Are Playbills environmentally friendly? — Page 2

orangeskittles said: "The real tree-killer with playbills is all the ads. The actual show-specific content in a playbill isonly about 10 pages.

This. I'm not hating on them wanting to sell ad space to make money or to publish articles and interviews that I'm sure someone puts a lot of care into. But that's what is really bulking up a basic program. Everything is digital is a nonsense argument. Many people want the souvenir and having digital Playbills just encourages more phone use in the theater. Plus, the internet is not as "forever" as we might think.

This thread is amusing me in a partly touching partly snidely sarcastic way.

I think it's great that people are caring about the environment and considering whatever steps we can take to save the planet. But the damage done by Playbills in comparison to...well, most everything we encounter in our daily lives, makes it a very trivial question. Of all the issue on our planet, items made of paper, which can are are recycled if you recycle them (and that nonsense of "it doesn't bring back the trees" I read above--it significantly slows down the destruction of trees because companies can use the recycled paper instead of going for fresh sources), is the least of our worries.

God knows what all the technology that powers a modern Broadway show is costing the planet through all the use of electricity (which does lead to pollution and a depletion of resources via the power plants providing all this electricity). The machines themselves powered by that electricity are probably doing irreparable harm and far more toxic to the environment when thrown away than any Playbill. And that's not even considering all the non-theater ways this earth is polluted every day. The person above comparing the damage of Playbill to a cel phone was absolutely on target. There is no comparison. And phones are now replaced--what? every three or four years? Five or seven at the most? This is appallingly reckless. Getting rid of Playbills would be such a tiny, insignificant gesture that it would ultimately come under the old conservative reprimand of "virtue signaling," no matter how earnest in effort the people participating in the change were.

It really is nice that people care, and I'm not wanting to snark all over that sentiment, but this is not an effective use of their concern.

joevitus said: “...this is not an effective use of their concern”

I can’t help think this is an entirely BS argument and this kind of thinking totally destructive. Every person and every positive action matters. Almost every significant change is made through an ongoing series of little steps; and it’s ridiculous to dismiss these just because there are larger issues that also need to be tackled. LEDs have brought major improvements in the (agreed much more significant) environmental impact of stage lighting and as technology improves so will this. But when most Playbills are disposed of almost immediately and only one or two pages are of (temporary) interest to most theatre goers then you could make a very significant impact by replacing them with a single sheet (as at the National Theatre). It’s not JUST paper and ink, but carbon emissions in production/delivery/disposal too. Even recycling has a carbon footprint attached and is less advantagous than not printing in unnecessary volumes to begin with.

Nobody is saying get rid of them altogether. But as with the charge to plastic carrier bags people are much more mindful if they pay for the item. West End theatres are not littered with hundreds of them at the end of the show..

Updated On: 8/17/19 at 07:04 PM

djoko84 said: "The better question is who gives a crap?"

Well hopefully your kids. And their kids. And any responsible adult in the room

BIG BALONEY said: " Stop using toilet paper too."

From an environmental standpoint, bidets can reduce the need for toilet paper. Considering that an average person uses only 1⁄8 US gal (0.47 l) of water for cleansing once using a bidet, much less water is used than for making toilet paper. An article in Scientific American concluded that using a bidet is "much less stressful on the environment than using paper". Scientific Americanhas reported that if the US switched to using bidets, 15 million trees could be saved every year.

source: Wikipedia.

LxGstv said: "BIG BALONEY said: " Stop using toilet paper too."

From an environmental standpoint, bidets can reduce the need for toilet paper. Considering that an average person uses only 1⁄8USgal (0.47l) of water for cleansing once using a bidet, much less water is used than for making toilet paper. An article inScientific Americanconcluded that using a bidet is "much less stressful on the environment than using paper".Scientific Americanhas reported that if the US switched to using bidets, 15 million trees could be saved every year.

source: Wikipedia."


Yes, let's start using bidets in the theatre bathrooms. Just have guys' dirty asses hanging out when you walk in. I'm sure everyone would love that.

