Although the peacock logo for the NBC television network was meant to be multi-colored, for one week each year it definitely “goes green!”  For the second year NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content in a variety of platforms. “Green Your Routine” was the theme of the week of November 16^th through the 23^rd this year.  NBC and NBC.com celebrated their talent in “The More You Know” PSA campaign.  Using famous NBC regulars, they produced green-themed storylines in several of their daytime and primetime shows.

The NBC campaign featured celebrities talking about what they personally are doing to be more eco-friendly. Some of the stars who provided PSA spots included John Krasinski of The Office, Jane  Krakoswki and Jack Brayer of 30 Rock, Masi Oka and Zachary Quinto of Heroes, Tori Spelling, Tiki Barber, Debra Messing, Ann Curry, Meredith Viera, Al Roker and the ladies of Lipstick Jungle according to “ecorazzi, the latest in green gossip” (http://www.ecorazzi.com).

NBC also devoted time in April to environmental issues in support of Earth Week.

In addition, the NBC website (http://www.nbc.com/Green) is loaded with ideas about how to “Green Your Routine” both personally, and in your community.  Beth Colleton, Vice President of Green Is Universal, said that this is about educating consumers about the idea that it is practical and economical to be green.  She said, “Asking consumers to help ’save the planet,’ or ‘clean up the oceans,’ sounds daunting to the individual. If everyone pledges to green even one simple aspect of their daily routines, such as walking to work, shopping with a reusable bag, or taking a shorter shower, together we can make a difference in our own lives and impact the environment.”

In a New York Times article on November 14, 2008 Louise Tutelian wrote about a new trend toward cabin life across America and how cabins have been “re-imagined” in eco-friendly, but stylish ways.  Some are combining traditional industrial materials, while others are employing reclaimed or recycled material to reduce their building costs and yet stay eco-friendly.  It seems that cabin owners want what they always have pursued, an escape into the natural world. 

Michelle Kodis, whose book “Modern Cabin” was published in 2007 commented for the article: “Given our busy, techno-heavy lives, people are seeking places where they can rejuvenate and connect to nature…They want simple, beautiful, indoor-outdoor cabins that require little upkeep and are free of fuss and heavy, overdone details.”

Tutelian quoted Dale Mulfinger, professor of architecture and author of “Cabinology: A Handbook to Your Private Hideaway” who said, “One of the biggest environmentally friendly trends we’re seeing is the use of local materials.   Once you start shipping things long distance, that’s not so friendly — there’s the cost of shipping as well as the fuel costs.”  In addition, Tutelian reported “the most eco-conscious of the new ‘cabinistas’ want to supply all of their own energy.”

Architect Jeff Shelden built a cabin in the Judith Mountains of central Montana in 1998 using only local or reclaimed materials.  The wood and redwood decks were recycled from a nearby train trestle.  Rock for the outside came from a local quarry, and Shelden was able to obtain free corrugated steel for the roof from a neighbor who was tearing up his barn, just for taking it off his hands.  Tutelian reported that Shelden estimated the cost of the cabin at about $55,000, along with $1,700 to purchase a photovoltaic system to supply electricity and to pump water for a hot tub, making his utility bill is zero.

Surgeon Sam Snyder built a cabin in 2003 near Hudson, New York and said,  “My No. 1 goal was to have a zero carbon footprint, and we accomplished that.”  His cabin gets all the power it needs, including the supply for baseboard heat, from solar panels and a wind turbine on an 80-foot-high tower, along with a solar hot water system.  Snyder, the ultimate eco-conscious cabinista, summed it all up when he said, “Every time I step outside and the wind is blowing and the sun is shining, I smile because I’m making all my own energy.”

Solar panels are becoming one of the major ways homeowners can go green.  The panels are usually mounted on the roof, but they can also be mounted on ground racks, trellises and custom structures.  Solar panels quietly produce electricity directly from sunlight for an expected life span of 30 years and offset over 5 tons of greenhouse gasses each of those years. 

