Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington delivered a presentation at the 2012 Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference on Nov. 12 in Sacramento.
Buffington’s talk, “Hollywood, Health & Society: Inspiring Hollywood’s Writers and Producers to Create Storylines That Change Lives,” focused on health storylines on TV, film and new media, and how they have a profound impact on viewers’ knowledge and behavior. The most popular TV storylines, research shows, can reach up to 20 million viewers in an hour in the U.S., and over 400 million viewers in 100 countries.
Through workshops and topic sessions on policy and program strategies, the conference explored how to accelerate the transition to an energy efficient and low-carbon economy. Guest speakers included senior-level policymakers, scientists, media representatives and energy experts, who offered the latest behavioral research and communication strategies.
The event was organized by the California Institute for Energy and Environment, the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.