Rust, StephenSimmer, Garret2023-10-242023-10-242023https://hdl.handle.net/1794/2902940 pagesIn today’s highly digitized world, we are constantly consuming media. We watch so many movies and TV shows, listen to so much music, and scroll through so much social media that we have become numb to it. Just as we are numb to how much time we spend on these things, we also are numb to the impact they are having. Every movie you watch costs thousands, if not millions, of dollars to produce, but it also costs a significant amount of fossil fuels, natural resources, and in some cases it may even lead to direct ecological damage. In this thesis, I explore several examples of popular films to come closer to understanding the environmental costs of movies. This research is important because as we move into the future and try to create a more sustainable world, we need to examine every aspect of our economy and determine the environmental costs of products more accurately. This research on movies is just one small piece of the global sustainability puzzle, yet it is a piece that often is overlooked, so it is about time we focus more attention on it. This process includes not only examining the resources that were used to create a movie, but also the message of a movie and the impact that message has on the public. Some movies may have a large cost on the environment during the production phase, but have a positive message which encourages people to take environmental action. Therefore, we must consider both aspects when analyzing a movie. Ultimately, this thesis demonstrates that we can improve the film industry in the future and concludes that there are several methods we can use to make it more sustainable. I conclude that there are four key ways that we can make the film industry more sustainable: sustainability teams, less filming on location, recycling of sets and costumes, and CGI servers powered by renewable energy.enCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USMoviesEnvironmentPolicyHollywoodEnvironmental ImpactsCinemaThesis / Dissertation