Annabelle Wilczur
Annabelle Wilczur is an Assistant Business Agent with the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia. After 25 years on set as an AD, Annabelle has since worked for both the Quebec and BC District Councils of the DGC since 2018. She publishes the column The Green Scene for the DGC BC's Newsletter to Members and DGC BC's LOGLINE for DGC BC Permittee Logbook Holders.
The Green Scene: Try a "Planet-Based" Diet!
What does your lunch choice have to do with climate change? A lot!
Our food system is responsible for one-third of global emissions, and one of the biggest contributing factors is the meat and dairy industry. Animals (especially cows) produce methane, which warms the planet even more rapidly than carbon dioxide. Not to mention the water, land and fertilizers used to grow animal feed that could be used to grow crops for human food, and the trucks, ships and planes that ship food all around the world – what we eat and where it comes from has enormous environmental consequences.
What can you do? Consider plant-based options more often!
Eating a veggie burger instead of a beef one uses 75-95% less water, 95% less land and results in 87% less emissions. It’s been estimated that if Americans replaced half of all their animal-based foods with plant-based options by 2030, that alone would get them a quarter of the way to meeting US climate targets under the Paris Agreement.
A simple way for productions to reduce their footprint is by asking catering to offer more veggie and less beef or red-meat options, but they sometimes report push-back from the crew – support these efforts – try a “Meatless Monday” or similar initiative - you might be surprised how tasty it can be to eat for the planet!
Other things you can do? Waste less food!
As much as 1/3 of edible food is wasted. Save and reuse, or donate what isn’t eaten (check out Keep it Green’s list of Vancouver shelters that take food donations here) and compost what can’t be donated. For a deeper dive into the environmental impact of eating, here’s an interesting article on our food footprint. Change is happening… one vegan mac-and-cheese at a time!
For more ideas on ways to effect change, check out DGC National’s DGC Green site as well as Creative BC’s Reel Green website for new industry initiatives, green vendors, events and courses you can take.
Tell me what your show is doing to be more sustainable! Do you have a green tip or success story you'd like us to share in a future Ebulletin? Send me an email at awilczur@dgcbc.com.
Annabelle Wilczur
Assistant Business Agent