Championing sustainability at Ziro Music Festival 2024

Consumers today are increasingly prioritising mindful living, seeking out experiences and products that reflect a commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing. In line with this shift, the ZIRO festival is making waves not just for its eclectic sounds but for its strong environmental ethos, held in the quiet and pristine Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Helping the festival bring to life its vision of a greener, more conscious future is its long-time partner Signature Packaged Drinking Water, which has always stood for encouraging mindful, conscious living — and through Ziro, puts this philosophy into action.

This year’s Ziro Music Festival, held from September 26 to 29, incorporated sustainability initiatives into almost every aspect of the event. It was a completely single use plastic-free event, with eco-friendly accommodations, local Apatani craftsmanship featured prominently at the festival and Signature Packaged Drinking Water ensuring the availability of free water refill stations throughout the festival, actively encouraging attendees to use reusable water bottles and glasses made of rice husk and recycled paper, instead of single-use plastics. These small yet impactful gestures reinforced the idea that luxury experiences, like participating in a music festival, don’t have to come at the cost of sustainability.

Going beyond merely reducing plastic usage, Signature Packaged Drinking Water engaged their audience through curated experiences, including masterclasses on art, craftsmanship and sustainability. The masterclass series led by the multi disciplinary artist Santanu Hazarika and Ashay Bhave, the founder of the vegan sneaker brand ‘Thaely’, deep dived into art, craftsmanship and sustainability.

One of the most exciting initiatives this year was the introduction of plogging—an innovative blend of jogging and litter collection that encouraged festivalgoers to keep the valley clean. This community-driven effort not only kept the environment pristine but also engaged attendees in actively contributing to the festival’s eco-conscious mission. These initiatives inspired festival-goers to think about sustainability in broader terms — as a lifestyle that promotes thoughtful consumption and mindful living

Varun Koorichh, Vice President and Portfolio Head, Marketing at Diageo India

Varun Koorichh, Vice President and Portfolio Head, Marketing at Diageo India, elaborated on Signature Packaged Drinking Water’s green mission at Ziro: “As the presenting partner, we recognise that new-age consumers are proactive, informed, and intentional in their choices, seeking meaningful experiences. Our focus this year was to build on the success of last year’s festival and take it to newer heights. Our partnership with Ziro allows us to seamlessly integrate music, nature and eco-conscious living, enabling meaningful connections with both nature and people.”

An Artistic Tribute to Mangrove Regeneration

Beyond its work at the festival itself, Signature Packaged Drinking Water is also championing environmental causes with far-reaching impact. This year, the brand collaborated with visual artist Shantanu Hazarika and ‘Thaely’, to create a stunning installation dedicated to mangrove regeneration. The installation, brought attention to Signature’s three-year commitment to regenerate 60 acres of mangrove cover along the Odisha coastline.

Artist Shantanu Hazarika

Mangroves, often overlooked, serve as vital guardians of coastal ecosystems, protecting shorelines from erosion and acting as natural buffers against storms. The mangrove regeneration project will not only preserve a critical ecosystem but also provide livelihood opportunities for residents of five villages working on the project.

A Festival Grounded in Shared Values

The collaboration between Signature Packaged Drinking Water and Ziro Festival is about fostering a shared passion for mindful living and sustainability. The partnership has grown organically over the years, driven by both Signature Packaged Drinking Water’s commitment to the environment and the festival’s ethos of eco-consciousness.

For Bobby Hano, Co-Founder and Festival Director of Ziro, this alignment of values is what makes the partnership so powerful. “Sustainability has been at the heart of Ziro Festival since its inception. Our partnership with Signature Packaged Drinking Water is an important step in continuing our commitment to preserving the environment while celebrating music and culture. Together, we aim to showcase how events like ours are can balance eco-conscious projects with impactful, memorable experiences.”

“Ziro Festival has always been about discovering new sounds and creating spaces where artists can connect with a diverse, global audience,” says Anup Kutty, Co-Founder and Creative Producer of Ziro Festival. Signature Packaged Drinking Water’s support allows the festival to shine a light on environmental issues that matter, while offering festivalgoers a chance to engage with art and nature in deeply meaningful ways.

With a line-up of diverse artists performing on the Signature Packaged Drinking Water Stage—including the legendary Tuareg beats of Tamikrest, the soulful Kailash Kher, hip-hop sensation Hanumankind, folk revivalists Baalimaaran, Arunachal’s Dobom Doji Carolina Norbu, Nepali chart-topper Sushant KC, Swedish psych-rock group Hollow Ship, Veena maestro Dr. Jayanti Ramesh and Singaporean post-rock band Amateur Takes Control—the festival continues to offer a platform where global sounds meet local culture. But what sets Ziro apart is how seamlessly it weaves together sustainability and culture, ensuring that attendees not only enjoyed the music but also left for home with a deeper appreciation for the planet.

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