The final band has played, the hungover festival-goers have gone home and a considerable mountain of belongings is therefore left behind at the Lowlands campsite. From tents and airbeds to chairs and other camping gear that are often still in fine condition for another round. Fortunately, Emmaus goes into action after the festival to rescue what can still be rescued. We were allowed behind the scenes with Emmaus Bilthoven and saw with our own eyes how much waste is left behind at Lowlands. Or well... they are actually perfect camping items that can still be used just fine. This is also what festival-going is all about!
Emmaus rescues camping gear after Lowlands
That Emmaus knows what to do with old camping gear is evident after Lowlands. Every year, the team from Emmaus Bilthoven goes to the site on the Wednesday after the festival. There, they salvage usable items from the left-behind waste. Umbrellas, parasols, folding chairs and other camping gear can often still be sold just fine in the charity shop. Airbeds, sleeping bags and pillows are donated, among others, to aid organisations in Ukraine and the homeless shelter. Broken items are collected separately for recycling where possible. Emmaus does this at more MOJO events, including Down The Rabbit Hole and concerts by major artists such as Harry Styles. And yes, even after a stadium concert, it turns out that an enormous amount of things are left behind.
In the video below, Yvy from Emmaus Bilthoven takes us behind the scenes. She shows what festivalgoers leave behind and what the team manages to salvage from it. Rather confronting. See for yourself!
Find out more about Emmaus charity shops.
You might also find this interesting
- Also see: the best charity shops in the Rivierenbuurt.
- Also see: Rotterdam guide: on the tandem to the charity shop!
- Also see: glass recycling.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
