"Climate neutral" production for "Syriana"

The makers of "Syriana" put their money where their mouth is by making the production "climate neutral," offsetting their environmental impact with investments in renewable energy. I forsee a day when movie credits will include an environmental certification like the one they currently have for their treatment of animals, a sort of "no planet was harmed in the making of this film."

Here's the press release:

SYRIANA Fights Pollution with Renewable Energy

Warner Bros. Pictures, Participant Productions and NativeEnergy
challenge Hollywood to follow their lead

LOS ANGELES (January 18, 2006) ­ In a groundbreaking move, Warner Bros.
Pictures and Participant Productions have made Syriana, a multi-layered
political thriller about the global oil industry, the first major motion
picture to be "climate neutral" by offsetting 100% of carbon dioxide
emissions generated by the production during filming ­ an estimated 2,040
tons ­ with investments in renewable energy. Investments will be made in
wind and methane power and, specifically, in projects that may not otherwise
happen without this support.

NativeEnergy worked with Syriana's producers to calculate the amount of
carbon dioxide emissions from all of Syriana's production activities,
including filming, air travel, rental car and truck emissions, hotel energy
use, diesel generators used on location, office and warehouse energy use,
and emissions from shipping. NativeEnergy then offset those emissions by
purchasing renewable energy credits, or "green tags," from renewable energy
projects.

Investments are in two projects ­ the construction of a family dairy farm
methane generator and a wind farm in the Midwest. The wind farm is on Native
American land and is Native American owned. In addition to clean energy,
the wind farm will create jobs and revenue streams for the tribes from the
sale of electricity and the green tags.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Participant are bringing critical revenues to the
projects up front, contributing directly to their development and
construction. Renewable energy sources such as wind and methane provide
clean electricity and reduce pollution by displacing energy that would
otherwise have to come from fossil fuels like coal and oil. By making these
investments, Warner Bros. Pictures and Participant Productions are reducing
global warming emissions equivalent to eliminating 4 million average car
miles.


In the past, film producers and actors have planted trees to sequester
carbon emissions from production activities in order to make their films
carbon neutral. Syriana is the first to offset 100% of its carbon footprint
with new renewable energy projects, which will reduce the nation¹s reliance
on fossil fuels while helping Native American tribes and family farms
operate sustainable businesses in balance with the earth.

"Embarking on this project gives us an opportunity to both learn about and
educate the public about our air pollution and climate impacts from using
energy and fuel, as well as available alternatives for investing in and
promoting clean energy," says Shelley Billik, Vice President, Environmental
Initiatives, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "Measuring one's footprint is
also a great way to learn about reducing energy and fuel consumption in the
first place. We hope that other studios and productions will embark on
similar projects."


"We took the initiative in making this film climate neutral because it is
the right thing to do and it is in keeping with our mission," says Meredith
Blake, Executive Vice President for Corporate & Community Affairs,
Participant Productions. "Participant exists to use films as a means for
social change and this is one more way we can lead by example and help to
bring awareness to the industry that offsetting carbon dioxide emissions is
a viable option."


Tom Boucher, NativeEnergy President & CEO, says that the film industry is
playing a leadership role that others will surely follow. "We hope that
Hollywood, businesses, and audiences everywhere will follow this example and
help fight global warming by diversifying our energy supply with clean,
renewable energy projects they actually participate in getting built,"
Boucher says.

Unless we take steps to reduce our global warming emissions, scientists say
that rising temperatures will lead to droughts, extreme weather, and rising
sea levels ­ endangering our safety, economy, and national security. "Global
warming is one of the most significant problems facing our planet, and
Participant believes that everyone ­ corporations, individuals and
governments ­ has a role to play," says Blake. "Making our films climate
neutral is an example of something we can do to reduce our impact on the
planet, leading the way to positive change."
___________________________________________________________________

About Participant Productions
Founded in January 2004 by Ebay pioneer and philanthropist Jeff Skoll and
headed by Ricky Strauss, Participant Productions' projects focus on
compelling entertainment that highlights important social issues so as to
awaken, inspire and empower audiences to make a difference. In addition to
Syriana, Participant¹s films include: Good Night, and Good Luck. produced
with 2929 Entertainment, directed by George Clooney, and starring Clooney,
David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson and Robert Downey, Jr.; North Country
directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider) and starring Charlize Theron, Frances
McDormand and Sissy Spacek. Participant documentaries include the acclaimed
Murderball in partnership with THINKFilm and MTV Films; and the upcoming The
World According to Sesame Street.

About NativeEnergy
NativeEnergy is a national marketer of renewable energy credits or "green
tags," offering individuals and organizations a means to compensate for
their global warming pollution, or to effectively power their homes and
businesses with renewable energy. NativeEnergy's patent-pending business
process brings upfront payment to renewable projects for their future green
tag output, enabling its customers to help finance the construction of new
wind farms and other renewable energy projects, such as tribal wind projects
and methane digesters on Pennsylvania family dairy farms, which directly
reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to meet the nation¹s electricity needs.
NativeEnergy also offers Green-e certified green tags from operating wind
farms. Online at: www.nativeenergy.com .