How Bengaluru’s Zero-Waste Festival Is Turning Music Into a Climate Movement

Plastic bottles and other discarded materials were used to create the incredible chameleon installation. Image Source: The Better India

From eco-art installations to stages built from scrap, Bengaluru’s Echoes of Earth is redefining what a music festival can be — a space where art, sound, and sustainability come together in harmony. Imagine a festival without mountains of plastic bottles or heaps of discarded waste. Instead, think of steel tumblers replacing disposables, and stages crafted entirely from recycled materials, all pulsing to the rhythm of the planet.

This is not an idealistic vision but the lived reality of Echoes of Earth — India’s pioneering green music festival.

A Vision Rooted in Nature

Founded in 2016 by Roshan Netalkar, the festival began as more than just another event on India’s cultural calendar. Growing up in the coastal town of Karwar, surrounded by untouched landscapes, Roshan later spent two decades in Bengaluru’s entertainment industry where he witnessed the massive ecological toll of large-scale events. Sets discarded within hours, plastic waste piling up — it all became a call for change.

“I wanted to bring eclectic global sounds to Bengaluru,” Roshan recalls. “But more importantly, I wanted to rethink what a festival could mean — a platform where music drives conservation.”

With no template in India for a zero-waste event, his team relied on research, innovation, and persistence to create a model where sustainability is not an add-on, but the festival’s very DNA.

Art, Stages, and Storytelling

One of Echoes’ most iconic features is its breathtaking stages — massive art installations made entirely from recycled and upcycled materials. Each edition revolves around a natural theme: from seasons and endangered species like the one-horned rhino, to this year’s focus on “nature’s intelligence,” inspired by mycelium networks and whale communication.

Artists, engineers, and local artisans collaborate for months — sourcing scrap from junkyards, e-waste sites, and construction debris — before transforming it into certified, safe, and dazzling structures. As Roshan puts it: “It’s a six-month labour of love, where creativity, sustainability, and technology meet.”

Waste Reimagined

Where most festivals struggle with waste, Echoes of Earth turns it into art and action. Since its inception, the festival has been 100% plastic-free: no bottled water, no disposable cutlery. Instead, clean water is served at RO stations, and every visitor uses a reusable steel tumbler, refundable at exit.

Rather than scattered bins, “Kiosk Stations” with volunteers guide attendees in waste segregation — making sustainability a lived, educational experience. In 2024, with 26,000 attendees over two days and 170 acres, the festival sent zero waste to landfill for the second consecutive year.

Highlights include:

• Zero plastic since day one.

• Reusable tumblers for all drinks.

• Standard portions to curb food waste.

• Solar grids powering 20% of energy, with one stage fully solar-driven.

The result? A spotless venue and a rare global example of waste-free entertainment.

Clean Energy Challenges

Power remains the biggest hurdle. Currently, 20% comes from solar energy, but diesel generators are still needed. The team is testing biodiesel and biogas, with a long-term goal of making festivals fully renewable.

Partnerships That Empower

A network of collaborators makes this possible:

• Hasiru Dala Innovations – waste management

• U Solar – clean energy solutions

• WWF-India – conservation expertise

• Local artisans – creative execution

“These partnerships bring knowledge, authenticity, and solutions that turn vision into reality,” says Roshan.

People and Inclusion

Beyond music and art, Echoes of Earth empowers communities. Each year, over 1,200 workers — 66% of them women — find employment, with many seeing incomes grow sixfold. The festival also runs campaigns on biodiversity, e-waste, and conservation across cities, engaging over 15,000 people.

Beyond the Festival: The Greener Side

Sustainability doesn’t end when the music fades. Through The Greener Side, a year-round programme of workshops, nature trails, and discussions, the festival has engaged more than 52,000 people and partnered with 55 grassroots organisations. In 2024 alone, it saved 11,700 kg of new material by creating art from scrap.

A Ripple Effect

Echoes of Earth has sparked a cultural shift: audiences now expect waste-free festivals, organisers are held accountable, and even a sustainability handbook is being developed for others to adopt. “Our audience doesn’t just attend; they become custodians of change,” Roshan reflects.

Looking Ahead

Roshan envisions expanding the festival across India and beyond, with each edition adapting local values while upholding its core principles — conservation, creativity, and community. Future plans include scaling renewable energy, improving public transport access, and experimenting with circular economy models.

More Than a Festival

At its heart, Echoes of Earth is not just about music — it’s a climate movement. With every stage built from scrap, every steel cup refilled, and every child walking a mangrove trail, the festival is quietly shaping the future of entertainment and sustainability.

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