Metal 4 Nature – Sustainability at W:O:A

Before this year’s Wacken Open Air starts off, we would like to give you a little heads-up for a subject that caught our increased attention lately: sustainability.

A festival like Wacken Open Air is rarely eco-friendly these days – just take a look at over 80.000 visitors, musicians and crew members that make the way to Wacken which already is a real challenge for our environment.

Events of this size use lots of energy, produce tons of waste etc. And many people at festivals enjoy to escape topics like waste separation, gasoline consumption etc.

We absolutely do not intend to question anyone’s escapism or give you a guilty conscience, but we aim at leaving a smaller ecological footprint by doing everything we can to make the festival greener.

Ideally, you won’t even notice any effects or changes – our actions will not interfere with your comfort, the feeling of freedom and your fun at this festival!

The background processes of this festival offer thousands of possibilities to make W:O:A more sustainable. And for this year, we already have some changes in hand.

However, Wacken Open Air cannot go green in the blink of an eye. This process is set for many years. At the end of the road we aim at having a zero-emission festival.

We work with experts and partners, especially the company GP Joule, and rely on their broad knowledge about renewable energies. This year, we focus on the following things:

• Alternative concepts partially replace traditional engines of our W:O:A automobiles and trucks

• We lend mobile rechargeable batteries that literally outshine any traditional portable charger – they are charged by using solar energy!

• The GP Joule info booth and the near surroundings will be provided with solar energy that is produced on the spot

• We will set up a food-sharing booth distributing food that would be thrown away otherwise

• Left-behind tents, sleeping bags etc. that are still in usable condition will be passed on to people in need

Additional concepts and projects such as the reduction of waste or improvement of energy supply are being pushed constantly.

Of course, you can also be a part of the change:

• Make use of the services we offer and get information from our partners about your possibilities such as solar panels for camp vehicles etc.

• Avoid producing unnecessary waste and dispose it at the designated stations

• Share resources if possible – a single generator might produce energy for several camps for example

• Optimize your journey to Wacken – if you have seats available in your car, maybe you can giver another Metal Head a ride?

• Use the offers of our official travel partners, like the Metal Train – arriving in a group is fun and environmentally friendly.

We hope that you are by our side on the way to a sustainable W:O:A.

Cheers,

yours W:O:A team