Lilo & Stitch has proven to be a hit for Disney with its opening weekend breaking records. It already was showing that this movie was different, however, with the way it was filmed. The movie was filmed entirely on the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu. It also was filmed in a sustainable manner.
For this film, Disney decided to do something a little different and collaborate with local organizations for this production. This was out of a sense of responsibility to honor the land and the community that made the movie possible. Disney transformed the way a film set operates so that it could reduce waste, repurpose materials, and give back.
During the 46 days of filming at locations including Mākaha, Kapolei, Haleʻiwa, Kahuku, Kāneʻohe, Hālawa, Honolulu, and Hawai‘i Kai, the production team for Lilo & Stitch diverted on-set waste from going to landfills and instead turned it into valuable resources that the local community could use. Here is a little bit of how this worked:
Local Collaboration, Lasting Impact
Disney worked with four Hawai‘i-based organizations — Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i (SCH), Bottles4College, Full Circle Farms, and Aloha Harvest — to rethink traditional production practices and embed sustainability throughout the production process.
The results of this work speak volumes:
- 80% of on-set waste was diverted from landfills and reused in the community with the support of Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i. The coastlines protection-focused organization set up waste sorting stations across set locations — with clearly marked bins for recycling, compost, and trash — while providing on-site education to help cast and crew prep traditional waste for its next use.
- 18,000 pounds of food scraps and compostable packaging was sent to the local Full Circle Farms to be transformed into nutrient-rich soil used to grow local product.
- Over 3,500 pounds of surplus food was donated to the food rescue nonprofit Aloha Harvest, providing the equivalent of two years’ worth of meals for one person.
- Meanwhile, nonprofit Bottles4College ensured bottles and cans were not just recycled, but funds collected from the recycling facility were used to support college scholarships for local students.
- Used cooking oil from set kitchens was converted into biodiesel, a cleaner-burning fuel alternative.
- Props, lumber, and set materials found new life with local nonprofits and schools after filming wrapped.
The making of Lilo & Stitch worked as a proof of concept for how film productions can be operated in a more sustainable fashion. This is especially important in resource-limited locations like Hawai’i. Disney’s sustainability team found creative approaching to production to complement the creative process that is seen on stage. This was through the utilization of materials that were already being used on set to the meals that were served each day. This proof of concept now can be implemented on other films.
What do you think of this sustainable approach to filmmaking that was used on Lilo & Stitch? Have you seen the movie yet? Are you going? What did you like best about it, if you have seen it already? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
