I remember speaking with an NBC executive after the network’s first green week back in November of last year, when the topic of Sunday Night Football came up. “Oh that,” he said. “We got absolutely creamed for that.” What he was lamenting was SNF’s decision to dim the studio lights, fire up some candles, and have Bob Costas and Co. sit in the dark talking about energy conservation — all the while advertising monitors and other bright marketing banners continued on. “It wasn’t what we intended — but it came across as greenwashing. It’s something we’ll avoid in the future,” he said.

Well, that future has arrived and NBC is once more planning for a week-long block of green programming. I’m pleasantly surprised that they’re embarking on another round only six months later — and if the above conversation is any indication, we’ll see a stronger effort this time round. But it’s not just the TV shows that will be getting greener — NBC Universal is also installing a solar array at the company’s movie studios in California, as well as eliminating all plastic foam from cafeterias corporate-wide.

What should you expect in terms of programming? CFTK gives us the low-down:

“As part of “Earth Week,” Dateline NBC and the Today show will feature environmental-related stories and features, and Today will air a special live “Earth Week” concert by Alicia Keys on Monday (April 21st). Cable network MSNBC will report on the presidential candidates’positions on environmental issues. Longtime environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. will be a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, while Last Call with Carson Daly will feature guest Darryl Hannah in a segment about organic skateboards and surf companies, midnight gardeners and other ways young people are getting involved in green causes.”

I have no idea if some of your favorite TV Shows will also get the ‘green theme’ this time ’round, but as I’ve said before, it will be even cooler when it isn’t some kind of theme week and you spot something eco-friendly.

Bring on the green peacock — and bravo NBC for taking another stab at this.

via max gladwell