Young people are changing waste behavior

CHALLENGE

Smukfest focuses on sustainability and aims for sustainability to become part of Smuk-DNA in the future. Many good initiatives are already underway, but there is a need for increased efforts in the waste and recycling area. The festival has a goal that by 2029, all guests will clean up after themselves and take their camping equipment home. The challenge today is that some waste should not be waste at all, as it can be reused. Other waste can be recycled if sorted correctly. Therefore, there is a behavioral challenge in minimizing and sorting waste.

SOLUTION

Behavioral and cultural change for young people and by young people. Efforts on the camping area "KærligHeden" at Smukfest, driven by young VIA students. The VIA students developed cool concepts that can help shift the attitude from thinking it's cool to litter to thinking it's cool to clean up. In 2022, the focus was on a wheel of fortune where submitting a filled garbage bag could result in a prize. Additionally, clear garbage bags were distributed, and motivating conversations were held around the campsites, paving the way to show that anti-everyday and responsibility can go hand in hand.

RESULT

Marius Pedersen, the festival's waste management company, estimates that they collected about 40% less waste in 2022 than at the last festival in 2019, while aerial photographs of the area reveal cleared areas that are normally covered with garbage. In the wheel of fortune booth alone, 753 filled garbage bags where submitted creating a lot of positive festical atmosphere. Both the festival's sustainability coordinator, the volunteer VIA students and festival guests consider the initiative to be a huge success. The initiative is planned to continue in 2023. After 40 years of the festival with the same waste culture, the concept needs to be continued, where young people motivate young people. However, the 14 VIA students initiated the first waves of change, and next year, more waste may be sorted, and more tents and camping equipment may be taken home.

An outcome of the process is also a well-functioning collaboration and partnership between Smukfest, VIA, Renosyd, and Skanderborg Municipality, which together have addressed a significant societal issue by working together across sectors and thinking innovatively together.

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