Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/130212
ECOFriendly Are you doing what you can to reduce your carbon footprint? By Randi Altman Increasingly, post and production companies have made sustainability a large part of their work and private lives. The nonbelievers might call those who have thrown themselves into being green "crunchy granola" or "tree huggers," but the truth is those stereotypical labels just don't fit anymore. The movement has broadened to the mainstream. Being environmentally aware has become commonplace for many, even going beyond reducing use of disposable plastic water bottles or switching to reusable bags for groceries — both of which are incredibly important and incredibly easy to introduce into your life There is much information to share from those who have succeeded in reducing their carbon footprint. LOTUS POST When four-year-old audio post house Lotus Post relocated to the business district in Santa Monica two years ago, co-owners CEO Michael Perricone and COO David Marcus used the opportunity to look at the size of their carbon footprint and design the studio with sustainability in mind. The newest iteration of Lotus Post (www.lotuspost.com), a 6,000-square-foot facility, hosting six stages of varying sizes, provides audio services of all kinds, primarily for independent feature films. While some might feel daunted by the task of getting green certification, that wasn't the case with Lotus, since both Marcus and Perricone were already environmentally responsible in their private lives — Perricone drives a Prius; Marcus bikes to work. In addition, Santa Monica itself was very environmentally aware; it was through the city that Lotus found Sustainable Works (www.sustainableworks.org), which is helping them achieve their certification, something they describe as a "rigorous process." The mission of Sustainable Works, according to its Website, is "to ensure that the concepts of sustainability and the actions associated with living a sustainable lifestyle are integrated into the daily activities of individuals, institutions and businesses." "An official certification involves a whole range of appliances and adjustments to the facility and how we operate our business, including getting rid of all GMObased foods," explains Perricone. "Our mantra is to buy only organic food for our clients," adds Marcus. "In a broader sense, this is part of our company mission statement. It speaks to a style of doing business. It's not like we are denying clients junk food, but we want to offer a different approach. We have this organic soda — it's a Coke alternative, and it's every bit as good. Our core clients live in this area and appreciate what we've done. We try to make it fun and keep it light." As part of the green certification, Lotus Post switched to recyclable corn-based cups. This is significant considering the audio world, especially its voiceover talent, love their bottled water — but those bottles don't love the environment. Marcus and Perricone tested a variety of different water delivery systems and realized a Lotus Post's Stage One features acoustic insulation made of plant material instead of fiberglass- or pertroleum-based substances. five-gallon water container was the best way to go. It's served in glass pitchers with the aforementioned corn cups. Another thing they do is monitor recycling and have dedicated bins for waste and e-waste. They bought an energy-saving printer and use recycled toner cartridges. They wanted their cleaning products to be less toxic, so they only use ones that are Green Seal or EcoLogo certified. In an effort to eliminate paper waste and reduce unwanted junk mail, Lotus www.postmagazine.com Post0513_018-21 Going GreenRAV5FINALREAD.indd 19 Post • May 2013 19 5/3/13 11:45 AM