Powerful Thinking is a think-do tank which brings together festivals, suppliers and environmental organisations to explore ways to reduce the costs and carbon through increased efficiency and alternatives, and share findings to promote lower carbon industry.
It aims to provide clear guidance and resources to festival organisers about approaches to sustainable power and to drive a market for renewable energy supply at festivals, understanding and accounting for the business and cost restraints.
Powerful Thinking was inspired by Shambala Festival and Julie’s Bicycle, and founded by a consortium including Bestival, Festival Republic, A Greener Festival, the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Kambe Events and Firefly. These organisations provided both the start-ups funds and impetus to drive this initiative forward on behalf the festival Industry. Julies Bicycle further support the group by providing the secretariat and support in-kind. More recently the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), the Production Services Association (PSA) and the Nationwide {mobile] Caterers Association (NCASS) have joined the steering group. We also work with research partners; The Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development’s (IESD), DeMontford University, and the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), Oxford University.