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Warwickshire teen DJ stages sustainable raves for under-18s

Warwickshire teen DJ stages sustainable raves for under-18s

BBC News09-07-2025
A teenage DJ has set up sustainable club nights for under-18 year olds.Sam Seven, 15, hosts a rave night called Wasted, which they said was born out of a passion for music, youth culture, and the planet.Wasted stands for "waste education", and plastic is banned at the events, signs and noticeboards are made from recycled materials, and clubbers are encouraged to car share to get there.The Warwickshire teenager said they wanted to show other people it was possible to do things differently and inspire them to recycle, and make other changes to help the environment.
Sam said sustainability mattered a lot, as "ultimately, as a 15-year-old, this is about my future".It was also important to make it "cool," said the DJ, as sustainability can be "a bit of a boring subject for some people," despite many young people being fearful about climate change.Wasted is billed as being about regenerating rave culture through sustainability, climate messaging and positive mental health.Sam wants to use the "community" of dancing in a room together to encourage action for the planet.
There have been two club nights so far at Playbox Theatre, Warwick, where Sam said the reception had been great, and people "really resonate with the message."The DJ is even looking to use biodegradable glowsticks at the events, as they are "potentially one of the worst things" for the environment, but they are "super important" at a rave.Sam Seven is keen to make a living from playing music, as long as it remains possible to stick to beliefs around sustainability, because DJing is one of the "coolest jobs".
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