Reducing a production's footprint — where to look first

The useful question is which actions matter for this production. The By category table on a project's Carbon page ranks them: start at the top.

Read the footprint first

• Look at the mix. A footprint mostly spend-based tells you little about what to change. Recording transport moves with mileage, accommodation assignments, catering counts, flights and fuel turns estimates into the production's own figures, and shows where the weight really sits.
• Check the gaps. Lines marked no factor yet are left out of the total; a large gap can hide a large category.

Where the levers usually are

• Generators. If fuel is a large line, the options are a grid tie-in at the unit base or stages, battery or hybrid units, and lower-carbon fuel such as HVO where its supply is certified. The fuel log shows each change in the next footprint.
• Travel. Flights count per traveller; consolidating trips, choosing rail or ferry where the route allows, and keeping cast and crew near the location all show directly in the flight and accommodation lines.
• Vehicles. Fewer, fuller unit moves and electric or hybrid cars and vans lower the transport line; logged vehicle fuel measures it.
• Catering. Meals count by type of meal: menus lower in red meat reduce the catering line.
• Studios. A studio's share follows its electricity: a renewable tariff, metered kWh and efficient lighting lower it for every production booked in.

Record what you change

Write each action into the Carbon Action Plan (CAP) and lock a footprint at wrap and after post: the Carbon — how Togra works out a footprint reports put the before and after side by side as CAP evidence.