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Despite it all, London’s cinema scene is booming. New screens are opening, with brand-new Curzons in Hoxton and Camden, a new cinema in Chiswick, a big Picturehouse in Finsbury Park, and several others in the pipeline. And as you’d expect, they all have an eye on a more eco-friendly future too. In 2021, every cinema chain needs a story to tell on sustainability.
And whether via increased recycling and reuse of materials, a drive to go paperless or a more conscientious approach to engaging local suppliers, they’re starting to tell them. Here are five ways cinemas are working for a more eco-conscious future. And, yes, those plastic spoons lobbed at the Prince Charles Cinema’s screenings of ‘The Room’ are all recycled and reused.
Phasing out plastic
Plonking a straw in a super-sized soft drink is almost a thing of the past. Curzon is already ditching single-use plastic, while Film London confirms there’s a big push for reusable, compostable and recyclable materials across the city’s cinema scene.
Embracing digital
Modern digital projectors use more power, but they bring a ton of eco benefits: film canisters no longer need delivering and film reels generate chemical waste. It’s a toughie for 35mm buffs, but an important step forward.
Going green
The new Chiswick Cinema opened with a 100 square-metre living wall to encourage biodiversity. Don’t expect, say, Leicester Square’s multiplexes to go full ‘Baraka’, but initiatives like this – and the living roof at East Sussex’s Depot cinema – point the way to a more nature-friendly future.
Using local suppliers
Eco-charity Julie’s Bicycle is helping cinemas with their carbon-reduction drives. Working with local, sustainable suppliers is now a mainstay of those efforts for Picturehouse, Curzon and others.
Ditching the tickets
Membership schemes are going digital and punters are being encouraged to buy tickets online without printing them. When physical materials are needed, chains like Curzon are using planet-positive printers.
Meet the eco-innovators making London greener.
From to green roof revolutions to free public transport: How cities are combatting the climate crisis.