A little, it seems, goes a long way. Never has a maxim been truer when applied to the efforts of arts organisations to go green(er) in an environmentally conscious climate. Clare Fox pooh poohs the idea of artists deliberately engaging with green issues on p16 of this issue (a passionate invective that I suspect might rile a fair number of you), while our lead story looks at two organisations trying to help the theatre sector do the right (or fashionable, depending on your view) thing when it comes to reducing its carbon footprint.
I do understand that the Ecovenue project takes a ‘baby-steps towards giant success’ approach to the problem, but I still can’t help being frustrated that of the myriad ways to be more environmentally friendly, London theatres are only just beginning to address their energy consumption. This is probably the easiest and arguably most essential way to make an immediate impact. The National Theatre famously reduced energy consumption by 70% in 2007, saving 30 tonnes of CO2 each year, simply (well, I say “simply”) by switching to low-energy LED lighting. The building is on course to reduce carbon emissions by a further 25%, based on 2006 benchmark levels, by the end of the year.
But the smart meter being rotated by Ecovenue only costs around £120 and signing up to SMEasure is free; do 48 London venue managers really need to have the best part of £1m to be spent on hand-holding them through what should be common sense? I’d be interested to hear back from any of the 12 theatres currently taking part in the scheme. My assessment might well be too crude; maybe Ecovenue has been the only opportunity they have genuinely had to convert positive goodwill to lower energy consumption. Either way, I’m opening the floor for further debate.
For many eco-watchers, the most forward-thinking green ideas for theatre in London probably come from the Arcola. The East London venue, which is trying to become the first carbon-neutral theatre, has firm plans to relocate to a purpose-built space (made by locals; built, if architecturally possible, from 100% recycled materials). The Arcola’s lateral methodology means that the need to be green is stamped on everything it could possibly be responsible for: from designing sets to sourcing local produce for the bar; concentrating on building local audiences to upholding a “wear a jumper or bring a bikini” attitude to climate control in the current venue.
Looking elsewhere, becoming the first venue to admirably operate almost entirely on self-generated hydro-power (using the river Thames, besides which it is located) is The Mill at Sonning in Oxfordshire. This 215-seat venue became a self-sufficient energy provider and user back in 2005. The initial outlay to make use of an existing water mill was £50,000, but the building is saving itself £25,000 in energy bills per year; it now only pays for 3% of its entire energy usage. It’s not a solution available to everyone but it is a fantastic example of making a bold, radical commitment to doing as much as you can with what you have available.
This week Nosheen saw ‘Posh’ at the Royal Court and was very pleased it lived up to the hype (the tone, in particular, was spot on). She got sucked into watching ‘Junior Apprentice’ and listened to a lot of Ultra Vivid Scene. She also packed her suitcase for a last-minute trip to Pakistan, picking up Fatima Bhutto’s ‘Swords of Blood and Stone’ to read on the plane journey.