Global Cool

Global Cool is a movement here to stir anyone who cares about the planet to get involved. More powerful than governments, more vocal than corporations, we are our own best shot: The People versus Global Warming.

By getting as many people as possible to do their bit to save a planet, we can actually slow down global warming. This isn’t cheap talk: Global Cool is not only backed by the biggest names in popular entertainment (we’re talking Sienna Miller, Josh Hartnett, Heather Graham, Rosario Dawson, Perry Farrell, Chris Cornell from Audioslave, Taylor Hawkins from the Foo’s, Flea from the Chili’s, KT Tunstall, Maroon 5, The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Fall Out Boy and The Bravery to name a few!), it’s backed by the smartest names in environmental science who know that a billion people x a modest reduction of one tonne of CO2 per person = a billion less tonnes of CO2 = a significant slowdown in global warming.

By signing up to My CO2 online at www.globalcool.org you can make a promise to reduce your carbon footprint through simple actions.

So, here’s how you can do your bit at T4 on the Beach:

1. Travel
Travel to and from festivals can make up a whopping 90% of an event’s greenhouse gas emissions but by taking public transport this figure can be drastically reduced. If driving is your only option then please try to fill your car to capacity with fellow festival-goers.

2. Camping
Over 10,000 non-biodegradable tents and nearly as many sleeping bags are deserted every year at UK festivals. If you’re bringing your own tent, please ensure you take it with you when you leave or perhaps consider renting a tent on site or possibly a Pod Pad.

3. Luggage
Do you really need that Swingball set, trouser press and Black & Decker workbench? It’s simple, the less you pack, the less you carry. By cutting back on what’s in your rucksack you’ll save yourself energy, all while saving fuel usage for whatever form of transport you choose to travel by.

4. Shopping
Please think about buying your supplies for the weekend at locally run stores as this directly benefits the communities living around the festival site. Did you know that for every £100 spent in a supermarket only £20 remains in the local economy? At a Farmers' Market this figure rises to almost £80.

5. Water
Packing a Brita water filter in the rucksack is a bit of an indulgence but please consider the millions of plastic bottles that end up in landfill or, at best, power-hungry recycling plants. Free drinking water is always available on site but if you really want posh water please try and buy locally sourced products in recyclable bottles.

6. More Water
There are many things that should be banned at festivals, jester hats and blow up sofas to name just two. But one thing that should be instantly outlawed is the left-running standpipe. If a dripping tap can leak 13 litres of water a day, just imagine what a left on standpipe can waste.

7. Recycling
Did you know that with the energy it takes to make one new can, you can make 20 new cans by using recycled cans? We wouldn’t recommend you try and say that after 24 cans but we do recommend you use the many recycling stations provided across the site.

8. Food
The UK chucks out enough rubbish every week to fill Wembley Stadium with much of that waste coming from fast food packaging. Face it, tea tastes better in your own cup and burgers are better eaten off of a plate, so please consider bringing your own lightweight plates, cups and cutlery, which will also help reduce the mountain of landfill-destined plastic and polystyrene.

9. Chargers
In this wonderful age of technology no festival checklist would be complete without a mobile phone, a digital camera or a full 3K sound system. But try finding somewhere on site to charge that essential gadget. Might be time to think about picking up a nifty little solar charger. www.solio.co

10. Tell Us Thankfully festivals are generally getting greener. But if you can think of any further measures that could be taken to lessen the environmental impact of our festival, then please don’t hesitate to tell us. And if you must visit any other summer festivals this summer, be sure to bully them too.