 Sustainability efforts in Northern Europe
by Elisabetta Brunella
As I write about the “sustainability efforts” being implemented by cinemas in Northern Europe, images of yet another flood in Italy flash on TV, accompanied by discussions on the essential need for preventive measures.
The connection between the two topics is closer than one might think: one of the most modern cultural venues recently built in Oslo, Vega Scene, was designed with a special “blue/green” eco-friendly roof spanning 750 square meters.
On the one hand, the design by architecture firm Asplan Viak, which involves materials from Protan, provides an ideal habitat for native flora and insect colonies. On the other hand, it plays a crucial role during extreme rainfalls, which also increase in regions located at higher latitudes.
The roof retains water for 24 hours, then filters and releases it directly into the Akerselva, the main river in the Norwegian capital, thus alleviating the strain on the city’s already overloaded rainwater drainage system.
Ida Hauge Johannessen, communications manager for Vega Scene-an entertainment complex for quality cinema, including three movie theatres and 510 seats dedicated to quality films, as well as a theatre and a conference area-explains the inspiration behind the project, which came to life in 2018. “We believe environmental sustainability is not a tool for promoting the cinema’s image but a crucial component of our larger approach.
For this reason, we focused on the Breeam certification since the design phase by adopting solutions that reduce CO2 emissions, promote biodiversity, prioritize long lasting materials, and encourage reuse.
We use district heating and energy efficient laser projectors, minimize paper waste with digital posters and tickets, and provide staff uniforms made from recycled materials. We also encourage eco-friendly behaviour among our customers by offering electric bike charging and discounts for bringing their own coffee cups.
As for our staff, much attention is given to transportation. For example, if we have to attend meetings outside Oslo, we tend to prefer trains over planes. Additionally, we continuously monitor the implementation and effectiveness of these environmentally friendly behaviours to improve and make them more efficient.”
The strategy of Trondheim Kino also demonstrates that cinemas can play a virtuous role in society by promoting environmental respect among employees, audiences, and stakeholders.
This major central Norway entertainment player runs two large complexes- Nova and Prinsen-in Trondheim and a third in Stjørdal. It has also created the KinoNor chain in northern Norway (thanks to an alliance with Aurora Kino) and the Edda Kino in Haugesund, which hosts Norway’s most important film festival.
Trondheim Kino, which holds Lighthouse Certification aimed at increasing environmental sustainability, has focused particularly on waste management, a challenging mission for a chain counting 22 screens, 150 employees, and over 800,000 yearly viewers.
They have adopted bins that simplify waste sorting for adults and children and regularly show videos to spread awareness of the importance of waste reduction and proper waste disposal to allow recycling. This initiative, created in partnership with waste sorting and cleaning materials Rørøs Produkter, led to encouraging results. According to Arild Kalkvik of Trondheim Kino, the amount of waste per viewer has decreased by about a third, while the purchase of snacks and beverages has increased.
Whether new or old, cinemas can contribute much to the collective effort, which is becoming increasingly necessary and urgent to make human activity compatible with the planet’s survival. Compared to other business sectors, cinemas -due to their direct interaction with audiences and the powerful cultural impact of their content -can foster positive individual and collective behaviours.
This article was published in the October 2024 issue of Cinema & Video Int'l, the MEDIA Salles media partner. |
The posts are memories of youth when, in Casentino, the kids of the period 1960-1980 met on Sunday afternoons at the Cinema Italia. Vivid memories, of the meetings as young people in Piazza Italia before the screenings and of the friendliness of the old owners of the cinema who today have passed the management to their daughter Marina who, like them, takes care of this place with great dedication.
