Sustainability Mandates: From Ethics to Essentials for Funding?

Hey fellow DPs and filmmakers, I’m Tanya Volkov, and I’ve been wrestling with something on my latest project. We’re working on an indie feature with a tight budget, shooting primarily on my AMIRA, sometimes adding a C70 for specific setups. We’re using a mix of LED lights like the LS 300x and an amaran 150c to keep power draw down. We've always tried to be mindful of our footprint (recycling, carpooling, minimizing waste on set) because it's the right thing to do.

But now, with major studios like Universal and Sony pushing green mandates, I'm genuinely curious: has this conversation around sustainability fundamentally shifted from being a 'nice-to-have' ethical choice to an absolute critical factor in securing funding and distribution, even for smaller projects? I’m starting pre-production on another project soon, and I'm wondering if I need to approach my sustainability plan differently to even get a serious look from distributors or potential investors. Any insights or experiences would be hugely helpful.