Charleston County’s “Living Green” TV show airs second episode in November/December

Viewers can watch the second episode of “Living Green,” Charleston County Government’s new 30-minute TV show, in November and December. The show is on local channels WTAT Fox 24 and My TV Charleston each month.

The second episode, which debuts on FOX-24 at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, will cover “green” buildings and steps residents and businesses may take to reduce their impact on the environment.

Specifically, the topic of the next “Living Green” show is “green” residential communities and “green” commercial buildings. The guests who will be interviewed for the second episode are:

– Carl Simmons, Charleston County’s Building Services Director
– Elias Deeb of the Noisette Company
– Beezer Molten of Half-Moon Outfitters

“Living Green” is scheduled to air on the following dates and times:

Saturday, Nov. 29
12 p.m.
FOX 24 (Comcast channel 6)

Saturday, Dec. 6
11:30 a.m.
MyTV Charleston, WMMP (Comcast channel 13)

The County’s show is funded through a $236,498 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant given for Charleston County’s continuing participation in its Project Impact Partnership Program, which aims to reduce local air and water pollution through public education programs.

“The TV show is part of an extensive educational campaign that we are taking on in order to provide information and assistance to our citizens on ways to reduce pollution and improve our air and water quality in order to protect the environment for future generations,” said Carl Simmons, Charleston County’s Building Services Director who oversees the County’s Project Impact program.

The show’s host, Matthew Horton, is a journalism major at the College of Charleston who is doing an internship at Fox 24 and MYTV. Guests and panelists will appear on the show, including experts and scientists on the local, state and national level.

In addition to the “Living Green” TV show, other educational campaigns to be developed through the CARE project will also focus on:

– Reducing on-road diesel emissions through reduced idling, retrofits and the use of alternative fuel vehicles
– Controlling open burning
– Promoting mass transit and encouraging the use of public transportation
– Working with boaters to address marine pollution
– Other air and water pollution reduction strategies aimed at the both the general public and specific audiences

Background information on EPA’s CARE Grant and Charleston County’s Project Impact

EPA’s award is part of EPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program, a community-based, community-driven program that builds partnerships to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources.

Since the program was established three years ago, CARE has provided a total of $7.75 million to more than 49 communities nationwide. The Charleston County CARE project is one of just five awarded in the southeast region.

The Charleston County’s Project Impact Partnership program was formed in 1999 with the help of a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. There are now 172 local partnership members who focus on making the Charleston County communities more disaster resistant, including undertaking environmental improvement endeavors.

Project partners previously conducted the Charleston Region Toxics Risk Assessment and identified particulate air pollution and ground level ozone as priority air toxics risks, and fecal coliform bacteria, petroleum product releases and trace metals as priority water pollutants in the Charleston County area. Through the CARE project, project partners aim to heighten local residents’ awareness of these air and water pollution sources and encourage actions that individuals can take to reduce pollution.

Established in 2005, CARE is a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for communities to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in their air, land and water. By joining forces, for-profit and non-profit organizations can work together to improve the environmental health of a community and its residents.

Visit the EPA CARE Web site at www.epa.gov/care or Charleston County’s web site www.charlestoncounty.org/Departments/BuildingServices/care.htm to learn more about the CARE program.

To schedule a presentation on environmental quality and pollution issues, local groups can contact Charleston County Government’s Building Services Department at (843) 202-6940.