The good ol' recycling symbol

Everyone has seen that good ol' recycling symbol, but what exactly does that mean? Is EVERYTHING with that symbol recyclable? The short answer is NO.

That symbol has become universal and is put on most products (voluntarily) by companies to identify the type of plastic used in manufacturing. It does NOT mean everything with this symbol can be recycled.

According to nyc.gov, The only plastics accepted for recycling in New York City are bottles & jugs (with necks smaller than their bodies). All other plastic containers and all other plastic items should be placed in the regular trash.

So now you know!

Green Guidelines For PCTF

GREEN ACTIVISM

As this is an eco friendly festival, we encourage all artists to be conscious of their affect on the environment. We have listed some guidelines and suggestions that can be implemented on the first day of rehearsal.

Remember the 3 R’s -- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

What We Are Doing:

· Providing recycling bins on the premises for aluminum, glass and plastic, and paper

· Use of eco-friendly light bulbs in our lounge, bathrooms and other public areas, in addition to the lightings plots in each performance space

· Use of recycled and recyclable paper products

· Cleaning with eco-friendly products

· Decreasing paper communications and instead promoting online and social networking communications

· Greening ticketing ideas

· Recycling Festibills for multiple use

· Providing an eco-friendly lounge with items to be purchased

· Encouraging the use of reusable water bottles

· Promoting community building through an online forum on our website in the Green Section where artists can communicate and share props, costumes, and ideas.

What You Can Do:

Paper

· Encourage online communication via email instead of snail mail mailing lists for both your charity and show.

· Encourage online communication for the use of audition materials, welcome packets, Press Packets, and any other correspondence with industry.

· Promote the use of social networking, individual websites, and blogs for marketing your show

· Print on recycled paper

· Print scripts double sided

· Use soy based inks where available

· Properly dispose of paper usage into recycling bins

· Encourage your audience to return and recycle their festibills and your show’s program at the end of each performance. A bin will be provided

Transportation

· Promote the use of public transportation for performances and rehearsals

· Walk or ride your bike to performance and rehearsals

· Encourage taxi cab sharing

Energy Efficiency

· Encourage promotion of energy efficient lighting

· Don’t forget to turn out the lights when not in use

Props, Scenery, Costumes

Borrow props, scenery, furniture and/or costumes before creating or purchasing new ones. Feel free to use the online Green Forum through PCTF website to find whatever you might need.

· Use bamboo as a wood alternative

Waste Management

· Promote the use of reusable water bottles, cups, plates, utensils etc.

· Properly dispose of scenery, sets, and props and donate, reuse and recycle where possible. Kindly dispose or recycle with organizations that promote sustainability and can put your items to good use. Before construction takes place you can contact Build It Green!NYC or Film Biz Recycling to find the proper way to construct your scenery to ensure easier breakdown and recycling once your show has completed.

We ask that you kindly promote awareness of these guidelines to your cast and crew.

Origins

As members of the artistic community we are all always buying and using new cosmetics to use under those lights. Check out what Origins is offering! An opportunity to bring in your cosmetics bottles, tubes, jars, etc. (from any brand) and they will properly dispose of those items at their own cost. AND to top it off...you get a free sample from their wonderful line of skin care products. Save the world and your skin? That's wonderful.

Welcome to the Planet Connections Green Blog!

Welcome to the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity green blog. This is your community and together we can make PCTF the best most sustainable theatre festivity there is. We encourage each of our artists to use this site as an opportunity to share green ideas in theater as well as interesting information that involves the theater community (like where to buy soy based ink? or which cosmetics company is offering eco-friendly products so we look fantastic under those lights AND are kinder to the environment). You can also pose questions to all the other theater artists about sharing props or sets. We encourage you to use this site as an open forum to assist you as you progress from rehearsals through to performance.

Blog submissions are accepted and can be emailed to pctfgreenblog@gmail.com . (Due to high submission volume we may not be able to respond to all submissions in a timely manner)

You will be notified if your blog is chosen to appear in the green blog and as always feel free to participate and comment, share new ideas and experiences.

Blog Submission Guidelines:

-250 Words or less

-Image attached in jpeg format or web link (if desired)

-All relevant links

-Contact information if different from submitted email address