New York, NY – June 21, 2009 – Sundance Channel will premiere season three of the award-winning original eco-series "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" beginning August 4th, 2009 at 8:00pm e/p. The 13-part series airs as part of THE GREEN, Sundance Channel’s weekly primetime destination devoted to environmental programming.
Big Ideas for a Small Planet, the seminal documentary series on Sundance Channel and one of the first programs developed for THE GREEN, continues to be on the forefront of the discovery and discussion of green design, innovation, and process. Each week, a different green theme comes into focus through the work of three specific forward-thinking innovators – from scientists to product and fashion designers; from entrepreneurs to first-time inventors – inspiring audiences to incorporate green thinking and practices into all facets of their daily lives. It asks audiences to imagine a world in which we eat, build, and raise our children green, but this season it expands its scope to address communities, animals, and art, as well as sports, music, and greener ways to relax.
This season Jackson Browne, Thom Filicia, Cindy Crawford, Soleil Moon Frye, and the Philadelphia Eagles are among those that will be featured and profiled. The series also showcases a cast of recurring expert commentators including award-winning scientist, geneticist, and author, Dr. David Suzuki; author and host of The Lazy Environmentalist Josh Dorfman; Urban Revitalization Strategist and host of Eco-Heroes Majora Carter; and Sustainability Journalist Simran Sethi.
The episode line-up for "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" is as follows:
Tuesday, August 4 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 1: Music. The music industry consumes massive amounts of energy and generates enormous waste. Can we imagine making music in harmony with the environment? Ideas include a green record label, sustainable stages and green guitars. Featuring Emmett Malloy of Brushfire Records, singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, Josh Dorfman, Dr. David Suzuki, Chris Martin of C.F. Martin & Co and Neal Turley of Sustainable Waves.
Tuesday, August 11 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 2: Design. The carbon footprint of the furniture industry is enormous. Can we imagine a world furnished by sustainable designs? Ideas include eco-friendly furniture, cardboard furniture and repurposing junk. Featuring interior designer Thom Filicia, Marjora Carter, Dixon Mitchell of Vanguard, Steve Bewley of Rerun Productions, and Vahid Pourkay and Cathy Henszey of Cardboard Design.
Tuesday, August 18 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 3: Edibles. Industrial food production has nearly eliminated small family farms and access to fresh food. Can we imagine a healthy food revolution? Ideas include urban farming, immigrant farmers and healthy school lunches. Featuring urban homesteader Jules Dervaes, Simran Sethi, Katrina Heron from the Chez Panisse Foundation, chef and journalist Louisa Chu, Mandy Davis from New Farms for New Americans, and Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey from Revolution Foods.
Tuesday, August 25 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 4: Creatures. As more and more species are threatened with extinction, all creatures are in peril. Can we imagine a world where all animals are valued equally? Ideas include conservation dogs, restoring native bee habitats and poo to paper. Featuring Aimee Hurt of Working Dogs for Conservation, David Mizejewski from the World Wildlife Federation, Dr. David Suzuki, Mace Vaughn of the Xerces Society, John Aikin from the Palo Alto Jr. Museum & Zoo and Michael Flancman from the Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Co.
Tuesday, September 1 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 5: Architecture. Traditional design and construction often have a negative impact on the environment. Can we imagine architecture built on sustainability? Ideas include reclaiming contaminated waterfronts, design for disassembly and kit homes. Featuring Michael Manfredi and Marion Weiss of Weiss/Manfredi Architects, Reed Kroloff from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, James Timberlake and Steven Kieran of Kieran Timberlake Architects, and architect Rocio Romero.
Tuesday, September 8 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 6: Energy. Early alternative energy ideas have their limitations. Can we imagine reinventing alternative energy? Ideas include energy from trash, urban wind farms and brewing bio fuels. Featuring Meghan Forbes from the Marine Debris Program, Paul Gilman from Covanta, Josh Dorfman, Simran Sethi, Joel Makower of greenbiz.com, Rob Barrosa on urban wind farms, and Russ Eisner from Vereneium Corp.
