10.23.2007 - 12:50pm ET

(CSRwire) NEW YORK - October 23, 2007 - NBC Universal announced details for more than 150 hours of environmentally themed content encompassing all of NBCU's divisions across multiple platforms for the week of Nov. 4 - 10. Additionally, the company took further steps to green its own operations worldwide, and for the first time, will award funds from the NBC Universal Foundation to three environmentally-focused organizations. The announcements, part of NBC Universal's ongoing "Green Is Universal" initiative, were made by Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal and Lauren Zalaznick, Chairman, NBC Universal Green Council and President, Bravo Media.

"The environment has become both a corporate and cultural issue," said Zucker. "As a leading media and entertainment company, NBC Universal has a responsibility, both in our own operations and in driving awareness. Green is good for the world and the bottom line."

"Starting with this launch week of programming, the ongoing 'Green Is Universal' initiative will help reach hundreds of millions of NBCU's consumers, raising awareness, entertaining and ultimately, driving results," said Zalaznick. "This week reinforces NBCU’s continued commitment to help raise environmental awareness through what we do in front of the cameras and behind the scenes, in our offices, and in how we interact with the community."

Separate related announcements are being made today by NBC Entertainment, NBC Universal Entertainment Cable, the Sundance Channel, Universal Parks and the Telemundo Network. Highlights of the company's efforts are listed below.

NBC Universal's corporate commitment to green its own operations worldwide continues to grow with its recently announced creation of a new West Coast News Headquarters and Content Center. The Center will be a leading example of sustainable design, construction and transit-oriented development under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED(R) rating system. NBC Universal will seek LEED Silver certification for new construction for the Center and will target LEED for existing buildings for its ongoing operations. Completed in May 2007, the Universal Studios lot installed its first solar energy system, the largest in the industry. Located on approximately 2.5 acres of hillside property, NBC Universal's long-term goal is to secure an increasing portion of its power from solar or wind generators.

In 2007, a different car service was introduced in New York, resulting in a 75 percent air pollution improvement over the old service and will be further improved by yearend when 25 percent of the fleet is replaced by Hybrid vehicles. Additionally, NBC Universal is in the process of deploying multi-functional office machines to enable employees to scan and e-mail documents, thus eliminating the need for multiple devices and reducing paper use.

NBC Universal's office supplier now provides paper with 34 percent recycled content. This equates to 145,000 gallons of water saved, 400 trees saved and 81,000 KWH conserved, or the equivalent of providing electricity to seven homes a year.

NBC Universal has been measuring greenhouse gas emissions since 2004 and in the coming months, the company has committed to conducting Energy Conservation Surveys ("eco audit") that will identify and prioritize additional internal environmental improvements. The company will work with GreenOrder, a sustainability strategy firm to provide an independent, quantitative analysis and verification of its environmental footprint.

Separately, the NBC Universal Foundation, which supports non-profit organizations that concentrate on strengthening public secondary education, has selected one national and two local environmentally-focused organizations to receive grants to promote environmental education and help employees get directly engaged in environmental efforts in their communities. They are the Student Conservation Association (www.thesca.org); New York Restoration Project (www.nyrp.org) and the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (www.lacorps.org).

"The More You Know," NBC Universal's award-winning public service campaign, will debut brand new environmentally-themed spots to be broadcast across all platforms. The messages will focus on global warming, pollution and recycling as well as provide viewers with ways to make a difference. Participating NBCU talent include: Molly Sims, Josh Duhamel and James Lesure ("Las Vegas"); Noah Gray-Cabey ("Heroes"); Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU"); Ann Curry ("Today"); Jesse Martin and Jeremy Sisto ("Law & Order"); Linda Cardellini ("ER"); Donald Faison ("Scrubs"); Tim Gunn ("Project Runway" and "Guide To Style," Bravo); Jeffrey Donovan ("Burn Notice," USA); Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica," Sci-Fi); María Celeste ("Al Rojo Vivo con Celeste," Telemundo).

The company will launch a digital home for NBC Universal's "Green Is Universal" initiative - www.GreenIsUniversal.com - to bring an environmental perspective to its networks, platforms, audiences and communities. Kicking-off on Nov. 4 with seven days of environmentally-themed programming, GreenIsUniversal.com will live on with green tips, green clips, and a fast-paced blog covering everything at NBC Universal, and beyond.

Highlights of the company's 150 hours of green-themed content for the week of Nov. 4-10 include:

NBC Sports kicks-off "Green Is Universal" on Nov. 4 during the "Sunday Night Football" game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. NBC's "Football Night in America" host Bob Costas will explain the programming effort on NBC during the NFL studio show as NBC Universal’s networks simultaneously turn their respective network logos green at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast also will feature additional announcements about "Green Is Universal," as well as incorporate the themes throughout its broadcast on Sunday night.

