I actually think this article gives the green aspects of BM short shrift. When we went last year (was that just last year???), we camped with our Honda Insight hybrid near people with a giant solar toaster, a solar shower, and a biodiesel-fueled bus (a giant one that could've been a band's tour bus). And those were all folks that showed up independent of one another, not as part of some green theme camp.

As a whole, Burning Man does involve a lot of diesel generators and stuff burning up. But it also involves some 40,000 or so people living for up to a week in the desert with only what they brought with them. So on an individual level, it inspires an attitude of living with low energy use and extreme water conservation. Just like a long backpacking trip, for most people the Burning Man experience is largely about getting by with less ... and that can translate back to the homefront, too.

Sure, there are those folks that show up with the tractor-trailers, the diesel generators, the giant sound systems, and the i-don't-know-how-many-watt green lasers. But off the main concourse, most of the participants are getting by with as little as possible, and that experience can leave a lasting impact on the psyche.

British Petroleum creates "Performance Art Beach"!!!

Tens of thousands of people celebrate as refineries dump thousands of tons of toxic waste into Lake Michigan! It is said to be a commentary on modern civilization's destruction of nature.

They assure environmentalists that the toxic waste is, well, waste. So it is okay to just dump it. They'll plant some trees in Africa to compensate for some of the environmental damge, but point out that Lake Michigan is not really a natural environment anymore.

Environmentalists go wild, dancing nude next to the glowing water. Covered live over the internet, the dumping of toxic waste generates awareness of the Earth's fragile ecosystems and donations to conservation organizations increase by 6% that month. It might kill a few fish, but it is good for  the world, say one party goer.

British Petroleum promises an even LARGER event next year. Or perhaps a weekly event... that way fewer people will converge on the site at one time.

Executive urge people to please remove their trash at the end of the event and recycle all glass and plastic bottles.

Good one AZTommyB!!!

I'm just saying... seems a bit hypocritical justifying the burning of vast quantities of wood and trampling a desert by the suggestion that it will raise awareness of environmental and social justice issues.

How's this different from BP saying they have to pollute in order to ensure there are jobs for people? OR GW saying its okay to kill people to bring democracy to a country?

I thought "environmentalists" were generally looking for ways to reduced frivilous CO2 emissions. I did not realize that is was okay for them to pollute, but not okay for others who might be able to justify their decision to emit CO2.

I'm looking for a consistent message... otherwise, no one will take a person serious when they do criticize polluters.

By then way... I enjoyed your description of me, since I'm not an environmentalist, not a vegetarian, do not approve of militant behavior, would never chain myself to a fence for any cause, enjoy my commuting lifestyle, support the use of GMOs, and do not believe there is a God according to the common definition of God.

One thing I do believe in is NOT condemning people for engaging in behavior one seems willing to engage in themselves... like complaining about coal plants emitting CO2 while you set fire to an enormous pile of wood. It really is, in my opinion, absurd.

It is nice that the Burning Man people are motivated to do great things, but why so much destruction first? Why not just get together to do great things?

Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.

The overwhelming environmental cost of the festival is people driving there and back. Any greening of the festival itself is a drop in the bucket compared to the transportation carbon costs.  Just for one number, a gallon of gasoline produces 19 lbs of CO2

Short of canceling the festival and celebrating it online, the organizers should charter buses from nearby cities, and urge attendees to pay for and use these buses. Or at least organize car pools.

Glad to see a good sport. Thanks!

This festival, by nature, is about people and personable freedom. This year, this person-centric festival is shifting it's focus and energy toward natural responsibilities. As such, I'm so glad that all of these folks are turning their efforts, considerable talents, and amazing wealth of problem solving abilities toward the environmental problems that we as a modern society now face.

Is this festival, in and of itself  saving our environment? No...not even close. It is, however,  creating an attitude of awareness. It's placing a stage in front of many sharp and focused individuals, and it's saying...Show off! How would you fix the problems? What can you do?

Where else do normal people the world over have an opportunity (excuse?) to show their useful ideas of responsible living to so many? They really aren't complaining...they're working on solutions!

I'm excited that there's a venue that will allow unbridled ingenuity to be displayed without mountains of paperwork, lengthy approval processes, and stifling pessimism.

For every worthwhile thing, there is a cost. This is money, time and environmental resources well spent.

oh yeah....and it's way fun :)

Perhaps someone can get David Roberts to blog live from the next Burning Man festival. Now that would be a fine site to see. I would wade through a bazillion pop-up ads to read his inspired prose describing the dawn of a new culture.

As someone who's lived w/the BM festival since 1987 I believe I can say it really has done an outstanding job of minimizing its impact on the Black Rock desert, & is a really terrific venue for opening minds, bodies & souls to the desert, dessert, & desire of people to interact more personally w/their environment.  Anyone who can spend a day or 2 (to say nothing of a week!) on the playa with the sun, dust, wind, night chill & day heat without murder, theft, or cruelty in a population that now numbers 30K+ is transformed to some extent.  The festival itself has years of demonstrated 'leave-no-trace': check out the local newspapers, folks, in conservative northern NV... There is much to be said for anything that enhances humans' closeness to nature, & the Burning Man festival brings out a lot of good in a lot of people.  & it can all lead to greater empathy w/the world, & less destruction... Humans are a natural part of the environment, too, & so is their interaction: why not celebrate such a positive one?

I checked out the link to Wikipedia's 'desert varnish' and learned that it actually grows on rocks!  Any burner can tell you that there are no rocks on the playa.  It's an ancient lakebed in which nothing (not even hardy desert plants) grows due to the high-alkaline dust.  Sure, BM can be more environmentally friendly, but I challenge anyone to find a festival of this size anywhere that does as little harm to the environment.  As pointed out by other writers, consciousness is being raised at BM, not only on environmental issues but a whole host of social issues.  I particular like gift economy as an alternative to capitalism, in which a community based on caring and sharing is fostered.  In balance, Burning Man is good for the planet!