We are living in an age where we now, more than ever, need to be Carbon aware, reduce waste and look after the environment for future generations.
In order for any changes we make to be sustainable and achievable, there must be a long term structural shift in our economic and social system. The end goal should be to minimise our environmental impact by reducing our consumption of natural resources, while maintaining economic efficiency and social cohesion.
There are simple decisions you can make in your everyday life to contribute to a ‘greener’ planet, whether it be going plastic free, reducing your meat intake or avoiding palm oil products but how can this be translated into the production process?
Simple but effective ways in which to contribute to sustainable green development include, but not limited to:
Water
Scrap the plastic bottles and use use water-coolers & water canisters.
Wet Downs – Get a Stand Pipe Licence – reduces wastewater.
Batteries
Use rechargeable batteries where possible e.g. Scrap the AA batteries & use rechargeable ones (sound department alone could save 60 batteries a week!)
Engines
No more idling, turn the engines off!
Set Re-purposing
No need to get skips and send flats/parts of sets to landfill – use a bespoke service and donate them to local film schools & industry partners for educational charities / purposes.
Some local opportunities include: Four Corners, Queen Mary University, London Film School
Catering
China / silverware / recyclable paper – not plastic or polystyrene
Power
Use local power where possible to reduce the size / use of generators.
Floor protection
Out with the Correx & plastic – in with the Ram Boards & Locamats
Ram Board – http://www.getsethire.co.uk/floor-protection-ram-board.html
Locamats – http://www.locamats.com/
Not only can these changes result in a reduction of Carbon Footprint of approximately 20%, but it is also a great way for the productions to save money. For more information and case studies visit: http://www.green-screen.org.uk/case-studies
Green Screen
Every production that signs up to Green Screen is helping to make London’s screen industries more sustainable, and cutting their own costs through reduced waste and energy consumption.
Caroline, at Film London adds ‘London is one of the world’s leading filming locations and while this provides the capital with a desirable revenue, it also brings with it a significant carbon footprint. The advantages filming green bring with it are not only hugely effective in reducing CO2 emissions throughout the capital, but can also bring substantial cost savings to increasingly stringent budgets. In an industry that prides itself on being creative and progressive, we have a responsibility to drive commitment toward sustainable filming practices.’
More information and advise, visit:
FREE Carbon Literacy Training – http://wearealbert.org/help/get-trained
