Mega-events such as the Coachella Music Festival, the pilgrimages to Mecca and the World Cup have become increasingly prominent in contemporary times, yet we often neglect to consider the environmental impact of bringing tens of thousands and sometimes millions of people together.
This is perhaps because when we think about environmental sustainability, we tend to weigh up how individuals, households, or even industries might be polluting the planet. However, mega-events are striking examples of the complex phenomenon of sustainability, mostly due to the impact of collective behaviour on the environment. The proof is that when a large gathering ends and everyone goes back to their ordinary lives, they almost invariably leave behind an alarming trail of accumulated waste. Even more troubling is the fact that such events have other negative environmental impacts that aren’t even visible to the eye.
