NH’s Green Scene…Can Now Be Seen on NHPTV’s Planet Granite Specials On-Air & Online
- New Community Engagement Initiative Scans State’s Sustainability Activities -

New Hampshire’s wide and varied “green scene” can now be seen on your TV (and computer) screens, through Planet Granite, New Hampshire Public Television’s recently launched community engagement initiative. The project scans the state’s green scene, and presents stories and resources on-air and online (www.nhptv.org/planetgranite).

With guidance from nine partner organizations (www.nhptv.org/planetgranite/partners.asp), Planet Granite focuses on raising awareness, presenting possible solutions, and highlighting activities that advance sustainability practices. The initiative includes educational and community outreach to encourage citizen involvement.

The “NH’s Green Scenes” microseries and NH OUTLOOK program segments are first broadcast on NHPTV and are then viewable on the website anytime. This multi-media content includes:

• Short features on sustainability in action though the “NH’s Green Scenes” microseries. Features so far have covered the president of Lindt Chocolate talking about PSNH using its cocoa bean husks as power plant fuel; the Plymouth State University dining manager’s decision to eliminate cafeteria trays to reduce food and water waste; the NH Office of Energy and Planning offering weatherization tips; and Andrew Kellar of Simply Green in Dover and Karen Marzloff of 10% shift discussing the value of buying local.
• The Nubanusit cohousing community in Peterborough and a van powered by vegetable oil have been featured on NH OUTLOOK, NHPTV’s weekly public affairs program.

Content and resources are growing on the Planet Granite website. “Going Green” daily tips rotate on the homepage, along with Planet Granite partner profiles and links.

“Green Stories” (www.nhptv.org/planetgranite/share.asp) tell motivational stories shared by individuals and groups about their sustainability practices, which range from the straightforward (reducing use of plastic water bottles, purchasing Energy Star-rated appliances) to those with an amusing twist (“…sometimes my cat sits on the on/off switch on the powerstrip and turns off the strip when I am using the electronics. He is a very fat and very energy conscious cat,” writes Susan from Portsmouth).
“As someone who crisscrosses the state outreaching on energy and climate change issues, I can tell you that people are both hungry for and in need of clear, real-world tools to address this crisis,” says Planet Granite advisory board partner Julia Dundorf, Manager of Community Relations for Clean Air – Cool Planet and the Residential Carbon Challenge. “I can’t think of a more appropriate vehicle than NHPTV to reach these audiences.”

Want to be a part of the Planet Granite initiative? Contact Lynn Zuccarelli Austin, NHPTV’s manager of community partnerships, at laustin@nhptv.org or (603) 868-4332. www.nhptv.org/planetgranite

The Green Alliance is an official sponsor of NHPTV Planet Granite, as well as founding Business Partner Simply Green Biofuels. You can check us both out on the the NHPTV Planet Granite webpage here.