Fox Covers Its Carbon Footprint During the Primetime Emmy Awards

In a recent press release, FOX announced final plans for their “Green With Emmy” campaign, an initiative which is intended to reduce the annual event’s “carbon footprint” and make it more eco-friendly. A carbon footprint refers to how many greenhouse gasses are produced by a person or activity.

Walking on Bottles

The red carpet used for celebrity arrivals is made from 95,000 recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles, which typically are used to hold water or carbonated soft drinks. The blue carpet on the stage also is made from reclaimed PET bottles; both the red and blue carpeting will be reused after the ceremonies.

Don’t Rent to Own

Construction takes a heavy environmental toll, so rented equipment will be used on the set of the Primetime Emmy Awards. The stage’s plywood flooring also will be reused for local construction. Even the uncut plants in the arrival and media areas are rented and will be reused.

Renewable Power

As part of their “Green Power for a Green LA Program,” the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will provide renewable energy sources for the Shrine Auditorium, which is hosting the event, by using a combination of solar energy, hydropower and wind energy.

Hitching a Ride with Ed Begley, Jr.

To get celebrities and other talent where they need to be, Primetime Emmy staff members will use hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.

The Press Won’t Be Kept in the Dark

To reduce power consumption in the media tent, LED or fluorescent lighting will be used and members of the press will not be allowed to use incandescent lights. FOX also will install a UNI-SOLAR Solar PV (Photovoltaic) System over the Primetime Emmy Red Carpet Grandstand that uses photovoltaic materials to convert sunlight to electricity. Laminates containing these materials will be used to form the solar canopy.

After the ceremony, the solar panel system will be donated to a middle school in Chatsworth, California to help them reduce their carbon footprint as well. Additional power will be supplied by generators using B-20 biodiesal fuel.

A Real Green Room

While waiting to go before the cameras, presenters typically wait in an area referred to as the “green room”, but this year that name has a more significant meaning. The Architectural Digest Green Room features paneled walls made from wood that was reclaimed from a local California high school football stadium. Presenters also will watch the activities onstage on Sharp AQUOS Liquid Crystal Televisions, which are manufactured by a company dedicated to totally reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2010.

Do I Wear These Clothes or Smoke Them?

Locally grown or organic foods will be served to production staff, members of the press and guests. The crew also will wear clothing made from organic cotton or hemp.

FOX representatives have said that these initiatives are part of the network’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2010.

The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on FOX starting at 8:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, September 16.