‘Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters’ – making waves without leaving a mark

In November last year Plimsoll Productions brought 43 crew members and celebrities to Bimini in the Bahamas to film a new Natural History – meets – Factual Entertainment series about Sharks. But what made this production stand out wasn’t just its thrilling content, it was the team’s commitment to minimising its environmental impact every step of the way.

From the outset, the production made conscious choices to reduce their carbon footprint. Every product used on set was carefully researched to find eco-friendly alternatives. Sea-safe sunscreen protected both skin and the coral reefs, limestone-based neoprene replaced traditional wetsuits, laundry was done with plastic-free, non-bio detergent sheets, batteries were rechargeable, plastic free hygiene products  and even the electrolytes were chosen because of the company’s eco friendly mission statement.

Even small everyday decisions, like sharing airport transportation, refilling water bottles, bringing packed lunches and beach litter picks all helped reduce waste and emissions.

The most significant challenge was Bimini’s  lack of recycling infrastructure. Rather than accept the status quo, the production team created a makeshift recycling station at their accommodation. All aluminum cans and 3 types of plastic were separated into separate bags (large decommissioned sugar bags from Coca Cola) At the end of filming, the materials were loaded onto an otherwise empty mailboat headed back for Nassau.  There, the waste was handed over to Cans for Kids, a Bahamian non-profit that recycles aluminum to raise funds for local schools and youth programs. Soft plastics were packed in with the camera kit as protective padding during travel home & then Terracycled back in the UK.

To address unavoidable carbon emissions, the production calculated their Carbon Footprint using the Albert Carbon Calculator and partnered with The Ocean Foundation’s Blue Resilience Initiative which works to conserve coastal habitats like seagrasses, mangroves, coral reefs, seaweeds, and salt marshes. The offset donation will help restore and protect these environments which are important Shark habitats and also sequester carbon from mangroves & seagrass at a rate ten times greater than mature tropical forests, ensuring the marine life featured in the show has a better future.

In a time when sustainability can often be an afterthought in entertainment, we proved that with thoughtful planning and a bit of creativity, TV can make waves without leaving a mark.