Can you believe this?
Leeds Festival: Tents left behind at Bramham Park – BBC News
What happens to the leftover tents at Leeds Festival? – BBC News I would be in tears too.
I know this is not wild camping’s ‘leave no trace’ but what does it say about our disposable society?
The young people attending these festivals are more than likely our hope for the future survival of the planet – what hope?
Should the organisers of these festivals take some responsibility and issue guidelines to the audiences about leaving no litter? It seems to have become the norm in some circles to just dump anything. I see it in the streets.
In these days of austerity why leave valuable equipment and then probably later complain about the cost of living and visit a foodbank?
Too many questions?
Just putting out my recycling bin.
The scale of waste there is absolutely staggering. I had to blink to take it in. On the plus side, though, it’s heartening those volunteers can make such a difference in salvaging at least some of the kit. I’m in the market for a tent myself, against my better judgement, and I would have paid good money to have a mooch around and pick myself out a good one. But joking aside, it doesn’t bode well, all those kids unable to clean up after themselves. Even if they’d not wanted the gear, they could easily have stuck it on Ebay “collection only” and got a bit of money for it.
Exactly, I couldn’t believe it myself.
I’m starting to bury my head in the sand, which is not a good thing.
Just given my grandson a backpacking tent otherwise you could have had it,
There is probably one abandoned in a field near you.
Just goes to show how selfies young people can be. Also a lack of morals and respect for open spaces. Nothing between the ears that’s the problem.
Sorry to get you worked up.
I find the attitude of today’s youngsters is very much ‘easy come, easy go’ especially if the bank of mum and dad help them out whenever they want anything.
I like a rant occasionally. It circulates the blood. Thanks.
A really simple solution is charge a refundable £50 if you have a camping ticket. When you leave the £50 is refunded on production of your packed up tent, with an option to donate it to charity if you don’t want to keep it. Relies on paying people to do a tent check and the left tents can be packed into a van. Incomplete tents don’t get the £50 back. Money generated after wage deduction goes to an environmental charity
The organisers of the festivals must take more responsibility.
The problem is that it’s possible to buy a tent for £25 from High Street retailers. They’re advertised as waterproof and of course they’re not and neither are they durable. Hence they get dumped. The other issue is that the only way they can be sold at such a low price is by exploiting the people who make them as there is no way that there’s enough money in it to pay those people a fair wage.
Obviously it’s difficult for those with a low income to buy high quality items that last (although they are often available second hand) but I’ve realised that my husband and I actually still use a few pieces of outdoor equipment that we saved for and bought when we were students in the very early 1980s! In fact the Vango Force 10 tent and the Trangia stove may even date from the late 1970s.
It’s terrible that despite the fact that green issues are discussed and the need for them so much better understood than in the past, we seem to be an increasingly “throw-away” society.
I take your points, but am still disappointed about how the young trash our planet when they are the hope for the future.
I still use a Saunders Tent from the 70s and my family say I still wear clothes from that era.
I’ve only ever been to one festival – Reading way back in the 70’s. I wouldn’t have dreamt of leaving my tent that had cost me more than a few bob! But I think Kathtyn probably hits the nail on the head.
Disappointing that the festival goers think it’s acceptable to be so wasteful – but that’s just a reflection of what I see just about every day. (Grumpy owd git shutting up now 😂)
From one ‘grumpy owd git’ to another.
I’d never suggest you were grumpy 🤣
Nor you either, well only a little.
🙄😂