Cost Analysis: Sustainable v. Conventional Crafty Table
Published on 14 September 2018
France
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About this good practice
As a member of the Ecoprod group, the Ile-de-France film commission has partnered with the sustainable production company Secoya eco-tournage to challenge this commonly-believed statement: sustainable craft services are more expensive than conventional ones.
They conducted a cost-analysis focused on the crafty table: on a shooting it is always full of snacks and beverages for the crew.
Assumptions : provisions for a 10-week shooting of 60 crew members
Comparing the costs of : 1) Tableware 2) Coffee 3) Water
Results:
Sustainable tableware is almost the same price as the conventional plastic one: it is more expensive by a small €3.37 difference for an entire shooting!
Choosing to buy coffee beans in bulk rather than coffee pods can save productions €1,600 total, or €32 per shooting day!
Replacing 50cl water bottles by water fountains and individual re-usable water bottles can save productions €1,270 total or €25.40 a day! Without taking into account all the water saved from waste: it has been observed on shootings that crew members would not finish their water bottles because forgetting which one is theirs.
Conclusion: Switching to sustainable coffee and water solutions can allow productions to save €1,870. These savings can offset small overpricing of other sustainable solutions.
These results were presented during a two-afternoon exhibition of two crafty tables, one sustainable and the other conventional.
They conducted a cost-analysis focused on the crafty table: on a shooting it is always full of snacks and beverages for the crew.
Assumptions : provisions for a 10-week shooting of 60 crew members
Comparing the costs of : 1) Tableware 2) Coffee 3) Water
Results:
Sustainable tableware is almost the same price as the conventional plastic one: it is more expensive by a small €3.37 difference for an entire shooting!
Choosing to buy coffee beans in bulk rather than coffee pods can save productions €1,600 total, or €32 per shooting day!
Replacing 50cl water bottles by water fountains and individual re-usable water bottles can save productions €1,270 total or €25.40 a day! Without taking into account all the water saved from waste: it has been observed on shootings that crew members would not finish their water bottles because forgetting which one is theirs.
Conclusion: Switching to sustainable coffee and water solutions can allow productions to save €1,870. These savings can offset small overpricing of other sustainable solutions.
These results were presented during a two-afternoon exhibition of two crafty tables, one sustainable and the other conventional.
Resources needed
This cost analysis needed very few resources, simply some time and research from experts, but was essential to overcome a strong obstacle to the audiovisual industry’s green transition: the belief that sustainable solutions are more expensive and thus not even worth considering.
Evidence of success
Sustainable ambassadors are now able to answer the stakeholders’ first and key question -“is sustainable production more expensive?”- with financial evidence. It makes our discourse much more credible and convincing.
The event we hold to present these findings gave us some first evidence of success as having concrete examples of products on a table and actual figures succeeded in gathering professionals and fostering discussions.
We will keep observing the impact of such a cost analysis
The event we hold to present these findings gave us some first evidence of success as having concrete examples of products on a table and actual figures succeeded in gathering professionals and fostering discussions.
We will keep observing the impact of such a cost analysis
Potential for learning or transfer
In all sectors, cost is often the reason why stakeholders are afraid of innovating and changing habits. Thus, showing evidence that it is not more expensive can go a long way. It is especially true for sustainability which has a sticking image of being more expensive. This is why it would be interesting to multiply such cost analysis to show that it is not always true in many different situations, countries, sectors.
If one would like to replicate the event we hold -comparing in real life the two different crafty tables- we would encourage them to present only the sustainable crafty table, the conventional one not being essential. Indeed, our experience has proven that no one would dare to go to the “bad” table and professionals know about it anyway. The example of the sustainable crafty table was enough to foster discussions.
If one would like to replicate the event we hold -comparing in real life the two different crafty tables- we would encourage them to present only the sustainable crafty table, the conventional one not being essential. Indeed, our experience has proven that no one would dare to go to the “bad” table and professionals know about it anyway. The example of the sustainable crafty table was enough to foster discussions.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Commission du Film d'Ile-de-France
France
Ile-de-France
Contact
Responsible of Institutional relation