This guide serves up practical advice for theme camp organizers hungry to make Burning Man food systems more sustainable. From ditching single-use utensils to cooking communal meals and sustainably sourcing ingredients, it’s packed with tips to reduce waste, conserve resources, and foster community through food.
Mandate campmates bring reusable plates, bowls, and utensils. Label dishware. Set up a cubby system to keep common areas organized.
Pre-MOOP meals and snacks off-playa by removing excess packaging. Register for playa-wide compost drop-offs or pack out dried compost responsibly.
Prioritize bulk snacks and shared food staples to minimize packaging waste. Ban individually wrapped items. Create a communal snack station for refills.
Keep ice longer by using one cooler for drinks (opened frequently) and another for food (opened sparingly).
Coolest art car on playa - Scott London 2012
Freeze ingredients or fully-prepped meals at home and they will serve the same cooling function as ice.
Freeze jugs of water, capture ice melt, and opt for block ice or use dry ice for long-term food storage.
Likely the most impactful step you can take to efficiently store your food, is to buy highly insulated/marine coolers to keep ice/food frozen/cool for longer.
Take advantage of cooler evening temperatures and power off fridges and coolers at night to conserve energy.
Avoid the hassle of having to keep food chilled and the daily errand of getting ice and prepare shelf-stable meals that require no refrigeration.
Use solar to power your fridges and even create your own ice and spare the trips to Arctica, much like Ice Ice Maybe or Bao Chicka Wow Wow.
Streamline food prep and build community with shared meals. Pre-cook meals off-playa to reduce on-playa dirty dishes + cooking time
Reheat prepped meals using low-impact methods. Use solar ovens for passive heating.
Track environmental impacts like food mileage and share sustainable practices with others.
Support local ag and reduce food mileage. Incorporate homegrown ingredients into meals. Stock up on regional produce and goods in Nevada.
Transition to plant-based communal meals or use regenerative meat for omnivores.
HAMM Camp cooks meat they butchered themselves on the embers of the man - Mike Higdon/RGJ 2018
