By Susie Weldon

The sun has been shining, the sap is rising and birds are busy doing their stuff in the trees… yup, Spring is on its way. So if your thoughts are turning this summer’s green celebrations and festivals, check out our guide to some of the best. They sell out early so dig out your wellies and get planning.

In the interests of keeping carbon emissions to a minimum, we’ve not included any we considered to be too far away. About 90% of a festival’s carbon footprint is caused by vehicle travel to and from the festival, so preferably go by public transport or share cars.

Wood – May 21-23, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire

Celebrating music and nature, claims to be Britain’s greenest festival and aims to an ecologically friendly lifestyle. Runs entirely on renewable energy, compost loos, showers heated by a wood-burning stove, a solar-powered stage, music, workshops, woodcraft. Max 800 people.

Tickets: Adults £70, teens (13-17) £50, under 12s free, £10 parking and £5 green tax for single car occupants but £5 reward for full cars, www.thisistruck.com

Bristol Eco Veggie Fayre – May 29-30, Bristol

Huge outdoor festival celebrating the best of eco-friendly, veggie lifestyles, with music, kids’ cookery classes, stalls, dance, fair trade and more. At the Amphitheatre, Waterfront Square and Millennium Square.

Tickets: Adults £6, children £3, www.bristolecoveggiefayre.co.uk

Sunrise Celebration – June 3-6, Bruton, South Somerset

Entirely sustainably powered, water fountains to reduce the use of plastic bottles, recycling, composting, regular shuttle to the nearest railway and major coach stations and a new community woodland to be planted by trees paid for by this year’s festival goers. This year, there will also a new circus and carnival field and three new stages.

Tickets: Adults £105 (adv), £115 (gate), kids £25, www.sunrisecelebration.com

2000 Trees Festival – July 16-18, Withington, Gloucestershire

Small, intimate gathering in the Cotswolds that won a 2008 ‘Greener Festival’ award;  90% onsite recycling and composting, locally produced food served in reusable/compostable containers, powered by locally-sourced chip-fat biodiesel, bus shuttle from Cheltenham railway station, £5 parking charge on cars.

Tickets: Adults £50, under 11s £10, www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

Camp Bestival – July 30-31 and Aug 1, Lulworth Castle, Dorset

Like its big sister, Bestival, it won a 2009 ‘Greener Festival’ award with an ‘outstanding’ accolade. Camp Bestival actively encourages people to use public transport, virtually all waste is recycled, there are composting loos, organic food, locally brewed organic beer and fruit drinks and, of course, a great line-up.

Tickets: Adults (16+) £150, children £75, under 13s free, four-month ticket payment plan, www.campbestival.co.uk

Croissant Neuf Summer Party – August 13-15, Usk, Monmouthshire

Winner of last year’s Greenest Festival award, the festival champions the ideal of a low impact lifestyle with ‘maximum fun’. Wind and solar power powered; organic, locally sourced and fairly traded food and drink; three trees planted on site for every car; eco- talks and brilliant alternative entertainment.

Tickets: Adult (16+) early bird £69, children £20, under-fives free, www.partyneuf.co.uk

Bestival – Sept 9-12, Lulworth Castle, Dorset

Winner of the Best New Festival 2008 award and last year’s Greener Festival award, see Camp Bestival above for why. This year has a fantasy fancy dress theme.

Tickets: Adults (18+) £155, children (11+) £77.50, under 11s free, four-month ticket payment plan, www.bestival.net

Waveform – Sept 10-12, location to be announced (‘less than 90 mins from London’; last year in Wiltshire)

Winner of a 2008 and 2009 Greener Festival Award, the only sustainable dance music festival in the UK. All energy used on site is from renewable sources with biodiesel, solar power, wind power and pedal power; solar powered cinema viewing; healing sessions and organic local produce.

Tickets: Adults early bird £60 (until April 1) then £75, children £22,  www.waveformfestival.com

The Big Green Gathering – Cheddar, Somerset

Powered by the sun, wind and the people, the Big Green Gathering is usually held in late July but was cancelled last year with 36 hours’ notice following the threat of an injunction by the police and local council. As yet no date for a 2010 gathering has been announced: www.big-green-gathering.com/

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