US television sends green message over 100 hours

(Kent Eanes, NBC Universal.)

NBC Television kicks off its sixth green-themed week across several channels with various efforts, from television shows to a celebrity-filled auction with Christie's, in celebration of Earth Day, April 22.

With the "Green is Universal" tag, the environmental initiatives include eco-messages in programs and specials, such as televising the Live Earth Run for Water on the Bravo channel, a series of worldwide 6K races that happened April 18. The show features appearances by musician Pete Wentz and Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of French explorer Jacques Cousteau.

NBC is the media partner for the inaugural A Bid To Save the Earth with Christie's auction house to raise funds for four large environmental non-profit organizations: Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana, Conservation International, and Central Park Conservancy.

Christie's A Bid to Save the Earth Green Auction will take live bids on Earth Day, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. EST Rockefeller Center in New York City. The registration deadline is April 20 at www.christies.com. The carbon neutral auction will be held live and online.

A key coveted item is a package with two tickets to the Oscar Awards Ceremony 2011, including a pass to Vanity Fair's Oscar Party, Giorgio Armani ensembles, hotel, and a guided visit to the Pacific Ocean for a view of marine mammals. Bids begin at $50,000.
Also available for bidding, a 2010 Lexus HS Hybrid 250h, eco-trips to Antarctica or Galapagos, and a Girad-Perreguas 18K white gold and diamond cat's eye Tourbillon wristwatch opening at $245,000.

Artwork offered features Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman, Damien Hirst and more. To view all the items: http://www.christies.com/features/auctions/0410/greenauction/

Celebrity hosts at the event include actors Hugh Jackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Sheen, Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford, and Tobey Maguire, film director Spike Jonze, fashion's Stella McCartney, musicians Christina Aguilera and REM's Michael Stipe, as well as environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Queen Noor of Jordan. http://www.abidtosavetheearth.org/

Silent auction items include a round of golf with former US president Bill Clinton, fly fishing with Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia and a tennis lesson with John McEnroe. It is open for bidding through May 6 at noon EST.

www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/ABidtoSavetheEarth/catalog_items
www.greenisuniversal.com/grab-it.php and http://www.nbc.com/green/

RC