NEW YORK, March 27, 2007 -- Sundance Channel today announced the creation of a groundbreaking and multi-faceted collaboration with some of the nation's top environmental and conservation organizations and experts for the network's soon-to-be-launched programming block, THE GREEN, a new weekly primetime destination focusing on environmental topics which launches April 17 at 9 p.m. Many on Sundance Channel's THE GREEN Advisory Committee have been offering input to the network since the block's inception and all will continue to inform the effort going forward. Collectively these organizations represent a growing membership numbering well into the millions.
Larry Aidem, Sundance Channel President & CEO said, "Robert Redford has been, both as an individual and through Sundance, an influential presence in the broader environmental community for decades. Now, along with our founder, Sundance Channel is honored to be engaged in a regular dialogue with a highly effective and dedicated group of change-makers." He added, "The future of our planet is a topic that people care about deeply. At this pivotal time in history it is very meaningful for Sundance Channel to be a part of such a committed and passionate community and to have the many voices that comprise that community -- particularly their expertise, vision and passion -- brought to bear on THE GREEN."
Members of Sundance Channel's THE GREEN Advisory Committee are:
• ORGANIZATIONS
The Apollo Alliance -- The mission of the Apollo Alliance (www.apolloalliance.org) is to build a broad-based constituency in support of a sustainable and clean energy economy that will create millions of good jobs for the nation, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and create cleaner and healthier communities.
Ceres -- Ceres (www.ceres.org) is the leading U.S. coalition of investors and environmental leaders working to improve corporate environmental, social and governance practices.
Environmental Media Association (EMA) -- The Environmental Media Association (www.ema-online.org) mobilizes the entertainment industry in a global effort to educate people about environmental issues and inspire them into action.
Global Green (USA) -- Global Green USA (www.globalgreen.org) is a national environmental organization addressing three of the greatest challenges facing humanity: global climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and clean, safe drinking water.
Greenpeace (USA) - Greenpeace (www.greenpeace.org) is a global organization focused on the most crucial worldwide threats to our planet's biodiversity and environment.
The League of Conservation Voters -- The League of Conservation Voters (www.lcv.org) is the independent political voice for the environment. To secure the environmental future of our planet, LCV's mission is to advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt and implement such policies.
National Parks Conservation Association -- The National Parks Conservation Association (www.npca.org) is the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhancing our National Park System. NPCA, its members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation's natural, historical, and cultural heritage for generations to come.
Natural Resources Defense Council -- The Natural Resources Defense Council (www.nrdc.org) is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC serves from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.
National Tribal Environmental Council -- The National Tribal Environmental Council (www.ntec.org) was formed in 1991 as a membership organization dedicated to working with and assisting tribes in the protection and preservation of tribal homelands.
National Wildlife Federation -- National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org) inspires Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.
Oceana -- Oceana (www.oceana.org) is the largest international group focused 100% on protecting and restoring the world's oceans.
Sierra Club -- The Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org), inspired by nature, works together to protect our communities and the planet; it is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.
Sustainable South Bronx -- Sustainable South Bronx (www.ssbx.org) is a community organization dedicated to the implementation of sustainable development projects for the South Bronx.
Treehugger -- A 10,000+ posts website (www.treehugger.com) dedicated to news and highlights of the modern+green lifestyle.
U.S. Public Interest Research Group -- U.S. PIRG (www.uspirg.org) is an advocate for the public interest. When consumers are cheated, or our natural environment is threatened, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, U.S. PIRG speaks up and takes action.
Waterkeeper Alliance -- Waterkeeper Alliance (www.waterkeeper.org) connects and supports local Waterkeeper programs to provide a voice for clean waterways and their communities worldwide.
World Wildlife Fund -- For more than 45 years, WWF (www.worldwildlife.org) has been protecting the future of nature and is the largest multinational conservation organization in the world. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
• INDIVIDUALS
Yves Behar -- Yves Béhar is the founder of the San Francisco-based design studio fuseproject (www.fuseproject.com). Behar's work includes green products for the likes of Herman Miller and Birkenstock, as well as socially responsible projects such as the One Laptop Per Child. His projects are included in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including MOMA. Behar also serves as the Industrial Design chair at CCA in San Francisco.
