Broadway Goes Green

The Great White Way Turns Into Great Green Way as Broadway Productions Commit to Reducing Carbon Footprint.

Mayor Bloomberg and members of the Broadway community today announced a commitment to "go green" so that Broadway becomes more environmentally responsible as they reduce their carbon footprint. Producers, theatre owners, actors, organized labor, and companies supporting productions will now consider environmental impacts when putting on Broadway shows.

Broadway Goes Green is the next in a series of challenges the Mayor has made to institutions - starting with universities - to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adopt more sustainable practices to help achieve the PlaNYC goal of reducing the City's carbon footprint 30 percent by 2030.

Nearly a quarter of Broadway theaters have already switched the theaters' marquee lights to more energy-efficient bulbs - and the remaining theaters have pledged to do so within the next 12 months.

Ten Broadway theatres have replaced over 10,000 exterior and interior bulbs and an additional 14 conversions are underway. The rest of the theaters have pledged to do the same within the next 12 months. Steps like these will help to reduce the load on the taxed electrical grid in Midtown Manhattan.

As part of Broadway Goes Green, production shops are offering environmentally preferable materials and are developing plans to recycle or reuse scenery, costumes are being washed in cold water whenever feasible, and re-chargeable batteries are used in sound equipment whenever possible.

Further, touring shows are offsetting the carbon emissions from transporting their equipment through investments in new wind and renewable power projects. Broadway theaters will also hand out tip cards to tell their audiences the things they can do to reduce their carbon footprint at home.