If you don’t know the premise of this CBS show, it takes 20 contestants, maroons them on a remote beach with no shelter or food other than a bag of uncooked rice, and makes them compete in challenges as they are voted out by their teammates until only one Survivor remains.

My husband and I started watching the show about a decade ago, when it was already several years in. We both got sucked in immediately to the survival challenges and the social intrigues that players use more and more to win that million dollars. I’m also a big puzzle lover and adrenaline junkie so I find it especially entertaining to watch contestants solve the mental challenges under pressure. Despite having very little time for TV now that we’ve add two kids to our lives, we have managed to keep watching Survivor regularly and it is now one of the few reasons we still pay for cable.

As I’ve become more aware of environmental issues in recent years, I’ve also come to appreciate many of the ways in which this show tries not to completely destroy their shooting location and reduce their ecological footprint. Having once worked in film production, I know how hard it is for a big crew not to accidentally damage the environment around them, be it a pristine tropical island or the interior of a rented house in Brooklyn (but that one’s a story for another time).

According to Castaway Television Productions Ltd., the company that produces Survivor for the US and countries around the world,

“there have been 180 productions of “Survivor” worldwide, including 18 in the Pearl Islands, and no complaints have been registered against Castaway or its licensed production companies for environmental neglect or insensitivity.”

Here are some of the eco-friendly features I’ve noticed while watching Survivor:

 

Respect for the land and its people

The game always incorporates native design and language from whichever remote location they’re filming into the look and nomenclature of the survivor camps. Every season usually has at least one episode where the reward is a visit to a local village (if not during the Ponderosa post-game online exclusive videos) to highlight the culture they’ve been surrounded by during their isolation.

 

Using biodegradable materials in the challenges

I could be wrong, but it certainly appears that even the most elaborately-constructed challenges are made using natural materials. This being television, it’s possible they discreetly use plastic zip ties or something like that, but unlike other challenge-type shows, Survivor goes out of its way to construct physical challenges using materials that in theory could’ve been found on a deserted island: wood, water, coconut shells, natural dyes, jute rope etc.

 

Recycling challenge structures from season to season

In addition to using biodegradable materials to build challenge structures, Survivor recycles these challenge structures from season to season. They’ve also been reusing the same island locations lately, which no doubt has a positive environmental impact as well by reducing the production’s carbon footprint, avoiding having to cleari out fresh vegetation, etc. It’s a decision that practices conservation both in their budget and the environment…a win-win!

In fact, the season that is currently airing right now, “Ghost Island,” is the ultimate statement in recycling. Not only are they recycling materials and artifacts, this season also recycles past failed contestants still looking for a chance claim that elusive title of Sole Survivor.

 

All hidden immunity idols, clues, and other items given to the players are made from biodegradable materials

Sometimes the idols are wooden bead necklaces, sometimes they’re clay figurines. But they’re never ever made from plastic or styrofoam. Ditto for the clues, shelter materials, and anything else that is given to the contestants during their time in the competition. One possible exception would be the lucky few who win the challenge that allows them to watch a video from a loved one, which is usually handed to them on a phone. But they have to give that phone back after watching, so I’m not going to count that here.

 

Players are only given a machete to create their shelter with. No duct tape, plastic ties, or anything else that will create unrecyclable waste.

As I mentioned above, contestants are given limited building materials. They start with a machete and are pointed to a beach where they can cut down palm fronds and bamboo trees to construct a makeshift shelter from. They’re not given any man-made construction aids, not even metal nails. The producers must’ve figured out early on that there is surprisingly high drama in a bunch of strangers having to figure out how to use leaves to tie bamboo logs together, and so that is all they’ve got to work with. Sometimes, a team may win a challenge whose reward is additional shelter items like a canvas tarp or a hemp hammock. But you’ll never see any vinyl siding on this tropical island. Survivor is truly roughing it.

 

Host Jeff Probst wears basically the same shirt in every episode.

Okay, I admit, this one is kind of a stretch. Maybe they have like 10 duplicates of the same shirt! But still, I’m guessing his wardrobe budget is pretty minimal compared to other TV hosts out there. And it’s also a subtle statement on functionality over materialism for the arguable star of the show to wear the same outfit over and over. When comedienne/actress Tiffany Haddish wore the same gorgeous white Alexander McQueen dress three separate times (most recently on the 2018 Oscars telecast!), she caused a bit of a press storm over how unusual this simple act was. When speaking about why she did it, she was unapologetic and unashamed:

“I don’t give a dang about no taboo…. It’s a $4,000 dress! I’ma wear this dress MULTIPLE times.”

See her hysterical SNL monologue here:

Re-using outfits shouldn't be a faux pas. Take it from our host @TiffanyHaddish.

Watch her full #SNL monologue: https://t.co/894yZI4Vjp pic.twitter.com/q2qyyhy05M

— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) November 13, 2017

Anyway, the point is, it’s unfortunately noteworthy at this point in our history for a person in the spotlight to recycle a popular outfit, and so I’m giving props to Jeff Probst for doing so on Survivor.

 

• CBS
• Survivor