Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/130212
ECO-Friendly RPA's Isadora Chesler (inset): EcoSet was hired to set up water stations, recycling and more on this Honda Accord shoot. 20 Post removed its company name from national databases. While Marcus recognizes that the audio post business still needs some paper, they do their best to eliminate what's not necessary. "We do print ADR review sheets; that's one of the basic tools of our business, but we determine what is the absolute minimal amount of printing." The devil is in the details, as they say, but there are some bigger things to be done as well. Marcus points to their large re-recording studio, Stage One, which is 53-feet by 30-feet by 18-feet. Rather than go with traditional acoustic insulation made of fiberglass- or petroleum-based products, the partners found a product made by Knauf that is made of plant material. "It actually has better acoustic properties than the Owens Corning acoustic treatment," says Perricone. "That is in the core of the company, literally in the walls of the place." The last thing they have to do to achieve their green certification is continue the process of changing out incandescent lamps in the studios to LEDs. "We have over 100 light bulbs in all the studios; those were 150 watts that we are replacing with 9 watts each; we will be saving a lot of power," says Perricone. Not only are the bulbs sustainable, in the end it saves the studio money. "We looked at the cost benefits and deter- Post • May 2013 Post0513_018-21 Going GreenRAV5FINALREAD.indd 20 ishing house Union Editorial (www.unioneditorial.com) have always been environmentally conscious, but they discovered first hand what "information is power" means. "We were always aware of our carbon footprint, but there were things we weren't doing because we didn't know that we could," explains president/executive producer Michael Raimondi. He says a wake-up call was when the studio became one of the sponsors of GLASS.org, a big LA initiative from about four or five years ago designed to get the advertising and production community to stop using bottled water. Being part of that opened their eyes to what else could be done. One of those things was using corn-based drinking cups and potato-based forks and spoons. (They first tried corn-based utensils but quickly learned they melt.) "I didn't know that stuff existed," says Raimondi. That is when Union started pushing even harder to reduce its footprint, but their efforts could only go so far without cooperation from their building's management. "We pushed them and they responded," he says. The building began by replacing all the lights in the bays with energy-efficient bulbs. They mined our monthly power bill will go down significantly," reports Marcus. In an effort to save electricity they have also added automatic dimmers and timers on lights. The studio's sustainability efforts are pervasive. Office equipment is Energy Star compliant, and they have lowered water consumption by adjusting commodes and toilets. Charging stations will soon be added in the parking lot, since many clients drive hybrid or electric vehicles. One-third of Lotus employees bike to work, including mixer Rick Ash (Arbitrage, The World According to Dick Cheney, Temple Grandin), who pedals 12 miles each way! Lotus Post is committed to providing high-end sound finishing with a conscious and mindful approach to the planet. As Marcus points out, the company name has a meaning too. "Lotus is a flower that grows from the root that plants itself on the Union's Fred Raimondi says many staffers ride a bike to work. bottom of the river floor and grows from that. So Lotus itself is a sus- also stepped up their existing recycling tainable icon." efforts by adding composting and composting disposal to the mix. UNION EDITORIAL Raimondi, who is an original member of Those behind LA/NY-based edit and fin- the West Coast Fireflies, (www.fireflieswest. com) — a cycling group that rides to raise money for City of Hope — admits Union's transition was probably easier than most RPA's Isadora Chesler always has one of these in her handbag in case she has to pick since the studio's partners had already made something up at the store. It's the Flip & Tumble (www.flipandtumble.com) 24/7 bag. At environmental awareness part of their cul12-by-14-by-5 inches it's large enough for three half-gallons of milk and then some. It ture. "There are five partners in LA and four folds into a ball that's 3 inches in diameter. It can hold up to 35lbs, which is strong enough of us drive a Prius, and have for a really long for a bowling ball or two. It's made of ripstop nylon, and a felt patch helps keep it on your time. No one needed to sell us; it is basically shoulder. It's machine washable. Just hang to dry. Oh, according to the company, plastic what we believe in." bags spared by using the Flip & Tumble equals 1,000-plus. Chesler also He points out that he's not the only one loves their reusable produce bag, which comes in a set of five bags. They who bikes at the company. "There are a lot are 12-by-14 inches, 100 percent polyester. of guys here who cycle, and we pushed each other to commute to work on bike. Of www.postmagazine.com 5/3/13 11:45 AM