NBCUniversal Sustainable Production Program - From the Archives

October 02, 2020

NBCUniversal film and TV productions are committed to reducing their environmental impact on set. In 2009, NBCUniversal developed a Sustainable Production Program which empowers our production teams to integrate sustainable best practices across their operations. Hundreds of productions have participated in this program over the years, and below are a few highlights:
 

Last Christmas, November 2019

While filming in London, the Last Christmas cast and crew took their sustainability efforts to the next level. They set a goal from the beginning to be as plastic-free as possible. They distributed thermal cups to everyone on set, which could be used for cold water on warm days, or hot tea on cold nights. Offices included recycling and composting, plumbed in water coolers, glasses, crockery and cutlery.  Paperwork such as call sheets, scripts, and production documentation were delivered electronically, with hard copies only issued on request. White office paper was made from 100% recycled content. Green tips and facts were put onto call sheets to educate and inspire crew.

There were many efforts to reduce the carbon emissions on the production. They used over 60% LED set lighting which uses significantly less energy than standard set lights. In lieu of trailers, the production rented hotel rooms while filming in the London City Center. Cast also made efforts to carpool rather than taking individual vehicles to set. When unit drivers were waiting for their next trip, they were given a warm place indoors to avoid vehicle idling. And when heating their stages, they used renewable diesel made from 100% used cooking oil.

The Last Christmas team gave back to the local community. They donated over 1,800 lbs of excess food from catering and set decoration to City Harvest London, equaling approximately 1,500 meals fed to those in need. Props, Set Dec, and Wardrobe donated over $11,000 worth of items such as toys, clothing, drums, and furniture to organizations including Suited & Booted, Smart Works, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, First Days, The Children’s Society, Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, and Smile for a Child. They held a voluntary cast and crew clothing and toiletry drive, with items being donated to Whitechapel Mission and the Helen Bamber Foundation. These practices and more led to Last Christmas receiving a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

The Good Place, November 2019

Filmed on the Universal Studios backlot in Los Angeles, The Good Place doubled down on its commitment to on-set sustainability in its fourth and final season. As part of the program, The Good Place team strove to have a zero-waste set. Efforts included a robust recycling and composting program, significant reduction of single use plastics by utilizing reusable water bottles and filtered water dispenser stations, and a dedicated sustainability PA to help oversee these practices. To reduce emissions, they used solar-powered talent trailers, participated in a renewable diesel trial, limited on-location filming, and utilized LED set lighting, which is up to 70% more efficient than conventional set lighting.

The team made efforts to give back to the community by donating excess food from catering to the Hollywood Food Coalition, totaling 1,100 meals to those in need. Because of these efforts and more, The Good Place Season 4 earned a Green Seal from the Environmental Media Association, proving once again, The Good Place really is the best place.
 

Harriet, November 2019

Filmed in Richmond, Virginia, the Harriet team made great efforts to reduce their environmental impact during production. Starting in the office, the production team reused office supplies and furniture from a previous local production as well as the Virginia Film Office. They set up recycling and established digital distribution for scripts and schedules. When they did print, they purchased 100% recycled content paper. They also installed a water filtration unit in their office to reduce plastic bottles.

These practices continued on set where reusable bottles and water dispensers were provided to crew. There was very little set building on Harriet, as it was mostly filmed on location, but $60,000 worth of train cars, trailers, and set materials that they did build was donated to Governor’s Antiques. Additionally, the Construction, Set Decoration, Costumes, and Production departments donated thousands of dollars worth of materials including furniture, towels, blankets, and clothing to local organizations including Diversity Thrift, Habitat for Humanity, RSPCA, St. Joseph’s Villa, and the Virginia Film Commission. These practices and more led to Harriet receiving a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

Downton Abbey, September 2019

While filming in the UK, the Downton Abbey production team implemented sustainable production practices to reduce their environmental impact. Offices included recycling and composting, plumbed in water coolers, glasses, crockery and cutlery, with no disposable food service products available for office use.  Paperwork such as call sheets, scripts, and production documentation were delivered electronically, with hard copies only issued on request. White office paper was made from 100% recycled content. 

Downton Abbey successfully reduced the amount of new materials used throughout filming. Carnival Films had stored sets from six seasons of Downton Abbey and the production was able to re-use and/or re-purpose most of them, which let to very minimal new set builds. The production issued reusable water bottles to crew upon request, and added a daily reminder on the call sheet for crew to bring them, leading to the elimination of plastic water bottles on set. The sound department used rechargeable batteries throughout production to reduce the need for disposables.

At wrap, the costume department donated $800 worth of fabric and materials to the Wimbledon College of Arts. Storage boxes and hangers were donated to Sewn Right and Freddie’s Flowers, and set decoration donated produce to The Hounslow Urban Farm to be used for animal feed. These practices and more led to Downton Abbey receiving a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, August 2019

Filmed primarily in London and Hawaii, the Hobbs & Shaw production teams implemented a sustainability program across departments on the film. Both cities had a dedicated sustainability manager to oversee the program and ensure that crew had the tools and plan they needed to succeed. A compost and recycling program was initiated both in the office and on set. Many of the crew were provided with reusable water bottles to reduce the use of plastic, and 100% recycled content paper was used where available. In an effort to reduce carbon emissions, heaters ran on renewable diesel made from 100% used cooking oil.

In London, the construction team donated a truck full of dirty polystyrene from their sets to Scenery Salvage to be recycled and reused. The costume department donated over $45,000 worth of wardrobe to TRAID, Smart Works, Suited and Booted, Whitechapel Mission, and Smalls for All. The crew also held a clothing and toiletry drive for the Croydon Refugee Day Centre.