Solar panels are so popular with homeowners that they are becoming one of the hottest targets for burglars.  An editorial in the Omaha World Herald on October 18, 2008 warned potential internet buyers to beware of unreasonably cheap offers of solar panels for sale.  The editorial (“When thieves ‘go green”) points out that they are often sold for as little as $100 over the internet, but their actual worth is estimated at $1,500 each.

The proof of their effectiveness was demonstrated to one victim of a recent theft of 19 solar panels who then “saw his electric bill explode from $3 a month to $300 at the height of the air-conditioning season.” A recent article in The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/technology/24solar.html) reported that police, especially in California have dramatically increased their investigative techniques for these types of burglaries.  California reportedly has the largest solar power market in America with more than 33,000 installations.

Solar panels are much more common in Europe, and thieves have methodically been at work there for a number of years.  The New York Times says homeowners have taken more preventive measures such as “installing alarm systems, hard-to-unscrew panels and video-camera surveillance.”  However, a California office-building owner who lost 58 panels (with an estimated replacement cost of $75,000) is considering painting the remaining panels bright pink in an effort to deter future potential thefts.

The World Herald editorial summed it up:  “Rooftop robbers apparently have no mercy, and greed has no second thoughts.”

Mother Nature can be annoying for some athletes when the weather doesn’t cooperate on game-day.  One of the major reasons many collegiate and professional sports are being played on artificial turf is an attempt to take Mother Nature out of the equation. 

“It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature” was a line used in a commercial many years ago showing the wrath of Mother Nature when Chiffon was able to create a spread that tasted just like butter.  However, on June 25, 2008, Jane Akre posted an article on InjuryBoard that used this tagline in her exploration of the potential harmful effects of the lead that shows up in the artificial turf on athletic fields.

http://feeds.injuryboard.com/IBNationalNews is a website dedicated to personal safety, injury prevention and recovery.  Their interest in the lead in artificial turf is because, as Akre points out, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates that lead levels are elevated in more than 300,000 children in this country.  The real concern comes because tests have revealed lower IQ scores, memory problems, hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children who have had excessive lead exposure.   

Earlier this year New Jersey health officials unexpectedly found lead in three fields with artificial turf.  As a result, the CDC, along with an environmental group recommends that any athletic fields constructed from nylon need to be tested for lead because it is a potential neurotoxin.

They also recommended that fields with visible dust on them should be tested because of the possibility that the dust can be inhaled or swallowed by anyone using the field.  Athletes could ingest the lead through contact with skin, contact with the turf or even hand to mouth contact.

Akre also points out that the CDC indicates that the lead levels are not high enough to poison people using the fields, but it can cause increased damage to those previously exposed to lead.  Therefore, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) started an investigation earlier this year into synthetic turf and the health risks associated with playing on them. 

Until the results of the testing are in, the CDC recommends that athletes wash their hands and shower immediately after playing on artificial turf, as well as turning uniforms inside out and washing them separately from other clothes.  They even go so far as to recommend removing athletic shoes when entering the house and leaving them outside.

Not only is it not nice to fool Mother Nature, in the case of artificial turf, it could be dangerous to your health!

What is the best way to get children involved in environmental projects?  SustainLane and the Earth Day organization are proving that animation can get them very interested.  Kijani is an 800-pound visionary gorilla that left the Congo to live in a magical San Francisco greenhouse.  He joined up with four kids from around the world to create a sustainable earth. Kijani means green in Swahili, but the kids call him “KJ”.

“Gorilla in the Greenhouse” is an action-filled animated web site (www.greengorilla.com).  It was released on Earth Day, April 22, 2008.  The pilot episode (“The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”) features the Greenhouse Gang uncovering an island of plastic bags in the Pacific.  This adventure inspires the gang to start taking actions towards a healthier environment.  The web site is very creative and uses music to motivate other children to join in their cause. 

