BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA’S PGA GREEN COMMITTEE
1. G-O-O-A-L! What do you want to do sustainability-wise? Write it down (on the back of something) and start as soon as you get the keys to the production office.
2. MAKE IT SO, NUMBER ONE: If you’re an indie, put another hat on someone who’s wearing several to be your sustainability captain. Probably you. If you’re rolling around in cash, hire an environmental steward or consultant to do the hard work for you.
3. HOW GREEN IS MY VENDOR? Talk green with your favorite vendors or hire vendors that offer treehugger options. Check out our high-tech, completely computerized green vendor list. And then rate them just like a restaurant!
4. ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A PRINTER? Print only when necessary, print double sided, and utilize at least 30% recycled paper content. That print icon on the website is a trick!
5. KILL VAMPIRES: Vampires are appliances that suck energy even when they’re turned off. You can kill ‘em by putting everything on a power strip and turning that off when not in use. Of course, use energy efficient appliances and equipment (Energy Star!) in the office and on set, and did we mention keeping equipment off when not in use? (Turn those computers off at night, y’all!
6. THINK GLOBAL, BUY FARMER’S MARKET: Get the Caterer and that Craft Service person to replace processed/package goods on the table with bulk, locally grown, organic and fair trade products. Surprisingly, Red Vines are organic. Cut out some meat and dairy in the menus by hiring more vegans on the crew.
7. GREENWASHING or THE NON-TOXIC AVENGER: Buy non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning supplies for all departments for office and set use. Make sure they get coded to their department.
8. BREAK OUT THE GOOD CHINA: Use washable plates and cutlery instead of paper and plastic whenever possible in the office and on set. If you must use paper products, purchase biodegradable or compostable ones, and established a composting program for these products. Raise your hand if you have a worm bin!
9. GREEN POWER TO THE PEOPLE: Check with your landlord or local power authority to see what’s available in your area.
10. HOW MANY PRODUCERS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB? Don’t answer that. Switch out old-fashioned incandescent bulbs for high-tech LEDs or CFLs wherever possible in the office and on set.
11. PRODUCE CLIMATE CHANGE: Set your a/c thermostats two degrees higher in summer and heating thermostats 2 degrees lower in winter. As your lawyer would say, “Two degrees higher than what?” As your mom would say, “But on a sweater!”
12. BATTERY WASTE NOT INCLUDED: Purchase rechargeable batteries whenever possible. Have a plan for recycling batteries.
13. GO INTO RECOVERY: Use 3 separate bins for recycling: a) cans/bottles/plastic, paper, b) food waste/compost, c) trash. Communicate in advance with Grip and Electric Departments about how to reduce waste and reuse or recycle gels, expendables, etc. Make your recycling program simple and convenient in the office and on the set.
14. SIGN LANGUAGE: You know the crew can’t find parking without good signage, so make clear, readable signs to remind them to reduce, reuse and recycle too. Add a “Green Tip of the Day” to the call sheet. Or, it’s fun if each call sheet mentions a green thing some crewmember did the day before…
15. BOX SET COLLECTORS EDITION: Collect DVDs and CDs for recycling at the end of production. These can be scratched before drop-off for privacy.
16. BACK TO THE CARS OF THE FUTURE: Whenever possible rent hybrids or all-electric cars (as they become available) and use car services that use more fuel-efficient vehicles. If hybrids are not available, use compact cars. And remember carpooling? Still sexy, after all these years.
17. GET ON THE BUS: Publish public transportation options on call sheets and encourage its use through peer pressure and personal example.
18. BEING WILLIE NELSON: Encourage the use of bio-fuels or alternative fuels wherever possible.
19. IDLING TRUCKS ARE THE DEVIL’S TOOLS: Put the fear of God into the transpo team and ask them to turn off trucks, vans and generators when not in use. The Sound Department will thank you.
20. PICTURE’S UP! If shooting film, consider 3 perf. If shooting digitally, try out memory sticks or hard drives before tape. Recycle scrap film and donate or resell expendables for reuse. Implement digital dailies.
21. READ YOUR LABELS: Avoid using luan or other wood that is not harvested from sustainably-managed forests, use low or no-VOC paints, and find environmentally sensitive sources for flooring, fabrics and wall coverings. Reuse/repurpose or donate set pieces whenever possible. Recycle everything else. We should just put that at the end of every one of these…
22. WHY PAY RETAIL? Too much darling, too much! Use thrift and second hand clothes versus buying or building new costumes. Utilize green dry cleaners and non-toxic laundry detergents.
23. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE LOCATION: Shooting on location? Avoid charter flights, use hotels that have implemented sustainability guidelines, don’t leave your towels on the floor and use public transportation whenever possible (e.g. train vs. plane).
24. WATERWORLD: Provide reuseable water bottles and water stations instead of water bottles on set and in the office. This works even better than putting your name on a plastic bottle with a Sharpie! And crunch the numbers. It’ll probably save you money, even if you have to buy those reuseable bottles retail.
25. JUST SAY NO: The less you, your cast and your crew consume the smaller your production's carbon footprint. Remember "Reduce, reuse, recycle?" This is the reduce part. No producer wants to say no, but if it worked for Nancy, it might work for you.
Photo by waynenf via Flickr (Creative Commons)
PGA Green - Winner of 2011 EMA Green Production Award, recognizing the PGA's strategic leadership role in promoting sustainability within the entertainment industry.
