Very recently we presented to our partners our first Green Shooting guide or Sustainability Guide in Shooting, in which we develop all the steps that production companies must follow if they want their production to be respectful with the environment.
We put together this draft guide in as much detail as possible, something that is very useful to those most interested, but which can be overwhelming for the uninitiated.
At the APCP we do not see sustainability as a space where only a few fit, nor as actions that only a few can develop: by saving the environment, we all win. That is why we want to share privileged information provided by Green The Bid, some basic guidelines that all production companies, from the largest to the smallest, can follow.
Where to start?
5 Things you should start doing.
We asked our friends from across the pond, and from Los Angeles Gabi Kay, Jessie Nagel and Michael Kaliski revealed their secrets to us.
First of all, eliminate single-use plastics
With the current situation of the pandemic, the use of hydroalcoholic gels, masks and similar products is necessary and mandatory, but precisely because we are using products made of plastic that later end up in the sea, we must make an extra effort to radically eliminate unnecessary single use plastics.
During Covid, reusable aluminum water bottles and paper-wrapped compostable bamboo cutlery are a good replacement for disposable plastic on set.
We know that the use of plastic bottles is a thing of the past: their prohibition is already a reality in Europe and many other countries. In some productions the use of water in brick is contemplated, but it has been found that the brick is a very complex material to recycle (since it is composed of various materials such as cardboard, polyethylene plastic, aluminum and plastic pieces that make up the cap) .
Separating each component of the brick entails an excess energy consumption that does not compensate for its use: the impact is greater for the environment, and currently there are no recycling plants in Spain that can treat the remaining polyethylene and aluminum: waste ends up in a Zaragoza industrial waste dump.
Eliminate unnecessary travel
The plane is the most polluting means of transport. Be rigorous in coming up with ways to limit travel while filming. When travel is absolutely necessary, keep track of mileage and accommodation used and make up for it at the end of production. You can calculate flights here and accommodation here.
Food waste is a real problem
We are not even talking about including vegetarian diets in the filming, but about not wasting the existing food, out of respect and responsibility.
Some options to deal with food waste are: donate the excess to local charities, NGOs in the area or simply make it available for the inhabitants of the area.
You should also consider hiring a local caterer to help build local wealth in the area you’re shooting. It promotes the small business, avoiding rental applications that are causing the gentrification of neighborhoods, and also avoids ordering food through delivery applications.
Go digital
After the limitations of the pandemic, it has become clear how unnecessary physical documents are. Technological innovation makes the use of paper completely avoidable.
Offset the carbon footprint
After reducing and reusing, offsetting carbon emissions is a crucial step to minimize your impact. That is, calculate how much carbon we have emitted with our activity and transport and compensate for it, financially supporting projects that work on compensating carbon emissions. Here are some recommendations on where you can offset your carbon emissions.
Thanks to Green The Bid, the ecological transition is an accessible reality for all production companies. We are already at the wheel, and no one should be left behind. Soon we will provide unpublished documents that will facilitate the day-to-day shooting, so that you can choose to be sustainable as soon as possible.
