Mindfulness is the core of our mission. We practice mindfulness on the mat, in our relationships, in choosing what foods we eat—all in an effort to cultivate our best selves, to find our True North. Mindfulness means being present in the moment, appreciating our immediate surroundings, and pausing to revere nature.  

Every action we take impacts the environment, whether by utilizing natural resources, creating waste, or emitting energy. As yogis, it is our duty to be good stewards of the Earth. As such, it’s crucial for us to be mindful of our actions. As the influential environmentalist Wendell Berry wrote, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

Creating a Greener Festival

The responsibility to be stewards of the environment is on all of us, individually and collectively. A greener festival starts with you. When purchasing a ticket, you can choose to offset your carbon footprint by including a donation to our 2016 partner, Trees, Water & People. Fully 100 percent of these donations go to TWP’s reforestation efforts—since 1998, the organization has planted nearly 6 million trees worldwide.

Any donation you make, we’ll match. Together we can make a big difference.

Wanderlust also works with region-specific sustainability programs. For Wanderlust O’ahu in February, we partnered with Sustainable Coastlines, a nonprofit that works to inspire communities to take care of coastlines. Check out this video of our clean-up of Kahuku Beach, one of Hawaii’s dirtiest.

If you have recommended regional sustainability organizations, feel free to reach out and let us know!

New to environmental activism? Not to worry. Be inspired and learn how to get involved at a Wanderlust Speakeasy focused on sustainability, like one of these 2015 lectures.

Matt Wasson on Cheap Energy’s Dirty Secret

Updates from the Front Lines of the Climate Fight with Bill McKibben

Lauren Singer’s Zero Waste Lifestyle

Sustainable Food and Beverage Products

We can make major change by supporting our local food economies. As Congressman Tim Ryan says, “I think if we’re going to transform our country, it really needs to start in a fundamental way with our food system.” Wanderlust commits to source fresh, local, and organic food from area vendors and directly from farmers when available. Our on-site farmer’s market features locally-grown and prepared foods. Even when this is unavailable, purchasing organic, sustainably farmed foods remains our priority.

To boot, products made of Styrofoam and non-recyclable plastics (such as white picnic cutlery) have been banned in exchange for compostable flatware and cups. Water-filling stations placed throughout the festival encourage attendees to reuse their own bottles. This commitment is shared not solely by producers and organizers, but also by our vendors, who participate in our environmental program.