There aren’t many places in the world where you can watch some of the best production on the planet, feel the bass from one of the top dubstep DJs, and feel the energy of a crowd completely lit up. As someone who grew up in the dubstep era, seeing Subtronics play at mainstage at EDC Orlando this year was unmatched.

But for me, EDC went much deeper than the music this time. This year, Plant Futures came to the festival with one big question: What does a truly sustainable festival look like, and how do we get there together?

To find out, we went straight to the DJs headlining the show, the cultural architects actively shaping what comes next.

With massive reach, deep influence, and the power to move thousands of people at once, they’re uniquely positioned to help turn this vision into reality.

Artists Imagine Their Dream Sustainable Festival

Through our artist interviews, we unlocked something powerful: artists aren’t just playing these stages, they’re using their voices and actively imagining what the sustainable festivals of the future will look like.

Behind Kinetic Field, many of the artists we spoke with described sustainability as part of their work as artists, not an afterthought.

Artists as Culture Shapers

DJ Crespo spoke to the influence and massive reach that artists have:

“A lot of artists are looked up to very heavily. If they’re doing something, everyone else looks up to that, so why can’t we all push the message of, ‘Hey, this is our planet. We get to play music on this beautiful planet. We’ve got to make sure it’s okay.’”

He also pointed out the urgency of bringing sustainability to music festivals:

“We have hundreds of thousands of people at EDC. Sustainability is something we have to keep in the forefront of our minds, or it will slip behind us and it may be too late.”

Food to Fuel the Night

For artists like 2AR and Alves, food is a huge part of the sustainability conversation - especially when you’re constantly touring.

2AR noted how much food sustainability has emerged since he first started touring.

“There are always good plant-based options at festivals now… Any way they can diversify the menu to meet those needs is a positive thing, it’s really moving in that direction.”

Alves emphasized how critical it is to see more healthy options in spaces like EDC:

“When you’re touring, healthy options aren’t always available, and when they are, they’re expensive. So seeing more healthy options at festivals is huge.”

Plant-based açaí bowls, veggie-forward meals, and lower-carbon food options aren’t just “nice to have”, they’re part of making festivals more sustainable without sacrificing taste.

Education, Community,
and Little Actions That Add Up

Artists didn’t just talk about what we eat, they talked about spaces like EDC help shift how we learn, act, and support each other.

For 2AR, education is at the core:

“Ultimately it comes down to education more than anything. Festival-goers should have resources to be educated, and the brands should provide that education too. There’s a tasteful way to do it and get people on board with sustainability.”

Artist Leisan pointed to community as the engine of change:

“Everyone should feel a responsibility for each other. The issue starts with each person first. Everyone can bring a little bit of their own positivity to the community.”

And sometimes, sustainability is as simple as infrastructure and reminders. Alves brought it down to earth:

“People like easy access, so having more trash bins and recycling cans spread around helps a lot.”

Using the Mic for More Than Music

Finally, **J Patron** talked about how artists can use their literal mic to amplify sustainability:

“Sustainability is something artists have to be more vocal about, whether it’s on stage during the set or on social media. We’re the ones in front of everybody; they’re all here to see us.”

He shared one simple, powerful example:

“If I can get on the mic before I end my set and say, ‘Have fun, thank you for coming, and please throw your trash away,’ just tell them to do something nice for the whole festival, that’s one way to start.”

With that sentence, thousands of people can be reached at once.

What EDC Orlando Shows Us
About the Future of Festivals

From artists dreaming up their dream sustainable festival, EDC Orlando showed us what’s possible when food, culture, and climate come together, echoing the visions of artists dreaming up their ideal sustainable festival. This is a natural evolution of PLUR, shaping rave culture in a way that’s fun, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

At Plant Futures, we see festivals like EDC Orlando as living laboratories for culture change. If we can make sustainability feel exciting, delicious, and deeply connected to the music and community we love, we’re not just greening a weekend, we’re training a generation to see climate action as part of how we celebrate.

Raving for a Better Future: Sustainability and Artist Voices at EDC Orlando