0A scene of tomato rampage (Stina Kierkegaard via Flickr)
La Tomatina has been a staple part of Valencian culture since the end of the second world war and it sees 22,000 attendees drenched in 150 tons of tomatoes in Buñol, a city in the East of Spain.
Participants usually come dressed in white ready for the chaos of lobbing tomatoes at anyone and everyone in sight. It’s not like anything we see in the UK and for this reason, concerns have been raised as to the ethics and sustainable approach to the event. This is because 150 tons of ripe pear tomatoes are delivered to the festival-goers, a large amount of whom travel from abroad to take part. It begs the question of how this event can truly be sustainable if the excessive amounts of tomatoes are being wasted.
After the event, clean up crews are sent with hoses to wash the tomato remnants down the street drains. Never will it seem like more of a waste until you are watching 150 tons of tomatoes being washed away. It is claimed that the tomatoes used for the event are too sour for consumption, would have been wasted anyway and therefore, it is not so much of a waste.
“Never will it seem like more of a waste until you are watching 150 tons of tomatoes being washed away”
Despite the festival appearing to be fun, it’s time we started taking stock of the events that are damaging to the environment as well as directly insensitive to those around the globe who struggle for food. The irony of wasting 150 tons of tomatoes when there are numerous conflicts breaking out across the world, leaving thousands of people homeless and hungry, is laughable. The problem is that traditions like these in Spain are grounded in culture and religion and it feels regressive to cancel the events on grounds of insensitivity.
Arguably, La Tomatina would be more of a socially acceptable event if the organisers were asked to tangibly prove, by some means, that the tomatoes were indeed, too sour for consumption. The knowledge that they wouldn’t have been eaten anyway would make many of us more comfortable with the idea of throwing them at strangers.
“…some traditions are too stuck in the past, stuck in a time where food could more easily be wasted without ethics being brought into it”
If we question the ethics of La Tomatina, we must also turn to environmentally damaging events in the UK such as music festivals and the disgusting state they are left in. We are now turning to more helpful methods such as “eco-camping” at Reading festival where campers are made to sign a waiver stating they will not litter. It’s a small step and doesn’t take away from the fun of the festival.
Small changes like this are the steps other events need to follow through with. Despite the joy that La Tomatina brings, some traditions are too stuck in the past, stuck in a time where food could more easily be wasted without ethics being brought into it. Now, it’s time the organisers opened their eyes to the controversy it causes and take stock of what can be done.
As Editor-in-Chief, Gracie has written an array of articles ranging from investigative pieces on the security of Boeing’s future to lifestyle pieces on the importance of self love and pleasure. She was one of the first to complete the Exeposé Rainbow and brings nearly four years of experience to writing and editing the newspaper, one of these years being spent in Madrid.
Waste not want not: La Tomatina
La Tomatina has been a staple part of Valencian culture since the end of the second world war and it sees 22,000 attendees drenched in 150 tons of tomatoes in Buñol, a city in the East of Spain.
Participants usually come dressed in white ready for the chaos of lobbing tomatoes at anyone and everyone in sight. It’s not like anything we see in the UK and for this reason, concerns have been raised as to the ethics and sustainable approach to the event. This is because 150 tons of ripe pear tomatoes are delivered to the festival-goers, a large amount of whom travel from abroad to take part. It begs the question of how this event can truly be sustainable if the excessive amounts of tomatoes are being wasted.
After the event, clean up crews are sent with hoses to wash the tomato remnants down the street drains. Never will it seem like more of a waste until you are watching 150 tons of tomatoes being washed away. It is claimed that the tomatoes used for the event are too sour for consumption, would have been wasted anyway and therefore, it is not so much of a waste.
Despite the festival appearing to be fun, it’s time we started taking stock of the events that are damaging to the environment as well as directly insensitive to those around the globe who struggle for food. The irony of wasting 150 tons of tomatoes when there are numerous conflicts breaking out across the world, leaving thousands of people homeless and hungry, is laughable. The problem is that traditions like these in Spain are grounded in culture and religion and it feels regressive to cancel the events on grounds of insensitivity.
Arguably, La Tomatina would be more of a socially acceptable event if the organisers were asked to tangibly prove, by some means, that the tomatoes were indeed, too sour for consumption. The knowledge that they wouldn’t have been eaten anyway would make many of us more comfortable with the idea of throwing them at strangers.
If we question the ethics of La Tomatina, we must also turn to environmentally damaging events in the UK such as music festivals and the disgusting state they are left in. We are now turning to more helpful methods such as “eco-camping” at Reading festival where campers are made to sign a waiver stating they will not litter. It’s a small step and doesn’t take away from the fun of the festival.
Small changes like this are the steps other events need to follow through with. Despite the joy that La Tomatina brings, some traditions are too stuck in the past, stuck in a time where food could more easily be wasted without ethics being brought into it. Now, it’s time the organisers opened their eyes to the controversy it causes and take stock of what can be done.
Gracie Moore
As Editor-in-Chief, Gracie has written an array of articles ranging from investigative pieces on the security of Boeing’s future to lifestyle pieces on the importance of self love and pleasure. She was one of the first to complete the Exeposé Rainbow and brings nearly four years of experience to writing and editing the newspaper, one of these years being spent in Madrid.
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