Sustainability
Every year, we’re working hard to make Big Church Festival cleaner, greener and kinder to our planet.
Our ultimate goal is to be a completely carbon-neutral event. That’s why we have committed to reducing our carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
How do we get there? With your help, we can create a festival that’s full of joy and full of care for creation too. From the way we travel and power the festival to how we sip our coffee, tackle food waste and sort our rubbish, we’re rethinking every part of the experience with sustainability in mind.
Find out ways you can help!
Travel the low-carbon way
Getting to the festival is our biggest source of emissions, but you can help change that.
Take the train (with a direct shuttle from Shoreham-by-Sea), jump on a coach or offer friends a lift to save money and fill empty seats.
Bring a refillable water bottle
Stay hydrated and ditch single-use plastics.
Fill up at one of our 5 Water Points, hosted by the friendly folks at Christian Aid. Forgot your bottle? Grab one at the merch tent!
Reuse your coffee cup
Each year we serve tens of thousands of cups of coffee and tea.
Bring your trusty reusable cup and save 20p on every hot drink at our cafés. Good for the planet and your pocket.
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
Together we can make sure anything we bring doesn't end up in landfill.
We’ve made it easy to recycle with clearly marked bins across the site. Not sure where something goes? Ask one of our team – we’d be happy to help!
Donate To Our Foodbank
Got food you don't want to carry home?
Before you pack up your tent, drop off any unopened food at our Foodbank Collection Points. You’ll be helping local charities and reducing waste.
Join the Green Team
Want to be part of the change?
Apply to volunteer with our Sustainability Team in 2025. You’ll help lead eco-initiatives across the site and inspire others to care for creation.
How Are We Reducing our Environmental Impact?
At Big Church Festival, we are celebrating all God can do while caring for all He’s made.
As we worship, laugh, sing and celebrate, we’re also taking practical steps to honour God’s creation. From food composting and clean energy to reducing anything single-use and reusing wherever we can, we’re rethinking every part of the festival with sustainability in mind.
Together, with your help, we’re creating joyful, unmissable moments that leave a lasting legacy of hope, worship and care for the world around us.
Read on to find out what steps we’re taking for a cleaner, greener and kinder Big Church Festival 2025.
Powering up with cleaner energy
We are working hard to reduce onsite emissions.
Thanks to a partnership between Pearce Hire and GeoPura, our Mainstage, Avenue, Expo and Illuminate areas now run on green hydrogen, reducing CO₂ emissions and noise pollution.
Everywhere else? We use 100% HVO fuel, which is a renewable diesel alternative. We also use battery tech to save unused energy and reduce the amount of fuel being burned.
Reduce and Reuse
Our long-term goal is for zero waste to end up in landfill.
We are avoiding single-use wherever we can. From hiring gear instead of buying it to reusing materials year after year, we’re all about less waste and more reuse.
Food Waste
We are turning food waste into compost
Our brilliant food traders separate out all their scraps and leftovers, which are turned into compost instead of landfill.
Using our Platform for Good
Bringing together thousands of people to celebrate will always have an impact on the environment, but we are working to ensure our impact is a positive one.
Climate change hits people living in the world’s poorest communities hardest. We believe we have a responsibility to do better, speak up and invite others to do the same.
