Sustainability Champion Spotlight: Toshiro Yamaguchi

This month, the Local 600 Sustainability Committee wants to spotlight sustainability champion and Local 600 member Toshiro Yamaguchi. Toshiro has dedicated the last 20 years of his career to reducing waste on set – specifically when it comes to using disposable plastics. He always brings his own lunch containers, flasks, and refillable bottles. He is currently on day 70 of a show in New York, and although production is not taking any sustainability initiatives that he knows of, here is what he has been doing. He has been logging how many times he uses single-use plastic bottles, paper and plastic cups, disposable plates and bowls, and plastic folks and spoons. (see photo above.)

On the camera cart, he updates his ticker tape, sharing with others in the camera department and other departments how one person can make a large impact. In 70 days, he has used 0 bottled water, 4 coffee cups, 2 plastic cups, 0 plates, 6 bowls, and 7 utensils. He is the A Camera 1st AC and is among one of the busiest members of the crew, and yet he can do this for 70 days and counting. He challenges everyone else to do the same. It does not take much to bring in your own spoons and folks from home and your own coffee mug and reusable water bottles. They are sitting in our kitchens at home unused. Bring them to set and put them to good use. In this way, a small act has the potential to have a large impact.