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Feature|It shouldbe no surpriseto you by nowthat LEDs offermassive energysavings, and Chauvet’s mission statement,“exploring, finding and deliveringeco-friendlier alternatives to traditionallighting sources,” declares theirdedication to the technology and itsbenefits. But they don’t merely get thenod of being “green” simply becausethey sell one of the largest range of LEDproducts — they are also committedto incorporating green thinking intoevery aspect of their business. Chauvetis implementing paperless systems forinternal accounting and record-keeping,and has recently broken ground ona new headquarters and manufacturingfacility that will included such greentouches as the use of sustainable buildingmaterials and an extensive skylightsystem that will allow for minimal electriclight during daytime hours.ETCBy Jacob CoakleyManufacturing the GreenThese companies have dedicated themselves to thegreen philosophy, and are committed to making thetheatre world as environmentally friendly as possible.More are out there, and we’ll continue to spotlight greencompanies and initiatives in the coming months.ChauvetAnother companydedicated to beinggreen, both in productand philosophy, is ETC.Everyone is familiarwith the Source Four luminaire, and itspopularity also stems from the fact thatit’s a green fixture. Designers and techsoriginally liked the fixture because of itsoutput, but that highly efficient outputalso means that it takes less watts toproduce the lumens you need. Theircorporate culture also encourages greenthinking, with strong recycling guidelinesand initiatives for themselves andtheir business partners, with decisionsmade to harvest sunlight for their factoryheadquarters, using returnable shippingcontainers and reusable containers, aswell as following the EU’s Waste fromElectrical and Electronic Equipmentdirective, which regulates the processesfor safe disposal of electrical equipment.Clark Transfer GreenTouring ProgramBus and trucktours producethousands of tonsof carbon dioxide,a greenhouse gas.Clark Transfer, a “theatrical transportationand logistics service,” startedTouringGreen, a two-pronged programto combat this problem. Part of thatplan is an internal project to introducenew technologies and incentives tocurb their carbon emissions. The incentiveshelp their drivers — a fleet ofindependent contractors who actuallyown the trucks — make incrementalchanges to reduce the amount of dieselthey use for each haul. The secondhalf of their plan is a partnership withNativeEnergy, a provider of high-qualitycarbon offsets. Through NativeEnergy,participants in the TouringGreen programfund renewable energy projectsthat prevent at least the same amountof greenhouse gas emissions producedby shipping a show.Showman FabricatorsShowman Fabricators,incorporated sustainabilityinto their businesspractices by introducing“cradle-to-cradle” service— they will reclaim the set they builtfor you to recycle and reuse as much ofthe materials as possible, reducing landfills— and have created partnershipswith local schools and organizations tolet them utilize pre-worked materials.They are also committed to making surethose materials are gathered in the mostenvironmentally sensitive manner in thefirst place, getting wood that has beenForest Stewardship Council-certifiedand other goods that meet Green Sealstandards. They’ll even meet with clientsbefore a project has started and offertheir consulting services to find a way tomake it as green a show as possible.32 October 2008 • www.stage-directions.com