma Exo
Some large festivals have started by banning single-use plastic bottles, implementing eco-conscious camping zones and a leave no trace pledge. The Music Climate Pact reflects a growing industry commitment to cutting carbon emissions and transitioning toward a sustainable model through thoughtful infrastructure and attendee engagement. With challenges, new possibilities are emerging. What if we related to sustainability as an ever-evolving concept? “Sustainability is not a checklist or a badge; it isn’t something that is fully achieved. We see it as evolving and deeply tied to equity,” says Rollando. It’s becoming important to move beyond guilt and experiment. “We strongly believe that positive mindsets are far more powerful than guilt. There’s already so much negativity; we want to build something that feels like hope.”
Terraforma Exo is challenging the extractive model of entertainment and offers a more interconnected alternative. They view their festival as a living laboratory for regenerative practices, community empowerment, and cultural experimentation, using on-the-ground data to understand and improve their ecological footprint.
“What If Sustainability Were the Default? Imagine if every festival prioritised people and the planet as much as sound systems and stages.”
Allegra Rusconi
Sustainability Manager, Terraforma Exo
Across Europe, festivals are becoming the forefront of the change we desperately need. Roskilde Festival in Denmark serves as a testing laboratory for exploring new green solutions, where circular economy principles are embedded into how they develop, design and create infrastructure and waste management solutions. There is also a growing trend among festivals to offer lower-carbon meals by including more vegetarian and vegan options, with Shambala Festival in the UK leading the way by going completely meat and fish free back in 2016.
Sustainability in the festival scene is no longer an afterthought; it’s becoming central to planning, operations, and culture. Whether through innovative recycling programs, grassroots upcycling projects, or festival-wide pledges, the message is clear.
Festivals have the power to shape a future where creativity, sustainability, and social equity go hand in hand.
Cover photo for Terraforma Exo 2025 by Elena Tredici
Words by Anna Borrie
Anna Borrie is Associate Editor at Planted Journal, where she explores the intersections between ecology, art, and storytelling. Her work is rooted in a creating meaningful connections between people and their environments. She runs a community garden in Madrid, where she cultivates both plants and relationships with fellow gardeners. Her interests lie in creating collaborative environmental art and promoting zero-waste practices, seeking ways to harmonize creativity with environmental responsibility
