NBC enlists prime-time programs in green message

NEW YORK NBC gives new meaning to the phrase "green screen" this week, spreading a pro-environmental message across five of its prime-time programs.

"30 Rock" leads the way. Environmental themes also were added to the scripts of "The Biggest Loser," "The Office," "Heroes" and "Community."

This year on "30 Rock," corporate boss Jack Donaghy tells the late-night show's staff it has to cut its carbon footprint by 5 percent and puts Kenneth the Page in charge of getting it done.

"It's something that is relatable and is something that a lot of people are doing," said Jack McBrayer, who portrays Kenneth.

Backstage, the show has done its part by removing water bottles in favor of water filters and using chemical-free cleaning products. The show rents hybrid vehicles to transport its actors and crew members, said Beth Colleton, vice president of the "Green is Universal" campaign.

In the comedy "Community," the college is renamed "Environdale." College students think they're hiring the band Green Day for a gig, and instead gets the Celtic combo Greene Daeye. Dwight in "The Office" takes the role of "Recyclops" in that comedy. "Heroes" features cast members filling a truck with recyclables and talking about the importance of giving back to the earth.

Trainers on "The Biggest Loser" will instruct clients to buy organic produce and bring their own mugs to the coffee shop.

Producers decide the best way to absorb the message in a way that's appropriate for their audiences, Colleton said.

Green screens, by the way, are blank screens on news sets upon which video or maps are projected.