More episodes are currently under production.  The web site says they will continue to explore energy efficiency, sustainable food consumption, global warming, deforestation, and renewables as part of the musical adventures of the Greenhouse Gang.

The website includes introductions to each of the characters as well as a section on “Gorilla Activities”—small steps the Greenhouse Gang are taking to improve the environment and which are aimed at stimulating kids to do them on their own.  This site includes activities such as: “Rejuice the Use of Everything You’ve Got!” to help students invent creative ways to use things they normally throw away; and “Make Some Sounds Downtown!” to encourage them to give environmental suggestions to their City Council.

“A gorilla in the room” is a phrase people often use to indicate an unseen, ominous presence that no one wants to talk about openly.  “The Gorilla in the Greenhouse” is anything but ominous….it is an environmental inspiration for kids!

In “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in the 1700’s, men on a long voyage began to run out of drinking water.  Even though they were surrounded by water, it was seawater causing them to say, “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.”  Is it possible that we might have a similar concern about the lack of drinking water in the future?

Elizabeth Royte, an environmentally focused researcher and reporter, has written several books about the “greening” of America.  Her first two books were Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash and The Tapir’s Morning Bath: Mysteries of the Tropical Rain Forest and the Scientists Who Are Trying to Solve Them.  Recently she has also authored Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, and discussed her book with Dr. Mehmet Oz on his radio show on XM channel 156.

Royte grieved over the fact that Americans throw away over 30 billion water bottles a year.  Additionally, she offered some startling statistics:

• U.S. water sales jumped from $115 million in 1990 to $4 billion in 1997.

•Sales increased a shocking 170 percent from 1997 to $10.8 billion in 2006.

•Bottled water is now a $60 billion-a-year business worldwide.

•Per person consumption of water went from 5.7 gallons in 1987 to 27.6 gallons in 2006.  

Given these statistics, it is no surprise that water has become one of the larger green concerns about carbon footprints and recycling.  Royte warns us that natural supplies of clean, fresh water will evaporate if we don’t start paying attention to where water comes from, what we do to it and why we drink it.

In addition to her book and her interview with Dr. Oz, Royte recently wrote “A Tall, Cool Drink of … Sewage?”  for the New York Times magazine (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/magazine).   Her message is that Americans must educate themselves about the products they consume and the packaging they discard, especially bottled water. 

While she admits that bottled water is much needed when there are emergency or certain health-related issues, the widespread use of water comes at a high price for our environment.  Royte is astonished at how a natural resource like water has become such a fast-selling commodity.  Her writing and her interview explain the dangers to the environment by exploring how water is accessed, packaged and sold.  Part of her mission is to prove that bottled water is no better than tap water, and she raises thoughtful questions about the impact of its sale on the environment. 

“Eco-education doesn’t have to be expensive,” wrote Daniel Stone in the September 15, 2008 Newsweek magazine.  In his article, “Getting an Early Start,” he described how environmental learning is not just about climate change or the “plight” of the earth.  Innovative teachers with “green lesson plans” focus on the natural world as a basis for their lessons in a variety of subjects. 

Stone gives an example of a classroom studying a stream by incorporating the study of language, math and social studies.  He also pointed out studies from the State Education and Environment Roundtable reporting, “students exposed to a nature-based curriculum score higher more than 90 percent of the time than students taught the same subjects in the classroom out of a textbook.”

One of the most cost-effective ways to incorporate green lessons into the curriculum can be done through Project Learning Tree (www.plt.org), which is sponsored by the American Forest Foundation.  Through this program, educators can be trained in green-based teaching.  They attend a workshop and receive a guidebook of lesson plans.  An example of one lesson plan deals with analyzing water samples students would obtain from a nearby river or stream.  Another lesson plan focuses on the history of wildlife in the students’ region.

The mission of Project Learning Tree (PLT) is to “use the forest as a ‘window’ on the world to increase students’ understanding of our environment; stimulate students’ critical and creative thinking; develop students’ ability to make informed decisions on environmental issues; and instill in students the commitment to take responsible action on behalf of the environment.”  This sounds much more complex that it is when lessons are used by teachers in the classroom.

