Biodegradable tent pegs....

[Mr_Grump]

....are they up to the job or should we bring a supply of hard wearing plastic pegs (easier to see, therefore more likely to be taken home than bog standard metal pegs)?

[pezzypops]

last year i went with every intention of using the biodegradable ones; only one person in our group was even given any, and couldn't get them into the ground without snapping them. they were a fine idea to promote greener ways* but i wouldn't like to have been one of the people who followed ME's advice and left their metal pegs at home.

by all means take biodegradable pegs but take your metal ones as backup.

having said that, why bother carrying the extra weight? i'd just take the metal ones and make sure you take them all home with you.

* but i wonder what's more expensive in money and carbon; using biodegradable potato pegs that have only last one camping trip, or metal pegs that will last 20 years if treated right?

[hazey_jane]

Same as Pezzypops- we couldn't get the biodegradable pegs to work at all and we had loads between us. We did have our metal pegs with us, just make sure that you take them all out of the ground when you leave

[daisylane]

they're only any good when the ground is a little softer.. last year was fairly dry so the ground was hard, meaning they just snapped! they were ok after that night of rain though as my mate had her normal tent pegs nicked, so she had to use the biodegradable ones.

i think they were more as a promotion to stop people leaving metal pegs really.

[grumpyhack]

Good idea in theory. But we would have needed so many that it wasn't practical or realistic. Also not sure about encouraging the throw away society. It's not hard to make sure you take away everything you bring.

[Funkfarley]

Good idea in theory. But we would have needed so many that it wasn't practical or realistic. Also not sure about encouraging the throw away society. It's not hard to make sure you take away everything you bring.

[timespeedsup]

If I was kind enough to let a bunch o' peeps camp in my garden for nearly a week, I would expect them to tidy up after themselves. Its only fair.

[Funkfarley]

Agree, but one of the stats on the Railway line last year was a million quid to tidy up after us all in 2007

(or was it 600K? Either way it was enough)

[paulo999]

Last year was a big improvement. The weather obviously helps, but I got the feeling people did make a bit more of an effort. Family Camping (whose occupants tend to be tidier admittedly) up near the cinema was immaculate... everything bagged... it looked like a bowling green.

Nearer the stages though... well... in Kidney Mead I came across a camp that looked like it be transplanted directly from Reading. A whole cluster of abandoned tents, with alot of stuff burnt, discarded soiled clothes, half empty food tins. The lot.

But overall, it was definitely better. I got a lift out with the village liaison manager and he said that Michael had asked Bob Kearle (site manager/litter) to get a field ready for the cows in just one week. And I believe they managed it too. Litter pickers were laid off early!

Fingers crossed for an even tidier 2009.

[Alcatraz]

They were sodding useless, but had my metal tent pegs and was sure to remove them at the end of the festival.

Take your metal ones just in case its a dry year (wait.....because it will be a dry year ) but please, please remember to pull them out and pack them at the end of the festival

[HurrahBrother]

They were a waste of time. Too brittle, tendency to shatter when putting them into the ground, and if the did not, the T shaped top snapped as soon as any stress was put on them (like tightening the flysheet!).

[Mr_Grump]

Sounds like they are a pile of poo (which I had a feeling they were gonna be) - looks like the good old traditional steel/plastics

[nina3d]

Last year was a big improvement. The weather obviously helps, but I got the feeling people did make a bit more of an effort. Family Camping (whose occupants tend to be tidier admittedly) up near the cinema was immaculate... everything bagged... it looked like a bowling green.

Nearer the stages though... well... in Kidney Mead I came across a camp that looked like it be transplanted directly from Reading. A whole cluster of abandoned tents, with alot of stuff burnt, discarded soiled clothes, half empty food tins. The lot.

But overall, it was definitely better. I got a lift out with the village liaison manager and he said that Michael had asked Bob Kearle (site manager/litter) to get a field ready for the cows in just one week. And I believe they managed it too. Litter pickers were laid off early!

Fingers crossed for an even tidier 2009.

[Sam Crawley]

Plus the biodegradable tent pegs are bloody expensive to buy in shops for something that's essentially a couple of bags of crisps squashed! The idea was good just to promote awareness, but I presume it's the usual selfish crowd who litter the place who also leave tent pegs etc.

[ivan]

Plus the biodegradable tent pegs are bloody expensive to buy in shops for something that's essentially a couple of bags of crisps squashed! The idea was good just to promote awareness, but I presume it's the usual selfish crowd who litter the place who also leave tent pegs etc.

[fejjie]

They were a good idea, but, not given out, I found boxes and boxes of them, and didn't work.

They did burn well though heh heh.

F

[Welly Boot]

I actually managed to get them to work although my hands were v sore from trying to slowly push them into hard ground without breaking them. We used them but I took metal pegs as back up.

I agree that their introduction made folk more aware of picking up all of the metal ones.

[HurrahBrother]

On a similar point , I do feel some people use far too many tent pegs.

I go with the minimum 4 , do not bother with the guy ropes or porch. I have been to plenty of festivals

where people have been putting out every guy rope with precision and must have used 20 pegs.

I mean when you are all in like sardines , I do not think every guy rope is necessary.

I am in the "get tent up in 10 secs then bar " brigade.

[grumpyhack]

I share the views on the horrifying amount of litter. There should be a half hour every day where everyone does a litter pick. That would soon stop people littering.

I won't even drop a fag end but carry a small 35mm plastic film container for the butts (air tight so the smell doesn't get into your clothes) and keep them all till I get to a bin.

[timespeedsup]

I share the views on the horrifying amount of litter. There should be a half hour every day where everyone does a litter pick. That would soon stop people littering.

I won't even drop a fag end but carry a small 35mm plastic film container for the butts (air tight so the smell doesn't get into your clothes) and keep them all till I get to a bin.

[chuckley]

i wouldnt even consider it. how the hell would plastic work better than metal?!

and y would u leave the metal ones behind when packing (unless leaving the whole tent)?! does no1 plan on reusing their tents?!

[mouth]

I sliced my palm when one of them snapped as i was trying to use it so stuck with the metal ones. tried to eat them but that was no use either.

[Francis Biley]

....are they up to the job or should we bring a supply of hard wearing plastic pegs (easier to see, therefore more likely to be taken home than bog standard metal pegs)?