Earth Angel

Emellie O'Brien sorts trash for a living on movie and television sets--but, no, she's not a garbage collector. She's the founder of Brooklyn-based startup Earth Angel, which helps productions become more sustainable by educating crews on best practices, using eco-friendly products on set, minimizing waste, and tracking carbon footprint usage. By adopting these practices, 29-year-old O'Brien says, productions can save $60,000 to $100,000 on waste bills and make a lasting impact. For instance, a scene from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was shot in an area that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Her efforts lead to the production crew planting new trees and fixing up the public benches for the scene. (The producers saved about $400,000 incorporating sustainable practices, according to O'Brien.) The four-employee startup, founded in 2015, "greens" about 10 productions annually. Earth Angel generated $250,000 in revenue last year, she says. While O'Brien admits the company is targeting a niche market, it has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry: Director Darren Aronofsky employed her for movies like Noah--even tweeting out her sustainability reports. Earth Angel also worked on the sets of blockbuster films like Black Panther, Ghostbusters, and The Avengers. --Michelle Cheng