Endulging in my weeknight sitcoms, an advertisement for NBCU Green Week caught my attention. NBC Universal has dedicated its programming to raising awareness on environmental issues from November 4th through the 11th.
Initially I was reminded of issues I've addressed in previous blogs- Is NBCU jumping on the bandwagon? Is it a business strategy created by a large network that just wants to market themselves as green because they see money in the cause? Or, is it a genuine concern for our environment and desire to spread a message? I didn't know and didn't care, but looked into it regardless. It turns out, NBCU's committment to the environment goes far beyond one week of TV shows.
In May of this year, the Universal Studios lot installed it's first solar panel energy system that is the largest in the industry. Recently, they announced the development of their new West Coast News Headquarter and Content Center which will be leading examples of sustainable design and construction under the U.S. Green Council's LEED certification. They will also seek LEED certification for their existing buildings. NBCU's office supplier is providing them with paper made of 34% recyclable content, however they plan on using less of it by utilizing multi-functional office machines that will also eliminate the need for multiple devices. The list goes on.
Maybe Green Week will draw a profit and higher ratings for the network. Maybe it won't. Maybe people who don't necessarily care about the environment will be turned off by the idea of their favorite shows addressing an issue they are already tired of hearing about. It doesn't really matter. NBCU believes this is an important issue, they care about it, and they are making it heard. Maybe they will get a response.
Initially I was reminded of issues I've addressed in previous blogs- Is NBCU jumping on the bandwagon? Is it a business strategy created by a large network that just wants to market themselves as green because they see money in the cause? Or, is it a genuine concern for our environment and desire to spread a message? I didn't know and didn't care, but looked into it regardless. It turns out, NBCU's committment to the environment goes far beyond one week of TV shows.
In May of this year, the Universal Studios lot installed it's first solar panel energy system that is the largest in the industry. Recently, they announced the development of their new West Coast News Headquarter and Content Center which will be leading examples of sustainable design and construction under the U.S. Green Council's LEED certification. They will also seek LEED certification for their existing buildings. NBCU's office supplier is providing them with paper made of 34% recyclable content, however they plan on using less of it by utilizing multi-functional office machines that will also eliminate the need for multiple devices. The list goes on.
Maybe Green Week will draw a profit and higher ratings for the network. Maybe it won't. Maybe people who don't necessarily care about the environment will be turned off by the idea of their favorite shows addressing an issue they are already tired of hearing about. It doesn't really matter. NBCU believes this is an important issue, they care about it, and they are making it heard. Maybe they will get a response.
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