Focus Features

Make carbon offsets a standard budget line item. By carpooling as much as possible to and from the set, we can think about reallocating some transportation funds toward these greenhouse gas reducers.

Use green craft services: replace all Styrofoam containers with recycled and biodegradable materials and provide a compost for food waste in addition to recycling bins.

Use natural light as much as possible when shooting. This will help save the planet while saving some substantial set up time...

If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, take a look at the California Film Commission Green Resource Guide. There you can find industry companies and resources that are actively helping us to minimize our environmental impact. Hopefully we'll have a green guide in every state soon.

Being a green filmmaker does not just mean behind the scenes. Consider set dressing, props, and characters. If someone throws something away on screen, what kind of receptacle are they throwing it in? If someone leaves their home or apartment, do they shut off the lights when they go? These are small choices we all make everyday, and they're choices that are made inside the stories we tell.