Climate & Nature...

Pop Culture Sep 10, 2008

The Man Burns Green

The Environmental Mission at Burning Man 2008

Last week, I had the privilege of making my second excursion into the Nevada desert for Burning Man 2008. Situated two hours east of Reno, Burning Man is a weeklong arts, music, and cultural festival, and takes place in a temporary community known as Black Rock City that’s erected exclusively for the week of the “Burn.” The desert is peppered with dozens and dozens of dazzling art installations from some of the world’s most incredible designers, and custom designed “mutant vehicles” cruise through the desert night, lights flashing and music playing, to create a truly unique and dazzling landscape. The 2008 theme was “The American Dream,” which made for some very thought-provoking—and critical—pieces that dealt with a variety of aspects of our nation. In a word, it was awesome.

This year marked the largest turnout ever for the event, which was started by a handful of San Franciscans some fifteen or so years ago, and has blossomed into a desert pilgrimage that over 50,000 people embark on each year. It’s also the world’s largest Leave No Trace event, a staggering accomplishment when you consider the scope of how large Burning Man actually is.

As someone who’s attended Burning Man, it’s quite easy to understand the commitment the festival makes to maintain the natural environment that serves as the event’s venue. The Playa, as the desert is affectionately referred to by Burners, is treated with reverence and care. First off, there are no garbage receptacles at Burning Man. Burners are expected to take out whatever trash they bring in, and leaving MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) on the Playa is considered a serious faux pas. Second, each person is required to bring in all their own food and water, and take it all with them when they pack up and leave when the week is over. Finally, each camp is required to have containers to collect “gray water”—that is, any water that’s been used for cooking, teeth brushing, washing, etc—to avoid dumping any tainted water directly onto the desert surface. While there are port-a-potties that are fairly well maintained, showers are out of the question (unless you bring your own—and some people certainly do), so most Burners settle into a shower-less, sand-encrusted existence, where considering yourself “clean” is only a baby-wipe to the armpits away. Comforts are relative in the Black Rock Desert.

Surprisingly, though, once you settle into the Burning Man lifestyle, it’s relatively easy to adjust, and the lack of dependence on modern societal comforts is actually quite refreshing. It’s exhilarating to be completely off-the-grid, and it’s something I would recommend everyone try, if even for a short while.

On top of the environmental challenges campers face, Burning Man’s parent company, Black Rock City LLC, is also committed to ensuring that the Burn has the lowest environmental impact possible. In 2006, they issued an environmental mission statement outlining their ongoing commitment to the earth, and in 2007 the theme of the Burn was “The Green Man” to further highlight the importance of successfully carrying out an environmentally responsible Burning Man. Black Rock City LLC also plants trees and purchases carbon credits to help offset the emissions generated by the thousands of cars and RVs that journey to the desert each summer.

Having attended Burning Man for two years now, I think the thing that most impresses me about the event’s commitment to the environment is how genuine it is. People actually care about the space they’re inhabiting, from the campers, to the artists, to the event organizers themselves. It’s an incredibly refreshing feeling to be a part of such a positive community, and it’s something that I’d highly recommend. Hope to see you there.

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