Events across the world are notorious for leaving massive amounts of waste after the music dies. From confetti, plastic cups, single-use wrapping, and glitter (arguably the worst one), the list goes on and on. South Africa’s greenest festival, Greenpop’s annual Reforest Fest, is an anomaly when it comes to this status quo. With a key focus on sustainability, from the food and beverages served, decor used, topics covered in workshops and talks, to the planting of 5000 trees each year, Reforest Fest is teaching us what’s possible when sustainability is at the forefront of event planning and execution. 

After Greenpop’s 14th annual Reforest Fest, we wrapped up our impact report. Here’s a snapshot of 10 key findings we learned this year in sustainable eventing:

1. Waste Minimisation:

In collaboration with Petco, Gooi, and Regenize, we achieved limited waste-to-landfill through source separation and responsible waste management. Single-use packaging was strongly discouraged from being brought on site by attendees and vendors, and attendees were encouraged to bring their own cutlery and crockery.

Through these changes, 1704 kg of waste was diverted from landfill, only 483 kg of landfill waste, and 562 kg of compost was created! This means a massive 78.1% of waste was diverted from landfill, exceeding the UK’s best practice standards for festivals of 60%.

2. Innovative Sanitation:

Using composting toilets across the festival grounds saved 6L of water per flush and drastically reduced pressure on sewerage systems. A bonus of 2500kg of “humanure” will be processed from these toilets, creating nutrient-rich fertiliser.

3. Eco-Friendly Water Use:

Viva Con Agua led water conservation efforts with timed shower heaters and wash-up stations, using biodegradable, non-toxic soap provided by Hemporium and Better Earth. These contributed to limiting chemicals in our water systems by providing eco-friendly, biodegradable soap to the festival. 

4. Energy Efficiency:

While our energy needs were modest, we minimised usage with LED lighting and solar festoons from Litehouse, which use 80% less electricity than normal alternatives. In total, only 2148 kWh was used across the weekend; each person only used about 0.36 kWh per day, a stark comparison to the resident average of 4 kWh in Cape Town!

While Reforest Fest currently makes use of the municipal grid, we aim to increase our use of renewable energy in the future.

5. Local and Organic Produce:

80% of our fresh produce came from within 50 km, with 20% certified organic. For example, all eggs used on-site were truly free-range from a local farm just 17 km away (we always choose organic over supermarket-labelled “free-range”). We work with 15 local farms to keep ingredients fresh, seasonal, and low in transport emissions. We also partnered with OK Foods, who generously contributed R10,000 in in-store credit for us to use towards our crew’s meals. In total, Reforest served 8300 plant-based meals, saving a massive 12,100kgs of GHG emissions by being plant-based. 

6. Social & Community Impact:

Reforest Fest thrives thanks to our dedicated community of attendees. We’re committed to inclusivity and empowerment by:

• Offering subsidised tickets that are open for anyone to apply for. (Reforest Fest hosted 113 students, sponsored learners, & subsidised tickets).
• Collaborating with local community programmes to uplift youth and support emerging musicians. Reforest Fest collaborated with 70 partner organisations/brands, and created 193 jobs and volunteer positions.

7. Transport Emissions Reduction:

We are also not afraid to admit where there is much room for improvement. One of the biggest hurdles we face in events is audience travel. In South Africa, where public transport options are limited, this remains our largest source of event-related carbon emissions.

When we compared our numbers to those of UK festivals (thank you, Julie’s Bicycle, for your invaluable reporting!), we discovered our audience travel emissions are 55% higher than the UK average, with 17% more attendees arriving by car. It’s a sobering reminder of the unique context we operate in. A country where carpooling isn’t always accessible or culturally embedded, and where safety, distance, and infrastructure shape every decision. 

We will strive to reduce our team and attendees’ travel emissions by: offering more shuttle services like the one we had this year with Nomad Africa Tours & Safaris, promoting carpooling via Lift Club, and encouraging cycling, running, or walking to the festival (yep! 1,830km were walked, ran, or cycled to the event this year!)

8. Reusing Materials:

We store and repurpose as many materials as we can annually, both on-site at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat and at Greenpop’s EcoHub in Cape Town, contributing to a circular economy.

9. Community-Led Sustainability:

Our partnerships and policies are built on a collective commitment to sustainability, from vendors and crew to guests, ensuring that Reforest Fest is as low-impact and regenerative as possible.

10. Carbon Footprint:

Reforest Fest 2025 was proudly carbon negative: the 5,021 trees we planted will sequester 50x more carbon than the festival produced over their lifetime.
We estimated that each person’s carbon emission was only 21kg C02e per day (mainly from travel to the event). *C02e stands for “carbon dioxide equivalent.” This term refers to the process of aggregating various greenhouse gases into a single unit, allowing for a comparison of their global warming potential.

“Reforest Fest envisions a vibrant and inclusive future where communities unite to restore and celebrate our natural world. Through immersive experiences combining arts, culture, and environmental action, we inspire collective responsibility and foster a sustainable legacy. Our festival is a catalyst for ecological restoration and community empowerment, aiming to become a leading force in global reforestation efforts and environmental education. By understanding our impact, we can innovate and lead the way in sustainable events in South Africa.”

Through small (and big) conscious changes, festivals across the world can make a difference to tread more lightly in the spaces they occupy. Using the lessons learnt at Greenpop’s Reforest Fest, and building on these sustainable changes, we can change the narrative on festivals globally, transforming them into truly transformative spaces for people and planet. Dive into the full Impact Report here.  If you have any questions or would like to connect, feel free to contact our Events Manager, Claudia, at [email protected].