Ian McShane and Donald Sutherland Recycled

There are certain things in life that are undeniably good. Love, friendship, 24-hour supermarkets; these are good things.

Most TV and film productions are generally good, although the carbon footprint left behind by most production companies can be devastatingly bad for the environment. Which brings us to another undeniable good in our universe: recycling.

When productions recycle is it generally well received. Unless, that is, the things that are being recycled are sub-par plots or actors, reused to create new series, which will probably use lots of energy and resources, only to be quickly canned come the fall season.

Bad!

In the case of the Starz network's new mini-series "The Pillars of the Earth," not only did they "recycle" genius, thespian powerhouses like Donald Sutherland (Don’t Look Now, M*A*S*H, Six Degrees of Separation) and Ian McShane ("Lovejoy," "Deadwood"), but the production itself was probably the greenest yet.

Shot in Hungary, Budapest-based producer Howard Ellis enforced several green practices, aside from recycling and printing responsibly. They went above and beyond by composting wasted craft service, reusing lumber used to build sets and residential structures, and 75% of their production vehicles ran on low-emission diesel engines.

But probably their greatest contribution to the greening of the entertainment industry was their proactive attitude toward conservation. Given the impact that man-made technology has on our environment, and our duty to make good with Mother Nature, are we not pillars of the Earth ourselves?

"Our restoration activities cost a significant amount of money, but it is our responsibility to leave no permanent footprint." To read the rest of the interview with Mr. Ellis, and to learn more about "The Pillars of the Earth," check out the link below.

The 12th century mini-series wrapped up August 27th.

Ecollywood: The most eco-friendly TV show?

Skye Hilton is a NYC based Writer/Director/Producer currently directing the 8th season of the popular TLC program "What Not to Wear." Skye's credits include, "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style," "Battle on the Block," "Underdog to Wonderdog," "Moving Up" and the Emmy nominated kid's show "It's a Big Big World."