Planet Green a 'Waste of Energy'

Our era of eco-chic has borne bitter fruit: Watching the new cable network Planet Green is “an unforgivable waste of energy,” writes Troy Patterson in Slate. The Discovery Channel spinoff reduces environmentalism to a status symbol and bludgeons the viewer with inane condescension. “Eco-tainment” is king, with shows "designed to provide you with lines to pick up chicks at the farmers market."

As for "great little tips," one program suggests you green your workout routine by doing pull-ups on a tree limb. The network doesn't even succeed in its green-is-the-new-black mandate: After watching Planet Green's worst program—Alter Eco with Adrien Grenier of Entourage—Patterson concludes: “I for one want to go out and kill a dolphin.” (More environment stories.)