WATERAID has unveiled its ‘Living Loos’ at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
Festivalgoers at Worthy Farm will be treated to a fabulously fruity toilet garden experience this year, just a short walk from the Pyramid Stage.
WaterAid has been a charity partner of Glastonbury Festival since 1994, supporting the water and sanitation services.
The partnership also highlights the charity's work to provide clean water and decent toilets to people around the world.
Abundant with edible plants able to withstand a changing climate, the installation, created by award-winning garden designer Tom Massey, incorporates the festival’s very own toilet compost, enhancing the productivity of the 5m x 5m plot.
WaterAid’s ‘Living Loos’ sit amongst lush vegetation, vibrant with fruit and vegetables commonly grown by communities where the international charity works.
Banana plants and citrus such as orange trees are thriving alongside tasty vegetables including sweetcorn, tomatoes and chilli peppers.
Center-stage is a fully-functioning composting loo, surrounded by four others protruding with plant life, to highlight the importance of the one in five people without a decent toilet – almost 1.7 billion of the world’s population.
Whilst using the most alluring loo at the festival, toilet-goers can check out climate inspired slogans created by Glastonbury Festival performers Debbie Harry, Doc Brown and Becky Hill, as well as other celebrities such as Beatles legend Ringo Starr and actor Cel Spellman, adorning the toilet door.
The designs are available as temporary tattoos at the charity’s water kiosks across the festival.
The striking, eco-friendly toilet garden is raising awareness of WaterAid’s ‘Our Climate Fight’.
The campaign calls on the UK Government to ensure everyone has decent toilets and clean water to be able to withstand a changing climate, by investing at least one third of their committed international climate budget directly into projects that bring these essentials.
Even some of the more exotic plants in the installation will increasingly be able to be grown outside in the UK - an exciting, yet deeply alarming fact.
Adaptation is key to survival wherever we may be, as many communities living on the frontline of climate change could tell you.
Being able to grow vegetables in her backyard garden thanks to a reliable water supply has been life-changing for Namulindwa, 40, who lives in Kampala, Uganda.
She said: “In my garden I grow mainly aubergines, tomatoes, maize and spinach – these crops mature quickly.
The garden gives me enough vegetables to eat at home and also sell surplus in my market stall for extra income. I use the money to buy necessities like soap and salt.”
Tim Wainwright, chief executive of WaterAid UK said: “Where better than the iconic Glastonbury Festival to shine a light on the many benefits of having a decent toilet?
“We’re delighted to offer revellers a moment of inspiration whilst they visit our Living Loos - a fun way to relay an important message."
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