The Golden Globes set out to draw attention to climate change by introducing a meatless menu for this year’s event. While activists, like Greta Thunberg, continue to beat the drum on awareness, are these attempts actually reducing the enormous carbon footprint awards shows produce?

Between dwindling viewership numbers, continued controversy in minority nominees and winners and the organization’s last-minute scramble to find a host in 2019; awards shows have tried to bring back their glamour for the last few years. The Golden Globes’ latest attempt at reviving public interest may seem virtuous; but the fact remains, the energy emitted for the event far outweighs the ‘improved, climate-conscious’ dinner.

Transportation

Considering the travel that celebrities, reporters and fans take to get to the venue, airplane travel (whether private or commercial) is the most significant contributor to emissions in preparation for the awards show. Yes, many attendees will be local, but let’s not forget the private cars each celebrity will take. This is not an event where stars take Uber Pool to save on gas miles. Accommodations including hotel stays and second home energy consumption also contribute to this footprint.

Venue

On top of the regular personal travel, the sound, staging and lighting equipment, tables, lighted and static signage and decorations needed at the venue must also be transported. This is typically done with large diesel-fueled semi-trucks, catering vans and other light-weight vehicles. Event sites typically have the capacity for large electrical outputs for things like lights, microphones and cameras. Don’t forget about behind the scenes: dressing rooms, kitchens, offices and the supplies to conceal winner names and signage.

Awards

Each Golden Globe costs up to $900 and weighs in at over seven pounds apiece. The awards themselves are another under-reported energy-sucking source. For 76 years, the statues were gold plated, which ups the mining ante quite a bit – until 2019 when they changed the formula. The iconic figures are now made of brass and bronze, which is an improvement. Unfortunately, the melting process still consumes a lot of energy. The manufacturers have to smelt zinc, tin and copper to make either brass or bronze for the statue.

Fashion

A large part of the network’s draw leading up to the event is a ‘pre-show’ dedicated to asking women, and sometimes men, whom they’re wearing, how long it took them to get ready and inevitably what type of diet they’ve been on in preparation for the show. The fashion industry grew 5.5% over the last decade, and became a trillion-dollar business in 2017. Many of the Haute couture pieces worn by celebrities are re-created by fast-fashion designers and purchased world-wide by adoring fans. These facts alone beg the question, how carbon-conscious are the designers? With these statistics, it’s important to know that quick, easy designs must use quick, easy petroleum-based synthetic fabrics to help prolong wear from washing and stretching.

Solutions?

The intent behind changing the menu comes from the right place: a place meant to speak to us about carbon-consciousness. However, this small gesture must be expounded upon through higher Corporate Social Responsibility. The industry needs to look at the real environmental impact and make significant changes.

Tangible, realistic and thoughtful steps toward a carbon-neutral life are essential. But when a multi-billion dollar industry, tied to brand advertising and luxury indulgences, brags about its meatless menu, the message is lost. There are other ways to offset these energy costs, including an investment in Renewable Energy Credits. An idea meant to equalize your footprint by donating renewable energy funds.

Until we’re ready to make real changes to awards shows – a meatless menu is at the bottom of the list, and the very least the industry can do to drum up press.

This week in regular news, we read that Marvel Universe is making a significant change to one of their characters; The Golden Globes air this Sunday, and plan to serve a meatless menu; Alex Trebek rehearses his final show; and the U.S. performed an airstrike. These news articles kept us on our toes, but we wanted to bring to attention to the news we always love – and that’s energy! Here are some of our favorite stories, and in case you missed our last Top 5, you can find it here.

5Penn State should lead the way for greener campuses across the country

Starting in the mid-1990s, a professor took it under his authority to improve the campus’s greenhouse emissions. A large part of convincing the university was reliant upon funding (loans that needed to be paid back in 10 years.) Proving that the campus could save money on energy in the long run by implementing environmental stewardship strategy was pertinent in launching the program. NPR tells the rest of the story here.

4Despite the doomsayers, this decade has been the best in human history

What doesn’t typically make headlines are good news stories. Albeit the occasional precious cat video, we mostly tune in to hear about disease, poverty, and climate change challenges. Thankfully, Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist kept tabs on all the positive stories for us. Spectator USA shares the full article here.

3Pulling up to the gas pump can sometimes cause your heart to pump faster than usual

However, 2020 gas prices are projected to remain under the $3 mark. 2008, which marked a particularly high year at an average of $4.11 per gallon, and 2014 saw a spike at $3.36 per gallon (Hawaii and California still skew a bit higher). The reason we’re able to keep it at a predicted $2.6? Our nation’s oil production, which increased our energy independence and allowed us to export more than we imported for the first time in history last September. USA Today covers more on this, here.

