SUSTAINABILITY
We’re committed to reducing the environmental impact of Northern Bass, and to creating an inclusive, safe place for our guests to celebrate. Since 2015 the Northern Bass Green Team have been helping the festival to implement sustainable practices.
WHAT WE’RE DOING
Food vendors at Northern Bass are required to use compostable packaging to serve their food. To reduce the amount of compostable packaging being sent offsite to be commercially processed, vendors are encouraged to use home compostable serveware. We put PLA free home-compostable packaging into our onsite compost to breakdown, without relying on any industrial processes.
Northern Bass use Turn cup reusable cups at our bars. These cups prevent thousands of single-use plastic cups from going to landfill. Punters pay a $3 fee for their first drink in a Turn cup, and can reuse the cup during the festival, or swap it out for a clean cup next time they get a drink. A $1 refund is provided for cups returned during the festival, to keep cups out of the landfill, so they can be washed and reused again.
Northern Bass is part of the worldwide Love Your Tent movement that encourages festival punters to behave more environmentally responsibly; reusing their tents, looking after their tents and not buying rubbish tents in the first place. The message is simple: Love your tent, take it home. Our Green Team volunteers are available to help carry quality camping gear bought in to the festival, and help guests to put their tents up and down correctly, so they last longer.
Northern Bass has fresh, clean drinking water available from taps located all over the festival. No need to bring your own water to the festival, just bring your reusable water bottle to stay hydrated, sustainably, and party for longer. Insulated steel bottles are the best way to keep your water cool under the hot northern sun.
In 2022 we launched a new initiative to reward sustainably minded Northern Bass guests. The Northern Bass Green Camp offers pre-pitched tent packages and reserved campsites in a premium location in the festival campsite, for people who will commit to leaving their campsite spotless at the end of the festival. All Green Camp add-ons include a compulsory green bond, which is returned to guests after a pre-checkout inspection of their campsite.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Cheap tents are rubbish. Ask for a decent tent for Christmas, borrow a tent, or invest in the best tent that you can afford from a specialist camping store. A good tent can be your festival and adventure accommodation for years and years to come.
Beware of any single layer tents, sold as ‘Backyard Sleepout Tent’ or ‘Festival Tents’. Rain or shine, you can guarantee that moisture will seep through the single layer of these tents. These tents are not suitable for Northern Bass.
There are water stations all around Northern Bass to help you stay hydrated. Insulated stainless steel bottles are ideal – they keep water cool under the Northern sun.
If you’ve got new camping gear, take it out of its packaging at home and recycle what you can. If you’re bringing snacks, unwrap ‘em and chuck em’ in a sistema; this is also a great way to keep your snacks intact in your tent.
Fast fashion creates an insane amount of waste and carbon emissions. Opshop, upcycle, recycle, make or borrow from a mate to create a one-of-a-kind festival outfit. If your look needs some extra magic, onsite make-up artists can help you complete your look with some eco-friendly facepaint, makeup or beard sparkles.
Want to be part of the team that help Northern Bass meet it’s sustainability goals? Join the Green Team, our team of sustainability volunteers.