In Hawaii, the production donated office supplies and furniture to a local school and library, household items to Women in Need, and leftover building materials and hard hats to a local farm. In both cities, catering and craft service donated 1,400 lbs of excess food to local non-profits, equaling 1,166 meals fed to those in need. These practices and more earned Hobbs & Shaw a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

Yesterday, June 2019

Filmed in the United Kingdom, the Yesterday team made great efforts to reduce their environmental impact during production. Starting with the office, the production team set up a comprehensive recycling and composting program and established digital distribution for scripts and schedules. When printing was necessary, they used 100% recycled content paper. The team educated and excited their crew about sustainability with green tips and facts on call sheets, as well as contests between the different departments during production.

Cast and crew were supplied with reusable water bottles which helped significantly reduce the amount of single-use plastic throughout the production. The set was lit with a large amount of LED set lighting, helping reduce the energy needed to power the set. Transportation implemented a strict no-idling policy for their drivers and many crew utilized public transportation. The Set Decoration team incorporated environmental messaging on screen, including environmental posters on the school set.

Throughout production and at wrap, the Yesterday team looked for ways to give back to the local community. They donated 2,860 lbs of excess catering and set decoration food to City Harvest London, equaling approximately 2,383 meals fed to those in need. Costumes, Set Dec, and Props donated several boxes of clothing and home goods to the non-profits Dress for Success and British Heart Foundation. The construction department donated $6,000 worth of leather tapestries to a Firefighting Charity fundraiser. These practices and more earned Yesterday a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

Us, March 2019

While filming in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, the Us production team worked together to reduce their environmental impact. They maintained a recycling and composting program in the offices, and by using digital distribution for much of their paperwork they were able to use about a third less paper than a similar sized production.

On set, the production saved energy by utilizing LED lighting, and they rented hybrid passenger vehicles whenever possible. The construction department purchased FSC certified plywood for their set walls, and the sound department used rechargeable batteries in headsets and microphones to reduce disposable batteries on set.

The Us team made efforts to give back to the local community. The props department donated $7,500 worth of toys from their beach and boardwalk scenes to the Turning Point Foundation in Ventura, CA. Catering donated 405 lbs of excess food through Rock and Wrap It Up!, which equates to 337 meals served to the hungry. These practices and more earned Us a 2019 EMA Green Seal.
 

The Magicians, January 2019

Filmed in Vancouver, The Magicians cast and crew went above and beyond to reduce their environmental impact. From driving electric vehicles, to tying into the grid, to donating food and set materials to local organizations, this video gives a glimpse of the many practices that productions can implement to green their set. These practices earned The Magicians Season 4 a 2020 EMA Green Seal.
 

BlacKkKlansman, August 2018

While filming in New York City, the BlacKkKlansman production team worked together to reduce their environmental impact. They set up a recycling program in the offices and on stage, and sent out memos to communicate best practices and educate their crew. The construction department purchased FSC-Certified plywood for their set walls, and the set decoration department used carpets made from recycled material. As the film takes place in the 70’s, vintage recycling bins & water dispensers were incorporated into their sets.

A significant portion of the film’s lighting package was LED, saving energy. When filming on stage, they tied into the grid to reduce generator use. Additionally, the transportation department used a solar-powered cast trailer during a portion of production.

The BlacKkKlansman team made efforts to give back to the local community, including organizing a crew coat drive for New York Cares. The greens department donated bluegrass sod from set to the Ossining Fire Department. Catering donated 670 lbs of excess food through Rock and Wrap It Up!, which equates to 558 meals served to the hungry. These practices and more contributed to BlacKkKlansman receiving a 2018 EMA Green Seal.
 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, July 2018

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Filmed in London and Croatia, the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again team made great efforts to reduce their environmental impact. While in London, the production partnered with local company Charlie Spotless to educate crew and implement a waste diversion program that included recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy. This effort resulted in a 99% diversion rate for on set waste, meaning zero materials were sent to landfill. To cut down on carbon emissions, heaters were powered with biodiesel from OnBio made from used cooking oil.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again focused on reducing waste and using sustainable materials. For example, the crew reduced plastic waste by refilling reusable water bottles and most office paper contained 100% recycled content. Additionally, a vast majority of the set lights were LEDs, reducing energy use.

The crews in both London and Croatia gave back to the community in which they filmed. In London, the production donated clothing, shoes, and household items to Cancer Research, Changing Pathways, and Help Refugees. Excess catering was donated to the local non-profit City Harvest, who in turn served it to Londoners in need. In Croatia, the production used proceeds from recycling to purchase toys for local schools. These practices and more contributed to Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again receiving a 2018 EMA Green Seal.
 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, June 2018

Filmed primarily in the United Kingdom, with a short time in Hawaii, the crew on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom implemented sustainability across departments. To reduce single use plastics, UK cast and crew were supplied with reusable water bottles, refilling on set and avoiding the use of thousands of plastic water bottles. The production office carried 100% white recycled content paper, and saved paper by only printing upon request. To keep recycling fun and educational, the production created customized “dinosaur-themed” signage for their recycling bins. The majority of cast vehicles were hybrids, and approximately 75% of the UK lighting package was LED, helping to lower energy consumption on set.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom helped to launch a UK food donation program for excess catering. The production and NBCUniversal sustainability team worked together to partner with the non-profit organization City Harvest London to successfully donate over 320 lbs of food throughout the course of production. Additionally, the Hawaii production unit donated leftover office supplies to local schools, and 500 ft. of wire fencing to Reuse Hawaii. These practices and more earned Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom a 2017 EMA Green Seal.