2California continues to remain in rolling blackout conditions, but this Native American tribe has a great energy solution

The Blue Lake Rancheria tribe built their own microgrid to bypass relying on local utilities. Microgrids continue to gain popularity, and this tribe is capitalizing on the trend. The Blue Lake Rancheria came through for the local community serving more than eight percent of Humboldt’s population amid the crisis. The Washington Post continues this article here.

1Plastics remain a plague in landfills and ocean, one solution – mealworms

Stanford researchers have successfully proved that mealworms can eat plastic AND Styrofoam. This is exciting news, but the best part is that the mealworms are still a viable, protein-rich snack for many reptiles, amphibians and birds. The Stanford News Services gives the details here.

This week, exciting headlines included a police chasing a man in a lobster truck after he snapped up $10K in stolen product, the final chapter of Star Wars was released, and Donald Trump has been impeached by the House. While these stories definitely kept us on the edge of our seats, we wanted to bring you our favorite energy headlines. In case you missed last week’s, check them out here.

5Toothpaste may not weigh heavily in your mind as a plastic waste producer

A Canadian duo dug into the toothpaste waste problem that the majority of consumers had not thought of as an issue. Together, they created one-time-use tablets to ease up on the toothpaste tubes landing in dumps across North America. New Atlas dives into the details of the project here.

4The Federal Electric Vehicle tax credit increase receives a resounding no from Congress

In 2011, incentives to consumers to buy electric vehicles was introduced, and was predicted to put one million EVs on the road by 2015. That plan did not succeed, and we still see that less than 2% of vehicles on the road are electric. Consumers site that high price tags on the vehicles themselves, and a considerable lack of charging infrastructure are reasons they’ve avoided jumping on the EV bandwagon. Forbes covers the rest of the story here.

3A smart transition to 100% renewables does need gas production

2019 is year that a majority of politicians and multiple country governments moved toward a clean energy plan. This is an awesome, but lofty goal. As technology allows for cheaper ways to implement renewable energy, it goes without saying that we can get to this goal; remember that slow and steady wins the race. Utility Dive marks exactly why a slow transition is necessary here.

2Climate guilt is real – but what can you do about it

The news media’s doom and gloom reporting on climate change creates more fear to an issue that feels unattainable to the average person, but offers no real solution or idea on what the average person can do to make a difference in areas of their lives. Instead of the Doomsday perspective, The World Economic Forum found unique ways people can do the things they love, while they also helping the environment. Running and trash collection, anyone?

1Run the World (Girls)!

It’s not just a catchy lyric in a Beyoncé song, it’s happening in real life. Science, technology, engineering and math – better known as STEM (or STEAM,) has often garnered more boy students than girls. For decades the fields that derive from STEM subjects have more males employed amongst their ranks. That is starting to change as schools, organizations and festivals work to attract more girls into these subject areas. The latest impact of this movement was seen recently at the latest competition where girls won all of the top competition prizes. Beyoncé might step “to the left, to the left” for these girls.

This week in the news, Greta Thunberg was named Time’s Person of the Year for 2019; Siri saved a young man’s life; and the impeachment hearings are wrapping to a decision. It’s been a great news week overall, but here are some of the energy headlines you might’ve missed this week. ICYMI, here is last week’s list.

5The U.S. faces many risks to the grid, topping the list is… squirrels?

The chief risk officer at the Department of Energy released the list of the biggest concerns to our national grid. While large factors come to mind, like cybersecurity and an aging system, a solid amount of blackouts are caused by squirrels. Who knew threats could be so furry and cute? Utility Dive covers the full list here.

 

4U.S. could become a sustained net oil exporter as early as next year

This is a first time accomplishment since records started in 1973. The U.S. has always had to import more oil and gas than exporting. This means a great deal to our economy. We still have a great deal to go before becoming completely energy independent; but this is a path in the right direction. CNBC reviews what these numbers mean here.

 

3In the third quarter, the solar industry hit record installations across the country

As predicted, California accounts for 40% of the growth, but new states are jumping in to help prop those numbers. It is considered that the blackouts were a catalyst for this growth; even citing that was the reason in states as far east as Texas. Green Tech Media gives the full story along with graphics here.

 

2Scientists may have found a way to recycle plastics as valuable chemicals

Chemists in Singapore recently used sunlight to dissolve plastics into a formic acid. This acid is used in fuel cells to produce electricity; and is a naturally occurring agent that can be used by power plants and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. ScieneDaily shares the full details here.

 

1Coldplay announcing no more tours could be the first of many

Coldplay fans were certainly charged after learning that Coldplay doesn’t want to tour their new album in an effort to by environmentally conscious. As many hardcore music fans (of any genre) can attest, there’s nothing like the connection you feel with your favorite band when you see them mere feet away in a great venue. Showbiz CheatSheet tells the rest of the story here.