November 2024 Newsletter

What do you remember from elementary school? It could be something trivial yet essential, like how plants make food, or a life skill, such as treating others with respect. Elementary school was about establishing the basics to grow personally and intellectually. Well, it's time for the environmental movement to return to school and remember the basics.

Most importantly, to increase ecological empathy and care, we must meet people where they are at. And when it comes to compelling media, it's always been this simple. As EMA CEO Debbie Levin said in her introduction,"The ability to teach through humor and beloved characters has proven to be the most effective tool for authentic change." Thankfully, there's an emergence of Hollywood storytellers inspired by those who paved the way (such as EMA Co-Founder the late Norman Lear) who know that changing minds isn't about pedantic lecturing; it's about being relatable. And there are scarce other creatives as effective at this as our 2024 EMA Futures Honoree, Quinta Brunson.

Just as much as a piece of art or media can be relatable and compelling, so can an event. Tucked away in the faux suburban cul-de-sac of the historic Radford Studio Center, the 2024 EMA Awards brought together people from all walks of life in a block party celebration for the planet. We welcome you to relive the excitement of the 2024 EMA Awards or experience it for the first time through words and video.

In a moving introduction only a true friend could give,"Abbot Elementary" co-star Chris Perfetti described Quinta Brunson as such: "Quinta Brunson is nothing less than a force of nature, a modern marvel. I believe that scientists will study her brain a hundred years from now to better understand human productivity and genius." When they do, can they please send the results to every screenwriter/showrunner in Hollywood?

The mega-hit ABC series "Abbott Elementary" is no stranger to EMA. Consistently earning EMA Green and Gold Seals for all its seasons and winning the 2022 Paul Junger Witt Comedy Award, "Abbott"is authentic environmental storytelling to a tee. That's why it was an obvious choice to honor the dynamic Quinta Brunson with the 2024 EMA Futures Award.

EMA truly believes this is just the start for Quinta, who is outspoken about her mission to tell relatable stories that inspire decency and environmental stewardship. And what better way to do so than with hardy laughs and ALL the feels? As Quinta put it during her incredible speech, "As someone who deeply cares about the environment, it means a lot to be recognized for using both my platform and my comedy to inspire change. I'm proud to be part of a community that values sustainability, and I'm excited to keep moving toward a greener planet."

Like taking a fun and unexpected field trip, our hosts, EMA Board Member Malin Akerman and actor Dermot Mulroney chaperoned us through an evening of eclectic environmental storytelling. As we said in the intro, we must meet people where they are at. To do so, we need various stories and media that cater to different audiences. From summer blockbusters such as Best Feature Film winner "Twisters" to moving historical narratives such as Best Documentary Winner "Bad River," many avenues exist to expose an audience to environmental thinking.

The show itself showcased this approach. For example, musical numbers by the Pasadena Girls Choir and the epically talented Antonique Smith brought the audience to tears, while heartfelt speeches from winners galvanized attendees into action. We hope the creatives in the room left with their heads buzzing with ideas (and a little sustainable wine).

We also must remember that art needs an audience, so we encourage you to tell at least three friends to watch the 2024 EMA Awards nominees and winners.

The EMA Green Seal is almost old enough to be a teacher at our allegorical elementary school. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the EMA Green Seal received its laurels at the event. We are beyond proud to see our humble "ten sustainable things movie and TV sets can do" grow into the industry standard for sustainable production. Over 300 film and TV productions earned our EMA Green and Gold Seals in 2024 despite industry strikes. We expect that number to grow even higher in 2025!

Like any successful project, it takes a village. EMA CEO Debbie Levin explained, "Today, there are sustainability groups, companies that assist in achieving the EMA Green Seal application and guidelines, green stewards on set, and, of course, sustainability departments at all the studios. "We couldn't celebrate this Anniversary without acknowledging these people and organizations and our loyal and supportive Boards.

As with all our events, a collective of incredible and talented people made the 2024 EMA Awards possible. With multiple Award shows and our two-day IMPACT Summit this year, we've never been more grateful for their help!

First, we thank our exceptional Boards, including our newly re-launched EMA Young Hollywood Board. Your support over the years is why EMA continues to grow its influence. We thank our amazing friends at Radford Studios for hosting the event at their beautiful location. As always, our witty writer David Wild and the elite production team at SennovA ensured our event ran smoothly and top rate. Further, we thank Crossroads Kitchen for keeping our bellies full of delicious vegan cuisine and our new partners at Rodney Strong Vineyards for treating us with their luxurious, sustainable wines. And how great was the after-party/block party with all the sustainable products and activations? We have the BEST partners in the world.

Like the best friend you always sit beside in class, Toyota Motor North America was with us from the start. Sticking to the theme of meeting people where they are, Toyota showcased a range of alternative fuel vehicles, including the Tacoma TRD PRO, Bz4x, and Hollywood's favorite car, the Prius! We are forever grateful to Toyota Motor North America for believing in our mission and joining us on this wild ride.

Finally, we thank all of our attendees who politely ignored the fact that the Dodgers were playing in the World Series, our hilarious hosts Malin Akerman and Dermot Mulroney, our talented EMA staff and crew, our outstanding PR team at Element Brand Group, and all of our brilliant sponsors.

Okay, class is out of session! Now go home, pop some popcorn, and watch the 2024 EMA Awards at the link below.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), in partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), is urging the White House and the EPA to ban paraquat in the U.S. In January 2025, the EPA is scheduled to release its final decision on whether to re-register paraquat, require further attempts to reduce exposure, or ban it altogether. If this doesn’t happen before the Biden administration leaves office, we’ve missed our chance.

Paraquat has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, childhood leukemia and more. The chemical is so toxic that it has been banned in 70 countries including the EU and China.

It is primarily used to clear fields before farmers plant corn, soybeans, cotton, almonds, peanuts, wine grapes, strawberries and other crops. While much of the paraquat applied winds up in the soil for years, the chemical can also drift through the air or linger in dust. 

EWG and MJFF jointly launched banparaquat.org, which contains more information about the urgent need to ban paraquat and a link to sign a petition showing your support for the ban. 

Please show the Biden Administration and the EPA that you support banning paraquat by signing the petition and sharing it on social media. You can also share EWG’s Instagram posts, which can be found here, here, and here.