PLT is an award winning education program with 120 state coordinators working with teachers in all grades.  PLT claims to help students learn how to think, not what to think, about the environment.  The lesson plans go beyond topics like forests, wildlife and water, in order to explore concepts dealing with the environment like community planning and waste management.

In Stone’s Newsweek article he described a turn-around situation attributed to PLT in Oil City Elementary School in Louisiana.  Principal Thomas Irvin’s school was close to being shut down because of low academic performance of the students before he trained his whole teaching staff in PLT and built three outdoor classrooms.  Enrollment in his school spiked up almost a third, and test scores were raised to one of the highest in the district.  Irvin said, “Our students are good stewards of the Earth, but more than that, we really train them to be good citizens and good thinkers.”

Environmental education is more than a green lesson plan for the earth; it also seems to be a green lesson plan for true learning processes for students.

Kermit the frog used to sing a song on Sesame Street that began, “It’s not easy being green!”  While he was lamenting his color and worrying about his own identity, American consumers might be singing the same song in their reluctance to buy ecologically friendly products.

In the “Cultivating the Green Consumer” in the fall 2008 publication of the Stanford Social Innovation Review (HTTP://WWW.SSIREVIEW.ORG/ARTICLES/ENTRY/1030/), Sheila Bonini and Jeremy Oppenheim discuss the difficulty in getting individual consumers to “walk their talk” about their concerns for the environment.  Their statistics show that 87 percent of consumers surveyed are concerned about the environmental impact of the products they buy, but much fewer consumers actually follow through. 

According to a 2007 Chain Store Age survey, only 25 percent say they have bought a green product other than organic food or energy efficient lighting.  Even something as simple as using green laundry detergents and household cleaners hasn’t caught on with the general public; with less than 2 percent of sales in that category.

The September 15, 2008 edition of NEWSWEEK magazine had a section of several articles under the heading “Project Green.”  These articles showcased green architecture, green schools and a green curriculum.  Caitlin McDevitt wrote one of the articles highlighting the Columbia Missouri school district and its “walking school bus” program.  She made the point that with the rising costs of diesel fuel (up 34 percent in the past two years), this school district cut their transportation costs by redrawing its bus routes and eliminating some buses.  With adults supervising groups of students who used to ride the bus, they now walk a half-mile to and from school each day.

McDevitt made the point that transportation was an easier cost to reduce because it does not affect the curriculum or the test scores of students.  She went on to provide examples of other school districts that have eliminated buses as a response to the rising fuel costs.  She also presented some other innovative ideas that school districts were using like four-day school weeks, scheduling athletic “away” events closer to home and even purchasing hybrid buses.  While these would all be in the environmental “win” category, one downside of reducing buses would be if parents started driving their students to school instead of having them walk.  According to Mike Martin of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, one school bus replaces 36 private vehicles.  Gas for all those vehicles would be an environmental loss.

The focus on the “walking school bus” idea was a great way to represent how transportation is going green.  However, in reading comments to the author posted on the NEWSWEEK website, it was surprising to read:  “Columbia Missouri’s program of children walking to school is a FITNESS program called the “Walking School Bus”. It was not started as a response to rising fuel costs but if it can serve parts of town that are impacted by reduced bus routes that is wonderful. The author’s intentional failure to mention the origins of the program as a Fitness for kids plan and misrepresent it as an environmental evolution is poor journalism.”

I would like to think McDevitt reported the “Walking School Bus” factually, however this reader’s comment should show reporters just how important it is to report the facts.  I am taking a Mass Media class this semester, and we constantly discuss the Code of Ethics journalist must follow.  What I know for sure is that here, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln we are taught to seek the truth and report it.  However, I am sure some of you out there have differing opinions on how journalists report the news…so feel free to share your thoughts!