To help kick off "Green Week," NBC is taking the wraps off its new eco-friendly satellite truck on the Monday edition of the Today show. The New York-based SUV that the studio calls its "mean green streaming machine" will strut its stuff for viewers before being pressed into service to help MSNBC cover the Pennsylvania primary tomorrow.

Using a white and green Ford Escape hybrid as a platform, the vehicle incorporates three deep cycle batteries that can operate the satellite and cell phone video technology for 5 to 6 hours. When a recharge is needed, solar panel mats are rolled out and wind turbines hoisted to avoid running the engine as a generator like a typical satellite truck might. At $100,000, this vehicle is also much less expensive than the $500,000 spent for those usually used to transmit live feeds and it runs at 20 amps instead of 60.

NBC is planning all kinds of different "green" programming this week from Darryl Hannah showing off organic skate boards on "Last Call with Carson Daly" to Dateline reporting on the melting snow in the mountains of Bolivia. This won't be the only "green week" at NBC however as two more are already being planned.


[Source: The Hollywood Reporter / MSNBC]

Al Gore made a guest appearance on the TV show "30 Rock" as part of NBC's Green Week. The story in the episode included Gore being told GE is making a "trash-powered car" and Alec Baldwin telling David Schwimmer to either get on board or he will wake up on that island with Phil Donahue and the "electric car." Sound like good TV? You can watch the entire thing in the video above.

[Source: Brightcove]