Sustainability Update - Fall 2025
The Local 600 Green Committee was established in 2019. In 2022, we became the Local 600 Sustainability Committee and began focusing our sustainability efforts nationally across all three Local 600 regions: Eastern, Central, and Western. As we enter into our sixth year, we welcome two new regional Co-Chairs who were both Committee members previously. Local 600 Director of Photography Jendra Jarnagin out of New York is our Eastern Region Co-Chair, and Local 600 Camera Operator Stephanie Dufford out of Chicago is our Central Region Co-Chair. Local 600 Camera Operator Allison Elvove continues her role as the Western Region Co-Chair. The climate crisis continues to feel like a daunting task to address both personally and professionally, but the Local 600 Sustainability Committee is excited to be a part of the change under this new leadership.
Spotlight on Jendra Jarnagin
Climate Week NYC Report 2025
by Jendra Jarnagin
Some of the first activities I embraced in my new role included attending various entertainment industry focused events for Climate Week NYC. The Climate Film Festival hosted a panel called “NYC Film Green Office Hours: Sustainability and Circularity on Set.” It was moderated by Shira Gans, Senior Executive Director, Policy + Programs NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and included panelists from IATSE 52, 829, the DGA and Earth Angel. The topics included how budgeting for sustainability practices can save the production in other areas, and various NYC resources for re-use of materials, sets and set dressing, such as Materials for the Arts, and the non-profit Big Re-Use Shop in Gowanus. It was great to meet Shira in person, after having been a past panelist from their ongoing series on zoom, as well as meet the committee chairs from the other locals. During the talk, Anu Schwartz, Sustainability Committee Chair of the United Scenic Artists 829even gave a shout out to Local 600 for our key role in helping craft the IATSE Resolution on Sustainability. In the networking that followed the panel, I met and was interviewed on camera by the Better Climate Project.
I have learned from attending the Impact Lounge at past festivals (such as Sundance, Cannes, and Tribeca) that they always offer great networking and programming. So I spent the whole day at their Climate Week event: Creators Take on Climate and Mental Health. In addition to their networking receptions “where changemakers meet filmmakers,” their presentations and programming was especially inspiring. We heard from National Geographic’s Chief Storytelling Officer about some of their various programs including Project Ceti, where their scientists are making exciting breakthroughs using AI to decode sperm whale communications and Africa Refocused, a partnership with NEWF (Nature Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers) which includes labs and fellowships to support local African filmmakers to become more involved in “natural history” filmmaking in Africa. We also heard from the founders of Crisis Text Line, and representatives from GoFundMe, Project Water, and various international filmmaking initiatives including a fascinating short film about the worlds’ “Intangible Zones” where stewards of the land take great care to protect the world’s last uncontacted tribes. You can join the Impact Lounge’s Mailing List at this link, to learn about their future events.
Finally, I attended the Climate Creatives networking party at the Solutions House, hosted by Futerra and the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance. The SEA is one of the key groups that I maintain active participation in, as part of my role for local 600s Sustainability Committee, so it was great to meet the leaders in person. Additionally, I got to reconnect with the organizers of the Hollywood Climate Summit, and I met tons of really interesting people: some environmentally focused fiction filmmakers, documentarians, and YouTube Content Creators, as well as some researchers and really passionate activists. It was a great way to learn about some new niche organizations doing great work for the environment.
I noticed a theme this year throughout all the events that I attended, which was that in order to stay engaged and not get discouraged with all the “doom & gloom” in the news and social media, we need to maintain our sense of hopefulness, and believe that our actions can actually make an impact. Between the amazing people I met, and the exposure to smaller, specialized organizations and purpose-driven filmmakers, there was an air of inspiration permeating all these events. I definitely got a fresh dose of motivation by attending, and a renewed sense of commitment to staying involved in grassroots actions. If anyone is interested in getting more involved with Local 600s sustainability efforts, please email me and I’ll connect you to your reps in your region!
Spotlight on Stephanie Dufford:
I am a Local 600 Camera Operator, who is passionate about sustainable practices. Thanks to Allison Elvove’s support and encouragement, I recently became the Central Region Sustainability Committee Co-Chair. Most recently, I organized a sustainability-themed Member Friday event in September in Chicago with trivia focused on planet Earth and Sustainability. In addition, there was a sustainable caterer and electronics recycling collection. The e-waste was very successful and yielded a high turnout of items to be properly disposed of. I am proud to be part of Local 600’s sustainability efforts and will continue to organize events that educate and engage members. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to get involved and live in the Chicago and Atlanta areas: stephaniedufford@protonmail.com.