Majora Carter -- Majora Carter (Exec Director & Founder, Sustainable South Bronx) is an award-winning community activist/organizer and life-long resident of the Hunts Point community in the South Bronx. She is the founder and executive director of Sustainable South Bronx, a community organization dedicated to the implementation of sustainable development projects for the South Bronx.
Laurie David -- Film producer and global warming activist Laurie David (www.lauriedavid.com) is a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council (www.nrdc.org). She is best known for her efforts to stop global warming and founded the Stop Global Warming Virtual March (http://www.stopglobalwarming.org). David is the author of two books, Stop Global Warming: The Solution is You! and the upcoming Scholastic title Down to Earth. She is also a producer of An Inconvenient Truth (www.climatecrisis.net) starring Al Gore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore) and nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Amanda Griscom Little -- Amanda Griscom Little writes the "Muckraker" column (www.grist.org/news/muck) on environmental politics and policy published in Grist.org and Salon.com, as well as the "Code Green" column for Outside magazine. Her articles have appeared in publications ranging from Rolling Stone to The New York Times Magazine. She is currently writing Power Trip (HarperCollins), a journey through America's energy past, present and future.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. -- President of the Waterkeeper Alliance (www.waterkeeper.org), Kennedy serves as senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is also a Clinical Professor and Supervising Attorney at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic and is co-host of "Ring of Fire" on Air America Radio.
Mindy Lubber -- Mindy S. Lubber is the president of Ceres (www.ceres.org), the leading U.S. coalition of investors and environmental leaders working to improve corporate environmental, social and governance practices. She also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), an alliance that coordinates U.S. investor responses to the financial risks and opportunities posed by climate change.
Joel Makower -- Founder and executive editor of Greenbiz.com, Joel Makower (www.makower.com) has for 20 years been a well-respected voice on business, the environment, and the bottom line. As a writer, speaker, and strategist on corporate environmental practices, clean technology, and green marketing, he has helped a wide range of companies align environmental responsibility with business success.
Pat Mitchell -- Pat Mitchell is the current president and CEO of the Museum of Television and Radio (www.mtr.org) in New York City and the as well as former president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Mitchell is also the founding president of Global Green USA, President Gorbachev's global environmental organization and vice chair of the Sundance Institute board.
Jerome Ringo -- Jerome Ringo is chairman of the board of the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org), the first African American in such a leadership position at a major national environmental group and was recently named president of the Apollo Alliance (www.apolloalliance.org), a coalition of organized labor, environmental, business and civil rights leaders determined to free the United States of dependence on foreign oil.
Simran Sethi -- Simran Sethi is an award-winning journalist who hosts weekly environmental news segments for TreeHugger.com, the largest pure environmental site on the internet. She is the co-author of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy (Chelsea Green), a primer on sustainable business practices.
With THE GREEN, Sundance Channel becomes the first television network in the United States to establish a major, regularly-scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment. Each week, the program will present original series and documentary premieres about the earth's ecology and concepts of "green" living that balance human needs with responsible care for the planet. It reflects the current tipping point in public awareness about ecological issues and the trend towards environmentally sustainable approaches to modern living. Presented by Robert Redford, the destination is hosted by award-winning journalist Simran Sethi and community advocate and MacArthur Fellow Majora Carter, two dynamic leaders who have distinguished themselves with revolutionary ideas in such areas as civic planning and global business practices.
Leading off each edition of THE GREEN at 9:00 p.m. is the original program "Big Ideas for a Small Planet," a documentary series presenting the forward-thinking designers, products and processes that are on the leading edge of a new green world. Each episode revolves around a different green theme as it spotlights a specific innovator or innovation that has the potential to transform our everyday lives. "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" is produced by Scout Productions ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" NBC/Bravo and The Fog of War).
Each episode of "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" is paired with a thematically complimentary documentary premiere; titles for the first four weeks of the block are: A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (April 17); Waste=Food (April 24); Crapshoot: The Gamble with Our Wastes (May 1); and Art from the Arctic (May 8). THE GREEN will also present original interstitial series, with individual segments airing throughout the block. The interstitial series include: "Eco-Biz"™ ; "The Ecoists"™ ; and "Global Focus: The New Environmentalists."
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel (www.sundancechannel.com) is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, and original programs, all unedited and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture of NBC Universal, Showtime Networks Inc. and Robert Redford. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression.
###
