Landfill Gas

According to the EPA, Americans send an average of 4.5 pounds of garbage per person per day to landfills. The organic material in that garbage decomposes in an oxygen-free environment, which produces landfill gas, a mixture of two potent greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide. Landfill gas is the largest human-related source of methane in the United States, making it a significant contribution to global warming.

Both methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases, but methane has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. While there are EPA regulations designed to curb methane emissions, and some landfills have begun to convert their gases into energy, a huge amount still escapes into the atmosphere. Also, food waste in landfills contributes to leachate, the potentially toxic liquid that results from accumulated moisture and rainwater filtering through the garbage. This liquid is difficult to contain, and can lead to groundwater contamination.

Instead of sending all of that useful biodegradable material to a landfill, why not try composting? Unlike the anaerobic decomposition process that takes place in a landfill, a properly managed aerobic composting system that gets plenty of oxygen will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. The compost you will make is much better for the environment than chemical fertilizers, and the plants you eventually grow with it will help take carbon dioxide out of the air. 

Even people in small apartments can keep their kitchen scraps in a compost pail. Any stainless steel pot with a tight fitting lid will do, or you can just put it in a container in the freezer until you can take it to your local community garden or Whole Foods compost trash can. More intrepid folks could also try a worm bin, since vermicomposting is a great way to compost your scraps indoors, when you don't have a yard, or if your outside space is limited.

 

Greener Catering

Filmmaking uses a tremendous amount of resources. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the meal tent on a typical movie shoot. Feeding hundreds of people in a temporary, often outdoor, location usually involves the crew eating in giant plastic tents, with air conditioning or heat pumped in. Access to sinks and running water is usually limited, so all of the plates, cups, and utensils are disposable. These items are almost always plastic, as are the hundreds of bottles of water and soft drinks that are thrown out at every meal, since no recycling is ever provided.

Estimating how much food to make is difficult, and providing film crews with an array of food choices results in an enormous amount of food being wasted. Snacks, or "craft service", are also required on every union film, offering donuts, candy, and other heavily packaged, mass produced convenience foods. If things like apples or carrots sticks are offered, it will be conventionally grown produce that has a large carbon footprint. None of this food is made with local or organic ingredients, because sustainability has not been a priority on the production company's bottom line.

While feeding the crew in a more environmentally friendly way would usually involve spending more money, anyone who has worked on a big budget film can attest to the unbelievable waste of cash and resources that goes on in every department. It is not the lack of funding, but a lack of commitment that keeps productions from making many "green" changes, and food is no exception.

So, here are some suggestions for feeding the crew:

• Buy organic food, shade-grown/organic and fair trade coffee & teas.


• Choose organic or local produce whenever possible.


• Look for sustainable seafood and organic and/or free-range meats from local farms.


• Encourage the use of reusable dishware and mugs, if a place to wash dishes is available. If not, provide recyclable or compostable plates, cups and utensils.
  
• For catered meetings and general craft services, make sure food suppliers do not provide Styrofoam. Ask caterers to provide only recyclable serving containers, like aluminum pans.


• Find out if leftovers from catered meals can be donated, and give unopened packaged food to the local food bank.


• Purchase a composter for vegetable food scraps.

WEEK 8: Food

This week, we're going to tackle food. We'll start the week with an examination into the actual carbon footprint of food, discussing its myths and truths. We'll then take a look at grass-fed meat and see how it differs from its processed cousin. On Thursday, Karyn will give us a look into the realities of on-set catering. We'll wrap up the week with a nice little piece on Ann Karlen, the founding director of Fair Food, a White Dog Cafe Foundation Project "dedicated to bringing locally grown food into the Philadelphia marketplace, and promoting a humane, sustainable agriculture for the greater Philadelphia region."

Unfortunately, we did not receive any submissions on how to feed a crew of 35+ people. So if any of you out there still have thoughts, please send them in by the end of the week and we'll be sure to publish them!

Support Organic Farming in PA

The main reason that organic produce is more expensive than it's chemically-sprayed, genetically-modified competition is that farmers who choose to grow diversified crops free of pesticides do not receive the local or federal government support that conventional agribusiness does. Want to see a lot more organic produce, at more affordable prices? Help Pennsylvania farmers transition to organic farming by supporting House Bill No. 2347.

Food for Thought: READER CONTEST!

Food is one of the most critical elements to a positive production experience. Working 12-14 hour days, people need both substance and food that makes them happy. A film set even provides what's called a craft services table that offers snacks all day long - a little something to tide you over until the shot is finished so you can leave set and go eat! (did you hear the urgency in my voice??)

Starting June 9, we’ll be turning our attention to food. It's something everyone can relate to. It’s also a hot eco-topic - and there’s plenty to cover from the current world food crisis to the problem with bottled water. We're eating all this up, but eventually we’ll have to turn our attention to how we can use our knowledge to create a more sustainable film production.

Foodie, junk foodie, vegan, omnivore, or picky eater - we have a challenge for you!

How can we get sustainably produced, minimally packaged, healthy food to feed a crew of 35 on a shoestring budget? in either suburban Philly/NJ or extremely rural York County, PA? for both crew meals and our craft services table? What do you think are the most important factors for putting together a sustainable meal? Local sources? Organic production? The energy used to store and cook the food? Something to keep in mind is that a film crew is like a band of gypsies. We set up temporary camp with uncertain access to things like kitchens or even electricity from the grid!

We're looking for creativity and innovation, not necessarily plausibility. We're in the invention stage afterall. Email your answers to us at food@futureweathermovie.com. You'll get extra points for a video. Deadline is Friday, June 13. We'll publish the best ideas during our Food Week: June 16-20 and the winner will receive a special surprise.

And to get you in the mood to play with food, a Sesame Street favorite...

It's CSA Time!

with Sesame Street string beans to inspire you...

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it means exactly that: directly supporting a small, family-run farm in your area by purchasing a share of what that farm produces over a season. They typically span from May to November, and each week members receive a box full of fresh-picked vegetables and sometimes fruit. Many CSAs also offer local eggs, dairy products and organic beef and poultry.

Every year since I've lived in Philly, I've tried a new one. Each has offered family recipes and an annual potluck at the farm. But as far as offerings, they've all been different, and each has been wonderful. I love the anticipation of finding out what small (and sometimes giant) treasures will be in my box each week. You may have to get used to an overabundance of a certain vegetable (it always seems to be green peppers for me) and it's a great way to create kitchen improv. My first year, I was a member of Greensgrow, an amazing urban farm in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia; then Spiral Path, a certified organic farm; and last year, Lancaster Farm Fresh, a cooperative of farms in Lancaster county. This year I joined Lanisdale Farm in Jonestown, PA. (pic below)

I've found the best way to find a CSA is to ask around your local farmer's market. Buy Local PA has a directory, but I'm not sure how up-to-date it is. And Farm to City allows you to join several CSAs in the Philadelphia area directly from their website.

Now if we could just figure out how to get this kind of produce prepared for forty people and onto our set for twenty days... Ideas, anyone?