Campsite Challenge

Camp ZeroHero - 2009 winners
2009 Campsite Challenge winners

To extend the spirit of sustainable festivation into the campgrounds, Planet Bluegrass is again running How Green is your Grass? - the 3rd annual creative campsite challenge. Coordinated by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, this contest encourages all of us to raise the bar for sustainable camping by honoring campsites that excel in achieving the highest levels of the Leave No Trace philosophy.

2009 Winners

Congratulations to the 2009 RockyGrass Campsite Challenge winners, "Camp ZeroHero." This 20-person camp provided a recycling/compost/waste station for their campsite and all their neighbors. They employed solar lighting, bicycles, and compostable and reusable cups, plates, and bottles. They also brought their own keg of local brew to reduce waste from cans or bottles. For their efforts, they will receive a pair of on-site camping passes for the 2010 RockyGrass.

How Do I Participate?

The contest is open to all campers in any of the Planet Bluegrass-managed campgrounds. To nominate your own campsite or one of your neighbors:

  1. Take a digital photo of the campsite
  2. Print out your campsite photos at the Leave No Trace booth in Greentown inside the Festival.
  3. Submit a campsite entry form along with your printed photos.
  4. Stop by the Leave No Trace booth each day to view all the campsite entries and vote for your favorites. Campsite finalists will be chosen daily by staff and Festivarians.
  5. Leave No TracePlanet Bluegrass will select the grand prize winner after the campground pack-out is complete on Monday. The winner will be announced in the next “Notes from the Planet” email and on this web page. 

How Do I Win?

We will be judging on three simple criteria:

  1. Cleanliness. Are you repackaging the food you bring? Are you keeping a tidy campsite? Are items secure and not susceptible to wind gusts? Are you safely disposing of cigarette butts?
  2. Sustainability. Are you separating your recyclables, compostables, and then placing them in the correct bins at the campsite waste stations? Are you reusing products (cups, utensils, water bottles, bags) instead of trashing them? Are you using any alternative energy sources to power your campsite? Did you bike or carpool to the festival; are you offsetting carbon emissions using wind credits or carbon offsets? Will you pack out as much as possible when leaving? Did you do anything to reduce your homes’ energy while attending the festival?
  3. Creativity. Does your campsite have a theme? Are you utilizing any unique and innovative camping techniques?

What Do I Win?

RockyGrass campsite
RockyGrass campsite

One nominated campsite will be chosen as a finalist each day. One grand prize winner will be selected after the campground pack-out on Monday from the four daily finalists. This grand prize winner will receive a pair of On-Site Camping passes for the 2010 Festival.

For More Information

Share your thoughts about the contest, or even a little pre-contest "bet you can't top our solar-powered strobe tuner" smack, over at the Festivarian Forum.

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. Visit at www.LNT.org or call 1-800-332-4100