Summer Camp Music Festival is proud to be a sustainable festival. We’re taking the necessary steps to reduce our carbon footprint, support local Illinois businesses and reduce, reuse, and recycle. Learn all about our sustainability initiatives and to discover how YOU can help keep Summer Camp a clean, beautiful, and earth friendly event below.

The Green Team and Sorting Center

Each year at Summer Camp, Green Team volunteers help to collect and hand sort the waste that is created over the course of the 4-day festival. The waste is sorted into 3 groups: recyclables, compostables, and landfill items. The Summer Camp Green Team works tirelessly to ensure that the grounds stay clean and that all festival attendees are educated about recycling and composting programs at the park. Now through a partnership with Zero Waste Event Productions and use of their specially designed conveyor-belts, we are able to sort through material safely and efficiently in order to maximize the diversion efforts and reduce waste to landfill. Click here to sign up today!

Recycling and Composting Efforts

Summer Camp Music Festival requires all vendors to use compostable materials. We hope that all festival attendees will make an effort to recycle materials in the appropriately labeled disposal bins located on the festival grounds. X-Waste offers Summer Camp Music Festival services for all of our composting, recycling, and landfill needs and happens to be local – only 20 miles away! Look for the labeled and color-coded waste stations to assist in separating and do your part to ‘Make a Difference!’

Colored-Coded Waste Stations

Summer Camp provides color-coded recycling, composting, and landfill waste stations throughout the festival grounds. The Summer Camp Green Team ensures that all recyclable and compostable items are sorted at the festival and distributed to the proper sites.

.

Biodiesel Generators

Summer Camp provides biodiesel generators for all our electric needs. Summer Camp worked with Caterpillar engineers to approve B20 (a mix of 20% bio-diesel) for the generators which had previously only been approved for B5 (5% bio-diesel). Caterpillar’s approval of the B20 mixture allowed for the rental companies to ensure the warranty on all the generators used at Summer Camp– who previously had not approved the use of biodiesel fuel above B5. This approval also means that anyone else using Caterpillar generators around the country (or world for that matter) can now use B20 fuel!

Supporting Local Illinois Businesses

The Charity and Greening Fee on every ticket purchased is used to support a grant program for local community groups and charities, as well as to support initiatives to limit the environmental impact of the festival. The Greening Fee is utilized to support the festival sustainability initiatives such as purchase compostable products that are used throughout the festival, maintain our sorting program, and equip our generators with biodiesel fuel.

The Charity Fee has gone to support local organizations, such as: Rome Youth Activities, CEC PTO, Altrusa Inc. Of Chillicothe, Chilli Cemetery Enhancement Comm., Hair Company Kids, Love-in-Action Food Pantry, Chillicothe Public Library, South School Intensive First Program, 3 Sisters Antique Tractor Club, Chillicothe Summer Theatre, Pearce Community Center, Chillicothe Skate/Bike Park, Chilli Dawgs, 4th of July Committee, Three Sisters Folk Art School, IVC Marching Band, and Rescue 33.

Environmental Education

Each year Summer Camp brings in a large group of nonprofit organizations to educate attendees on keeping our environment clean and green. Organizations educate on issues of sustainability, reusable energy sources, carbon offsetting, and much more! Take some time to check out their booths and learn more from workshops, demonstrations, discussions, and even acoustic performances at the Soulshine tent that highlight each group’s goals and accomplishments!

What YOU Can Do

To encourage recycling and composting at Summer Camp, each attendee is given two marked garbage bags upon entering: one for recycling and one for landfill waste. We encourage all fans to keep their camp site clean and tidy, to recycle, and to compost during their stay at Three SistersPark.

When packing for Summer Camp, consider the waste that you’re bringing INTO the park, as well as the waste that you’ll leave behind. Be conscious about your food packaging. Bring reusable aluminum water bottles, purchase used camping products whenever possible, use pocket ashtrays, and always be mindful of other guests at Summer Camp. For more helpful packing tips, check out our FAQs.