Updated On: 8/17/19 at 11:44 PM

ukpuppetboy said: "joevitus said: “...this is not an effective use of their concern”

I can’t help think this is an entirely BS argument and this kind of thinking totally destructive. Every person and every positive actionmatters. Almost every significant change ismade through an ongoing series of little steps; and it’s ridiculous to dismiss these just because there are larger issues that also need to be tackled. LEDs havebrought major improvements in the (agreed much more significant) environmental impact of stage lighting and as technology improves sowill this. But when most Playbills are disposed of almost immediately and only one ortwo pages are of (temporary) interest to mosttheatre goers then you could make a very significant impact by replacing them with a single sheet (as at the National Theatre). It’s not JUST paper and ink, but carbon emissions in production/delivery/disposal too. Even recycling has a carbon footprint attached and is less advantagousthan not printing in unnecessary volumes to begin with.

Nobody is saying get rid of them altogether. But as with the charge to plastic carrier bags people are much more mindful if they pay for the item. West End theatres are not littered with hundreds of them at the end of the show.."

If you can't help but be wrong, you can't help it. Fact is, it will make utterly no difference to our planet's well being as long as far more serious acts of pollution/waste occur. I can't help but tell you that.

Bettyboy72 said: "This thread is a perfect example of why the earth has limited time left. Nothing will ever be done due to bickering. The Playbill question illustrates the need for large scale sweeping changes to reduce and/or eliminate waste. Some people see it as futile and others realize the bigger picture and are aware it needs to happen.

I feel the same way about all the plastic crap that shows sell. It’s all garbage and no one needs it, especially the Hoarders who buy it. However it’s all about money so it keeps being sold.

There's no bigger picture. Getting rid of Playbills wouldn't improve the earth and wouldn't inspire greater efforts to improve the earth. And the conversation doesn't illustrate why anything will ever get done because 1) the conversation just started so gauging it's repercussions is melodramatic, and 2) none of us is in a position to either make Playbills disappear or assure their continuance, so there are no ramifications to our talk.

Updated On: 8/18/19 at 02:22 PM

joevitus said: "Bettyboy72 said: "This thread is a perfect example of why the earth has limited time left. Nothing will ever be done due to bickering. The Playbill question illustrates the need for large scale sweeping changes to reduce and/or eliminate waste. Some people see it as futile and others realize the bigger picture and are aware it needs to happen.

I feel the same way about all the plastic crap that shows sell. It’s all garbage and no one needs it, especially the Hoarders who buy it. However it’s all about money so it keeps being sold.

There's no bigger picture. Getting rid of Playbills wouldn't improve the earth and wouldn't inspire greater efforts to improve the earth. And the conversation doesn't illustrate why anything will ever get done because 1) the conversation just started so gauging it's repercussions is melodramatic, and 2) none of us is in a position to either make Playbills disappear or assure their continuance, so there are no ramifications to our talk."

I find you very short-sighted. The bigger picture is if overall we stopped producing unnecessary things (Playbills only being one teeny part of the picture) things can improve. And the differing opinions in this thread very clearly demonstrate the divide that keeps things static.

Bettyboy72 said: "joevitus said: "Bettyboy72 said: "This thread is a perfect example of why the earth has limited time left. Nothing will ever be done due to bickering. The Playbill question illustrates the need for large scale sweeping changes to reduce and/or eliminate waste. Some people see it as futile and others realize the bigger picture and are aware it needs to happen.

I feel the same way about all the plastic crap that shows sell. It’s all garbage and no one needs it, especially the Hoarders who buy it. However it’s all about money so it keeps being sold.

There's no bigger picture. Getting rid of Playbills wouldn't improve the earth and wouldn't inspire greater efforts to improve the earth. And the conversation doesn't illustrate why anything will ever get done because 1) the conversation just started so gauging it's repercussions is melodramatic, and 2) none of us is in a position to either make Playbills disappear or assure their continuance, so there are no ramifications to our talk."

I find you very short-sighted. The bigger picture is if overall we stopped producing unnecessary things (Playbills only being one teeny part of the picture) things can improve. And the differing opinions in this thread very clearly demonstrate the divide that keeps things static."

If that's what you find, you should not work as a detective. It will literally have no impact in the larger scheme of things. *shrug*

@Fosse76, thanks for this wonderful post, bringing some sense to this messy discussion.

Especially grateful for this: "Since most theater patrons are too stupid to put recyclable items in the correct bins therefore mixing with actual garbage, recyclable goods are minimal."