Green Scene

CBS Unveils Nationwide Green Partnership Project

(CBS) CBS Corporation announced today the company will be partnering with local governments across the country to support green projects.

President and CEO of CBS Leslie Moonves unveiled the project Thursday at a news conference in Miami as part of the 76th Annual Conference of Mayors.

"In the greening of Miami, we joined with citizens and corporate partners to take this city and do initiatives that had never been done before," said Moonves. "We feel we can expand this around the country with EcoMedia."

The project will utilize CBS's  local resources and leverage corporate advertising and sponsorship revenue to improve the quality of the environment in key markets across the nation.

Moonves was joined at the announcement by Paul Polizzotto, Founder and CEO of EcoMedia. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley also participated in the announcement.

The new collaboration is an extension of the recent success of Mayor Diaz in "greening" Miami. The partnership he forged with EcoMedia and CBS station WFOR-TV will serve as the model for this nationwide project. The effort earned the Miami the title of "America's Cleanest City" by Forbes Magazine.

"In the face of these challenging economic times and the reality of global warming, the EcoZone model makes more sense than ever for cities across the country," said Diaz, incoming president and host of the conference. "I am proud of what we have accomplished in Miami to date, with the EcoZone program and our hometown CBS4-Miami. I am excited to see the partnership that was developed in Miami expand in this new partnership with CBS Corporation to more cities looking to deliver measurable environmental benefits without adding to their economic burdens."

Through the partnership, EcoMedia will leverage its multimedia platforms including retail kiosks at Kimco centers across the country, as well as municipal signage to deliver environmental content and messaging. CBS will provide local market sales support and activate EcoMedia's environmental programming through CBS's industry-leading portfolio of media assets, including television, radio, print and out-of-home advertising.

The companies will also join forces on the creation of environmentally themed content, including working with a content partner they already have in common: David Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants.

The first national project from this new partnership for the environment will be the CBS and EcoZone "Green Schools Initiative," expected to launch in Miami, Chicago and San Francisco this fall.

A portion of the corporate sponsor revenues will fund a significant "greening" of a school in each city and create ongoing sustainable green projects and initiatives.

In just four years, the EcoZone program has implemented several environmental initiatives that have helped cities such as Miami achieve recognition as being environmentally responsible. EcoZone's initiatives in Miami have included the "City Hall Energy Efficiency Project," which involved solar tree installation and a lighting retrofit, as well as the installation of filters into storm drains to protect rivers lakes and streams, the funding of Miami "Green Lab," the Miami BayWash Program and the planting of more than 1,000 trees at Virginia Key.

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