Canadian Music Festival Leads By Example 

Last weekend celebrated the 26th anniversary of Guelph Ontario's Hillside music festival. Every year thousands of people, from toddlers, to hipsters to seniors, gather on Guelph Lake Conservation Area's island for three days of music and workshops. 

What impressed me most about the festival was not the fabulous variety of musical acts or the refreshing peace and love vibe, but the lengths that volunteers and organizers went to to make ide the most environmentally event I have ever attended. 

They really thought of everything. Overflow campsites were constructed so that as many people as possible could camp for the weekend, cutting transportation costs. For Guelph locals, there were shuttle buses back and forth from downtown Guelph all day and all night. There was also a huge bike lockup area provided. 

When thousands of people congregate garbage quickly becomes a problem, but not here. Participants were encouraged to buy a Hillside mug for all their beer, coffee and water drinking. In fact, they wouldn't serve you any of these things without a reusable mug or your own bottle for water - free potable water was provided to everyone all weekend. The mugs go for only two dollars and can be used year after year. 

All food sold at the event was served on plastic dishwear that volunteers washed in a dishwashing tent. The plates were used over and over again and will be used again in years to come.

For every one garbage can on site, Hillside has a basket for dirty dishes, a recycling bin and, of course, a compost. This made for some pretty empty garbage cans. 

All of the food and beverages sold at the event were sourced from local providers. Nowhere were advertisements for Coca Cola or Budweiser or Starbucks.  Beer choices included selections from Toronto's Mill Street brewery and Guelph's Wellington brewery. Local wine was also served. 

The food pavillion was jam packed with local businesses serving locally produced foods, including a large selection of organic and vegetarian foods. The food was far superior to your standard festival nachos and french fries, and was not nearly as overpriced. 

The main musical stage (the only permanent stage on the island) has a beautiful green rooftop covered in moss, flowers and solar panels that help power the event. 

I could go on and on about Hillside's impressive promotion of sustainability. They successfully created awareness about the possibilties of acting sustainably. It really made me wonder why ever food court/ stadium/ take-out restaurant/ rock concert isn't also taking these measures to curb garbage production and resource consumption. 

Way to go Hillside, keep it up. 

By Allison Smith 

Allison Smith
		About the author:
		Allison is a graduate student at Ryerson University in Toronto and the Green Editor for WOMAN.ca. She is a sometimes journalist who digs music and adventures. Her weaknesses include vegetarian food, men with beards and Ontario wines. She can be seen cruising the city on her bicycle, sipping organic coffee and dining at restaurants she can't afford. To Allison, the green movement has everything to do with moving towards a more natural way of life.
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