FOX Series 24 Makes Environmental Commitment for Seventh Season

HOLLYWOOD, July 23: The Emmy-Award winning FOX series 24 has announced that it will make significant
environmentally-friendly changes to its production practices during the seventh
season in an effort to educate and inspire its viewers to take climate change
and the fight against global warming seriously.

24 strives to become
the first television production to save enough energy and reduce enough carbon
emissions over the course of a season to render its entire seventh season
finale “carbon neutral.” Carbon neutrality refers to a product having a balance
of zero between the amount of carbon absorbed and the amount of carbon released
into the atmosphere during the production of the product. Carbon neutrality is
achieved through energy reduction, green power use and purchasing “offsets”
which represent investment in alternative energy and carbon reduction.

“We care deeply about this issue at 24, and we wanted to do our own
small part to be part of the solution,” commented executive producer and
show-runner Howard Gordon. “We looked at how we produce the show, and realized
that there were some substantive changes we could implement which would make a
real difference. But even more importantly, we hope to inspire our audience to
look at what they can do in their own lives to help stem global warming. We
think this will be the beginning of a conversation with our millions of viewers
that will hopefully inspire them to take action around the world.”

Beginning with production on season 7, 24 intends to implement a
variety of carbon emission reduction techniques and initiatives. This includes
introducing the use of biodiesel—a clean-burning alternative fuel
produced from renewable resources—to power generators and production vehicles.
Previously, the show powered its electric generators and large transportation
vehicles with diesel fuel. This season, the show intends to use a combination
of petroleum diesel and biodiesel, which should result in emission reductions
ranging from 5 percent on the vehicles to as much as 100 percent on the
generators.

Other carbon emission reduction techniques include running
all on-stage production activities on “green power,” with all of the energy
purchased from renewable power sources such as wind, water and solar, rewiring
an entire stage to use electric, rather than diesel-generated, power;
integrating fuel-saving and low-emission hybrid vehicles into the production
fleet; and the creation of a series of public service announcements about
climate change and offering information about how they can be a part of the
solution, starring Kiefer Sutherland and key cast members. Sutherland has
already shot a public service announcement describing 24’s commitment to this issue. When
appropriate, the issue of global warming and the importance of carbon emission
reduction will be incorporated into story lines. Information, resources and
do-it-yourself techniques for viewers to reduce their own carbon footprints
will also be posted on the 24 page at FOX.com.

“Fighting the dangers of climate change is an initiative
that this whole company takes very seriously, and what better show than 24 to lead the way?” commented
Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Twentieth Century Fox Television’s cochairmen.
“This series has a proud tradition of innovation and futuristic thinking and we
couldn’t be more excited that Howard and his team have embraced this bold
challenge. Not only can we encourage other television series to follow their
example, but we intend to use our powerful platform as content providers to
communicate directly with the people of the world about how we can reverse this
serious environmental threat.”