Tuesday, September 15 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 7: Habitats. As the human population grows and develops, we destroy the homes of animals. Can we imagine living in harmony with all species? Ideas include growing coral, animal estates and reinventing the museum of natural history. Featuring Ken Nedimyer of the Coral Restoration Project, David Mizejewski, Simran Sethi, Dr. David Suzuki, artist Fritz Haeg, wildlife guide Charlotte Corkran and John Aikin.
Tuesday, September 22 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 8: Companies. Historically, business has profited by taking from the earth. Can we imagine a world where earth profits from business? Ideas include green-powered paper, eco-food business and green cleaning. Featuring Bill Quigg and David Quigg of Grays Harbor Paper, Joel Makower, Simran Sethi, Josh Dorfman, Michael Gordon and Vaughn Lazar of Pizza Fusion, and John Mullins of Sun & Earth.
Tuesday, September 29 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 9: Art. Throughout history, art has influenced our perception of the world around us. Can we imagine art inspiring environmental awareness? Ideas include a green gallery, picturing trash and recycled glass jewelry. Featuring Deborah Guyer Greene of Epoxygreen, Josh Dorfman, Reed Kroloff, sustainable photographer Eric Smith, natural jewelry designer Christine Brandt, Majora Carter, photographic artist Chris Jordan, and Kathleen Plate from Smart Glass Jewelry.
Tuesday, October 6 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 10: Leisure. Many leisure activities have a devastating impact on the environment. Can we imagine a greener way to relax? Ideas include eco-destination travel, green surfboards and electric motorcycles. Featuring Pam and Craig Knowles of the Wild Echo Bison Reserve, Dr. David Suzuki, Allen Hershkowitz of the NRDC, David Mizejewski, co-author of "Voom" Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Ned McMahon of Homeblown US, and Neal Saiki of Zero Motorcycles.
Tuesday, October 13 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 11: Communities. As communities expand due to urban sprawl, people consume more resources. Can we imagine working together to make communities greener? Ideas include a green youth movement, urban community farming and green towns. Featuring Chloe Maxmin of the Climate Action Club, Majora Carter, Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Marjora Carter, Simran Sethi, Dr. David Suzuki, Will Allen of Growing Power, Jessy Tolkan of the Energy Action Coaltion and Steve Nygran of Serenbe.
Tuesday, October 20 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 12: Games. Games bring people together across the globe but rarely have the power to change the world. Can we imagine playing games to save the planet? Ideas include a green football team, role-playing the future and xtreme green sports. Featuring Tim Sexton, Philadelphia Eagles consultant on Go Green, Jessy Tolkan, Allen Hershkowitz, Jamais Cascio from Superstruct, and Jeff Wilson of Quiksilver.
Tuesday, October 27 at 8:00pm e/p
Episode 13: Babies. The choices new parents make have a crucial impact on their babies and the environment. Can we imagine a world where all babies are raised green? Ideas include frozen organic baby food, green diapers and the eco-friendly baby store. Featuring Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson of Tasty Baby, journalist Katrina Heron, Simran Sethi, author of "Raising Baby Green" Dr. Alan Greene, model/entrepreneur Cindy Crawford, Tereson Dupuy of Fuzzibunz and Paige Goldberg Tomach and Soleil Moon Frye of Little Seed.
"Big Ideas for a Small Planet" is produced by Scout Productions. Executive Producers for Sundance Channel are Lynne Kirby, Ann Rose and Sarah Barnett. Supervising Producer is Nicole DeFusco.
About Sundance Channel
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, imaginative and uncompromising, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries and original programs. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel’s website address is www.sundancechannel.com.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world’s most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, Sundance Channel and VOOM HD Networks. Through IFC Entertainment, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a leading distribution company for independent film; IFC Productions, a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects; and IFC Center, a three screen, state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales company; Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company; and 11 Penn TV, a company that manages Rainbow Media’s NYC studios and post-production facilities.