Until recently, “environmentalist” would not have been high on the list of words I use to describe myself. Like many others, I was guilty of being aware but not doing much beyond recycling my empty wine bottles at home. I was working long, stressful hours in Los Angeles and New York coordinating TV shows, commercials, and music videos. With barely enough time to sleep, I didn’t consider the impact my industry was having on the world around me. I witnessed wasteful practices on a daily basis: From countless sets being built, then torn down days later and thrown in the dumpster, to thousands of water bottles being tossed into the trash over the course of a shoot. Yet I wasn’t doing anything to change them, and neither was anyone else. Whether on the set of the smallest photo shoot, or the largest motion picture, sustainable practices just weren’t the norm.

Without resources readily available and tailored to work with the fast paced film industry, production still continues on as wasteful as ever. Caterers scrape uneaten Ahi tuna and spinach soufflé from the day’s lunch into the dumpster with no option set up to compost food waste. Teamsters burn through fuel as they shuttle cast and crew to and from set, then sit with their passenger vehicles idling to maintain a comfortable, climate-controlled environment. Not only must they be ready at a moments notice to transport a delicate actor back to their trailer, but they also must do so with a vehicle that is not too hot or cold. Then there’s the Art Department, making amazing, yet temporary, movie magic, which ends up in landfills around the world. Scenics sculpt massive, over-sized toothpaste tubes out of foam when a script calls for an actor to pop out of one. But what do you do with a giant 8-foot tube of toothpaste when you’ve finished shooting the one scene for which it was made? Not to mention the large vinyl adhesive label that was custom printed with toxic inks to stick on said toothpaste tube. At best, a lucky intern might get to keep it as a souvenir, so they can send it to the landfill themselves when the novelty has worn off.

As isolated incidents, these may seem like minor offenses with a small environmental impact. But on the larger scale, these are examples of unsustainable practices commonly occurring on film, TV, and commercial sets across the country. As it stands now, the bottom line is film production is a significant consumer of energy, sends unnecessary waste to our landfills and contributes tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. In today’s environmentally conscious society, where global warming and the depletion of earth’s resources are a harsh reality, the need for the film industry to make adjustments is clear. Sustainable practices must become second nature and eventually replace our current wasteful methods entirely.

Take the above examples for instance. To reduce their environmental impact, the following sustainable adjustments could have been made:

- Set up composting and recycling stations wherever a trash bin is placed to divert unnecessary waste from the landfill.

- Enforce a “No Idling” policy on set, use alternatively-fueled vehicles, and choose locations wisely to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

- Design props and sets with eco-friendly materials, and plan for reuse and recycling of set dressing and building materials to keep art out of the landfill.

Fortunately, a “green” movement has been growing within the film industry, promoting eco-friendly methods such as the ones just mentioned above. I have been fortunate enough to become involved with those already working towards a greener future, leaving my days of wasteful filmmaking behind. With the major Hollywood film studios setting a strong example by “greening up” their acts, the eco-film movement is gaining ground. The MPAA reported that in 2008, “The major film studios collectively diverted 40.2 million pounds, or 63 percent, of their studio sets and other solid waste from landfills last year… As a result, [they] prevented the emission of 33,797 metric tons of greenhouse gases. That’s equivalent to removing 7,315 cars from the road annually.” Imagine the impact the industry could have if this type of change were to happen across the board on film and TV sets around the country.

Sustainable efforts are in fact being made beyond the bright lights of Hollywood, but they are far from widespread. They are also by no means standard practice, while they easily could be. Take Austin, Texas for example. With a strong, eco-conscious community already in place, filmmakers have the resources necessary at their fingertips, they just have to know how to adapt and use them. To learn how, there are resources available online with specific information and “best practice” guides. While the laundry list of suggestions can seem daunting, the reality is that most of what can be done involves adjusting current practices, not adding to them. As a starting point, I recommend the following as a general framework to capitalize on the resources available and create a successful green production:

- Re-Think. Approach your project from a sustainable perspective to minimize resources used and the amount of carbon created. How will each step of production affect your community/ environment?

- Plan. Everyone knows that planning as much as possible up front saves time and money…well it can also save the environment. Can you reduce the number of locations? What vendors offer the best eco-products? What materials will you need, and where will they go when you’re finished shooting? Consult an eco-coordinator or hire an eco-team if possible.

- Communicate. Organize information and make it available to the entire crew. Everyone needs to be made aware of the “No water bottle” policy and recycling program to be followed on set.

-Act. From the message your film or project sends, to the method by which it is made, educated, eco-conscious choices should be put into action, and followed through from start to finish.

Now is the time to change the wasteful practices we’ve grown accustomed to using, and I am working in Austin to do so. With Texas’ film industry poised to be on the rise due to the new tax incentives passed earlier this year, we do not want more productions to result in a larger carbon footprint. Fortunately, Austin has a unique opportunity to instill eco-friendly methods early on, allowing film production to grow while using sustainable practices from the get-go. With plans for Zero Waste and Carbon Neutrality in place, Austin is already one of the top green cities in the country. Filmmakers should align with these goals and make going green a priority.

Filmmakers and beyond, please contact Marjorie if you have any questions, would like to be involved, or are in need of eco-friendly film resources.

After five years of working in LA and NY in many facets of film production, Marjorie has relocated to Austin, Texas to build on her past experience and focus on “greening” the film industry. This change of path was influenced by such organizations as Film Biz Recycling in New York (filmbizrecycling.org) and EcoSet Consulting in Los Angeles (ecosetconsulting.com). Both organizations, among others, are paving the way towards more environmentally friendly production, while inspiring others to do the same. Thus Marjorie will be opening a non-profit resource (name TBD) in Austin for Texas filmmakers. Look for it in early 2010.

(Photos by Melissa Carugati.)

www.melissacarugati.com