NDTV-Toyota begin the second wave of Green Campaign

After raising over Rs 2 crore to light up 50 villages in India for TERI’s ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ project, NDTV and Toyota are ready to roll out the second wave of their ‘Green Campaign’, which includes the 24-hour non-stop television programming ‘Greenathon’.

The second year encourages every citizen to adopt simple yet compelling causes, like – ‘Say No to Plastic Bags’; ‘Save Water’; ‘Plant a Tree’; ‘Get Rid of Air Pollution’; ‘Save India’s Coastal lines’, and ‘Save the Rivers’, enabling them to create a cleaner and greener tomorrow. Actor Priyanka Chopra will play a key role as the campaign ambassador in this initiative.

These mini-campaigns will culminate in ‘Greenathon’, a 24-hour non-stop live television programming across all NDTV channels dedicated to improving the environment, as in the previous year. With the aim to garner public support, NDTV will telecast documentaries on each of the mini-campaigns, organise on-ground events, clean-up drives and signature campaigns. Citizens will be encouraged to donate financially and contribute with ideas for the cause on green.ndtv.com. This campaign will make use of different media platforms like TV, Internet, print, mobile, and radio to reach across to the widest audience possible.

Speaking on the initiative, Dr Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV Ltd, said, “NDTV and Toyota, through the Green Campaign have taken the responsibility to initiate a nationwide movement for people to take the green pledge and do every bit to stop further harm to our environment. The staggering response we received in the first year from our viewers and people from all walks of life only makes our belief, to effect a change, much stronger. This year too, we strive to continue our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint through actions that will make a difference.”

Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Environment and Forests, said, “The issue of global warming needs a nationally coordinated response that is both conscientious and sincere. While environment is an area where our society is active, there is still a need for a nationwide effort to educate our people to use our depleting resources more efficiently. NDTV and Toyota have come together to take up this huge challenge and their efforts combined with the participation of the Government, concerned individuals, educational institutions and civil society groups, will help expand our green footprint and secure the planet for our future generations.”

Dr R K Pachauri, Nobel Laureate for Peace Prize 2007, Director General TERI and Chairman IPCC, who has lent his support to this campaign since its launch, commented, “We need to start worrying about the environment and ensure that some of the damage can be reversed. I believe India must lead in bringing about this revolution and hope that this Green Campaign is only the start of something that will really spark the beginning of a movement.”

Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motors, added, “In today’s times, it is vital to integrate corporate philanthropy into core business strategies. At Toyota, our highest priority is to ensure that our operations are in harmony with both the environment and society. We are proud to carry forward our association with NDTV into the second year of the Green Campaign and look forward to promote the cause of the environment.”