NBC's Green Screen

It's widely understood that the images and ideas that we see on TV have an effect on us, though there are disagreements on the extent of the effect. Watching ads about toothpaste encourage us to believe cavities are the modern equivalent of the black plague; the Twilight movies have turned every human being (as well as some pets that have unfortunately been exposed to the material) into Emo Goths that want to shag vampires (alas, we all doomed to perpetual sexual frustration!); and Gossip Girls' portrayal of a threesome is OBVIOUSLY meteor-cultist propaganda encouraging all preteens to go have one.

But if the fairies hiding in every TV box were to use their magical powers of persuasion to encourage environmental responsibility?

Next week, the TV station NBC is going to be incorporating "green themes" into many of their TV programs, according to the Associated Press. 30 Rock will have a cameo with Al Gore, and Alec Baldwin's character will tell his staff they need to cut their carbon footprint. The show "Heroes" will feature a recycling truck. Dwight from "The Office" will don the awe-inspiring title of "Recyclops". Even "The Biggest Loser" will get in on the green game, as they will tell the contestants to eat organic food and bring their own mugs to coffee shops.

So what do you think? Can NBC brand "green" as cool? Will next week's shows act as the harbinger to a happy hippie apocalypse? Or will viewers not be tricked by the blatant environmentalist propaganda? (Being a happy hippie feminist who knows that climate change has a disproportionately negative effect on women's well-being and rights, I'm rooting for the propaganda).

Photo Credit: stringberd on flickr.com