© Can Stock Photo / Pakhnyushchyy
Books
2013
Sustainability Ideas
Electrical efficiency
- Power off the lighting rig when it’s not being used (particularly moving lights)
- Investigate lower-wattage light sources (e.g. LED) for backstage working lights,
- Replace high wattage tungsten halogen lanterns with LED equivalents
- Replace moving lights with LED equivalents
Reduce Wastage
- Ensure spare catered food is saved and distributed to local shelters
- Use cable ramps or rubber mats to replace large quantities of gaffer tape to hold cables down
- Donate unwanted gel to local play schemes
- Reuse or Recycle unwanted set / props, or set up a local scheme to store set & prop items for reuse by other companies
- Use secondhand costumes and props rather than buying new
- Store costumes and props carefully so that they’re in good condition when you use them again and again.
- Design modular scenery that can be reused repeatedly (by repainting or recovering).
- Avoid printed materials (posters / flyers) and use social media. At Fringe Festivals where flyering is a big part of the marketing plan of many groups, use photo opportunities, QR codes on clothing etc and encourage passers-by to take a photo of you to remind them about the show rather than taking a flyer. Use recycled paper and non-glossy recyclable card for flyers if you need to print them.
Reduce Plastics
- Reusable water bottles can be refilled hundreds of times, to reduce plastic bottle use
- Don’t use plastic straws – metal, paper or bamboo straws are available
- Reusable rubber ties or short lengths of tie line or rope can replace PVC tape on lighting rigs or for coiling cables
- Velcro cable ties can be permanently fixed to cables to remove PVC tape use.
- Avoid glitter (a harmful microplastic) in prop-making or make-up.
See also
Resources
- Arcola Energy – Arcola Theatre case study
- Arcola Theatre
- EcoStage Pledge
- Ecovenue
- The Green Theater (USA)
- Green Theatre Report (Mayor of London) 2008
- Green Theatres – Live Design article
- Julie’s Bicycle – Creative Green
- Noises Off: The greening of theatre – Guardian Blog
- Staging Change Forum: Sustainable Theatre
Sustainable Theatre Companies
Venues
Documents

LSI: The Greening of Birmingham Hippodrome (March 2016)
[2.4Mb PDF]
From Lighting & Sound International

LSI: Sustainability in Production Alliance (November 2015)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International

LSI: Sustainability Takes The Stage (September 2012)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International
Companies |
Arcola Theatre |
Installation |
Kirei ECHOPanel sustainable acoustic panel [USA] |
Recycling |
GreenClover (formerly Scenery Salvage) Recycle your scenic waste instead of chucking it out! [UK] |
Ready, Set, Recycle Props, Set, Equipment [USA] |
Set Exchange [UK] |
Resources |
Broadway Green Alliance |
Entertaining Sustainability (website unavailable) Practical Advice [UK] |
Green Shoot Film & TV sustainability |
Green Theatre London, September 2008 |
Interview - Paule Constable (Staging Change) |
ISO20121 Event Management Sustainability Standard |
Julie's Bicycle Sustaining Creativity [UK] |
Roadies to the Rescue - Sustainable Gig Ideas |
Staging Change Network [UK] |
The Sustainability in Production Alliance [UK] |
Tips for Green, More Sustainable Shows The Guardian, 29 January 2014 [UK] |
Vision2025 Sustainability for Outdoor Shows |
Shows |
Sustainable Design - Julies Bicycle Live Design |