The following Saturday, Nov. 10, the Air Force vs. Notre Dame college football game will feature the University of Notre Dame's students’ and professors’ research for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2), from the emissions of power plants, which could ultimately contribute to reversing the effects of global warming.

Highlighted by the "Today" show's "Ends of the Earth" trip (see separate release), NBC News will dedicate programming across many of its platforms as part of the Initiative. "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" will feature a five-part green series - dedicating each night to a single topic: water, wind, grass, bio-fuels, nuclear, and how to "green your house." NBC News' Environmental Correspondent, Anne Thompson, will contribute to this series.

MSNBC will broadcast green-themed segments and programming all week, including an emphasis on the politics of Green on "Super Tuesday," Nov. 6. Throughout the week, the channel's "best and worst weather in America" segments will focus on how environmental changes affect weather.

MSNBC.com will kick off its green series with special stories and interactive features, including user-generated content showing what it's like to be green in America. The FirstPerson eco-gallery will feature videos and photos from consumers across the nation illustrating what they're doing to help the environment. MSNBC.com will also feature interactive slideshows, original stories, and video on a range of environmental issues.

MSNBC.com's interactive features include "Warming World," a gateway into compelling video, slideshows and stories about climate change around the world. Consumers can also log on and learn about carbon trading, see how the greenhouse effect happens, discover interesting engineering ideas to cool the Earth, check out the greenest and meanest cars, and find out about new and environmentally-friendly commuting options.

CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, will focus on investing opportunities in the rapidly expanding and dynamic green movement covering what Wall Street, venture capital firms and corporations are doing in such areas as clean technology, alternative energy, and sustainability, providing information for investors. In addition, CNBC will have "conversations" with CEOs of top companies that are making a business in the green space; large investors; environmental trailblazers in both the private and government sectors; economic experts, as well as those who question the business value of green. On Nov. 7, CNBC will report from the Pacific Growth Equities 2007 Clean Technology & Industrial Growth Conference in San Francisco; on Nov. 8, CNBC’s housing reporter Diana Olick will report from Chicago and the Green Build Conference and Expo. That night, the network will broadcast a special green edition of CNBC's "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" at 10 p.m. ET.

From the first and largest community of women online, iVillage's iGo Green channel (www.ivillage.com/green) helps moms make the green lifestyle work for them by featuring a wide variety and depth of green content, from organic Thanksgiving ideas to eco-friendly gifts. In addition, iVillage's gURL.com will feature a recycling game and Astrology.com will feature Green Scopes. Every day, new green content will be featured both on iVillage.com's main page and on its iGo Green channel, including opportunities to give green within iVillage Cares, with click-to-donate links for a variety of causes.

On November 1, iVillage.com will launch the iVillage Forest, (www.ivillageforest.com), a virtual wintertime forest where visitors can help offset the 32 million trees that are cut down each December for holiday decorating. For each $5 donation, a virtual tree is planted in the iVillage Forest and a live tree is planted by The Conservation Fund (www.conservationfund.org).

The NBC Owned-and-Operated Stations will incorporate extensive environmentally- themed stories throughout their newscasts and display green logos and graphics on air. In addition, the group will run a half-hour special on "Going Green at Any Age!" (check local listings). The stations’ Going Green websites will also have a green theme and will provide calculators that can determine an individual's impact on the earth according to carbon, water and energy use. Users can also download widgets to get regional and national environmental news as well as the latest local headlines sent to their desktops. Many of the stations will also continue to partner with local organizations to promote green awareness in their communities.

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's "Access Hollywood" will report on Hollywood celebrities making an environmental difference, with additional green interviews posted online at (www.accesshollywood.com). On the Nov.6 edition of "The Martha Stewart Show," (check local listings) naturalist, media personality and author David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation, joins Stewart with several creepy-crawly friends to help educate her viewers on the growing importance of involving children in green activities and encouraging them to spend more time outdoors. "Lyons and Bailes Reel Talk" will highlight Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth" on the November 10-11 episodes. Additionally, "The Jerry Springer Show," "Maury," "The Steve Wilkos Show," "The Chris Matthews Show," "The Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo," "Your Total Health" and "Lyons & Bailes" are all participating in the effort.

Universal Pictures will prominently promote "Green Is Universal" on www.universalpictures.com with a lead editorial placement and banner at the bottom of the page. Universal Pictures also will send its more than 400,000 newsletter subscribers information on the "Green Is Universal" initiative, and GetOnBoardNow.org will be updated with current content. Universal Pictures will run the "Green Is Universal" PSA's as a post-roll on their online trailers during this programming week and as ads in theater lobbies.

About NBC Universal

NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May, 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

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