A Look at the New TV Channel, Planet Green

So, I'm flipping around, looking for something interesting to DVR, and in my digital 'tier' I find Planet Green, a new cable channel devoted to the eco-cause. As it might not come as a complete shock to those of you who have even casually perused some of my articles to hear that I am a dedicated tree-hugger, I was delighted to find this new channel and took stock of their schedule, picking three programs to record so as to get a feel for this newcomer on the green scene.

When I watched the programs back, I learned that Planet Green is not actually so much a newcomer as an environmentally friendly revamping of what was the Discovery Home channel. I guess they decided to go for a niche rather than continuing to compete with HGTV, Fine Living, TLC and the Style channel. So, it's not like this channel is being broadcast from Wayne's basement (schwing!!); it's got a lineup of slickly-produced shows featuring some familiar names, such as Annabelle Gurwitch, who hosts "Wasted", the first show I watched. It airs Mon-Thurs, 8pm/ 7c, and is rebroadcast several times (I think I picked up this episode at about 11pm on a Saturday night). On any other channel, the title might lead you to envision a substance-abuse documentary, but here the reference is to the waste of resources. Annabelle and her trusty sidekick introduce us to a wealthy family who live in a giant house with multiple vehicles and a cringe-inducing lack of concern for the amount of energy, gas and paper (40 rolls of paper towels a month!!!) they waste. They then show the people how to reduce their carbon footprint, mostly by giving them free stuff, like a giant case of CFC bulbs and the loan of a hybrid vehicle, among other things, and then bribe/reward them with money representing what they saved. Annabelle and her buddy are adorable, and if you can resist the urge to beat this spoiled and blithely oblivious family with your shoe, you will probably get some neat conservation tips out of the show, which I hope will feature homeowners who actually need the money next time!

Next up was "Living with Ed" (M-Th, 8:30p/ 7 c), which featured Rachelle Carson Begley, wife of somewhat famous actor Ed Begley, Jr, spending the entire half-hour bitching about having to put up with living with eco-god/ uber-nerd Ed and all of his environmentally friendly gadgets under the guise of giving a tour of their home. Ed, who presumably earns all of the family's money from his acting career, is shown industriously scrubbing smog from his rooftop solar array, cooking home-grown vegetables in his solar oven, and riding a stationary bike to generate energy, which he does every morning so that he can feel justified in eating toast for breakfast, bless his heart. Rachelle, on the other hand, treats herself to a manicure and shopping, because spending all day haranguing hubby can really wear a girl out. I was particularly appalled when, during a segment in which Ed is shown selling his eco-friendly cleaning products at a local grocery store (the profits go to charity), Rachelle shows up to shop and refuses to man the booth so that Ed can go to the bathroom. I had looked forward to this show in particular, because Ed Begley is one of my green heroes, but I can't take the abuse like he can! I only hope that this is some producer's idea of 'funny', and that Rachelle Begley is not actually the whining harpy she appears to be, but I wouldn't recommend watching this show with the sound on. NOTE: Since I wrote this review, they have changed the snotty title sequence and toned down the crabbiness, so the show is now much more watchable.

The third show I watched was the best, the most informative, and the most interesting: "G Word" (M-Th, 7pm), is an hour-long, 'news magazine'-style show. Before each segment, the incessantly chirpy duo of hosts exchange inane banter and dole out basic green tips and factoids, but you can fast-forward through them to get to the cool segments, which on this episode featured Timbron International, a company that recycles Styrofoam packing material into cool molding trim for the home; the "Green Girls", looking for a way to wash their filthy hybrid without using water and finding Lucky Earth, a spray-on, wipe-off cleaner that does just that; a 'green tech' feature that spotlights a gadget called (I think) the E-motion solar player, a PSP-type media player that not only runs on solar power, but can also recharge your other handheld devices ( by Media Street, $169); Finnur Palsson, of the University of Iceland, who studies glaciers in that country to determine the effects of global warming (it's bad news, folks); a goofy "Jaywalking"-style spot featuring random people getting quizzed on their knowledge of green terms (the emphasis placed on how hard it is to spell 'recycling' is missing the point, methinks); a "predator compensation fund" that has been established in Kenya to keep the Maasai warriors from hunting lions in retaliation for eating their cattle; and Ari Derfel (from Berkeley, natch), who saved his trash for a year to see what it would amount to--a lot of work and a houseful of trash, is what it amounted to, but it was an eye-opening experience, and he learned some good tips for reducing his waste (mostly food packaging, by the way).

A few more shows I didn't watch but saw promos for: "Hollywood Green", hosted by Maria Menounos, Thursdays at 9pm/ 8 central, shows celebrities who are addressing environmental issues; "Greensburg", a documentary series produced and narrated by Leonardo diCaprio about Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was essentially destroyed by a massive tornado last year and is now being rebuilt as a model 'green' community; "Renovation Nation", Fridays 8pm/ 7c, kind of a "This Old House" for the green set, demonstrating how homeowners can update their houses in an eco-friendly way; and "Alter Eco", hosted by Adrien Grenier of "Entourage" fame, this program is apparently about making environmentalism 'hip' and self-indulgent enough to appeal to the typical L.A. narcissist. This is the show Rachelle Begley would rather be on.

So, maybe not a lot of shows in their lineup, yet, but the ones they do have aim to appeal to the mainstream audience, with cheerful, upbeat hosts dispensing advice and factoids. No dry lectures, here! Serious environmentalists may cringe at the fluff, but you probably do catch more flies with honey, right? I would recommend that you check out this channel; it's good for the whole family, and the idea of an entire channel devoted to the green cause sure does warm the cockles of my planet-lovin' little heart.