Green Hollywood

Nowadays we see famous actors using hybrid cars instead of very expensive sports cars. Their eating habits have also changed. It is also said that organic fruit is served to actors on set. Some film production companies even wanted to replace the traditional red carpet with a green one. Is Hollywood really going green or is it all just for show?

A two-year old study done by the University of California showed that special effect explosions, machines used in filming and generators make the filming industry the second biggest polluter in Southern California. The biggest polluter is the oil industry.

Movie and television studios use a lot of energy. They use energy to power everything from lights and air conditioning to cameras. They use energy in kitchens to cook for casts and crews. The public and many stars are putting pressure on studios to change. Many studios are now trying hard to save energy.

Warner Bros. is one of the world's largest producers of film and television entertainment. They now have a solar-powered set-building. Studios often use materials such as wood, steel, paint, and plastic to build sets. Usually, these materials are just thrown away after filming ends. But now Warner Bros. is recycling its sets, using recycled material to build some of the sets and even print the scripts on both sides of the paper.

Recently, Fox Broadcasting Company chose its popular TV series 24 to serve as a model of conservation. It is using solar- and wind-generated power. Producers of the show even started working with a climate expert from Harvard University. He helps the writers to include environmental issues in their episodes. They are now giving messages on environmental problems in their shows.