X-men Origins: Wolverine has taken in about $130 million domestically, and it’s on pace to be another hit in the Marvel Comics franchise. While the film has (rightfully) received tepid reviews from critics (”How do you make mutants dull?”- “In terms of tone and content, Wolverine is a nearer match to Daredevil than Iron Man.”), we have to give the mega movie some props for incorporating a little bit of green into the production. We saw this video from ZapRoot about how the film was part of the Green Screen Initiative, a program aimed at reducing the environmental impact of movies. The initiative was directed by the Queenstown government, and, based on its success, will be a blueprint for all films shot in that region of New Zealand.

The production was able to divert almost 92% of its waste from landfill, saving about $55,000 and 670 tons of garbage. Insert joke about not diverting enough of the film’s garbage, like, for example, the dialogue. And, quite clearly, a film of this scale can hardly be considered a ‘green’ film, but we hope this type of initiative becomes a trend in Hollywood. These blockbusters will continue to exist, but if filmmakers can incorporate and further develop green thinking…we’ll all be better off, even if the movies suck.

If you watch television here in the United States, chances are you’ve seen the IBM ad about creating “smarter traffic systems.”  IBM worked with the City of Stockholm to implement smart toll systems to reduce gridlock, lower emissions and save the city’s residents time and money. It’s a great reminder that much of the technology we need to build a cleaner, more efficient tomorrow already exists and, in some forward-thinking cities, is being implemented with success today.

The Stockholm Trial reduced traffic by 25%, and the city saw a drop in emissions from road traffic of up to 14%. Greenhouse gases have fallen 40% in the inner-city. For more info, IBM has a more complete summary of results.