Canadian PBS-TVO!

I live in an area where I can get various local
broadcasts-Detroit, Lansing, Toledo and also Canadian
TV. I had the chance to watch a pbs program on the
environment. It is originally broadcast from Toronto
but must be rebroadcast from a local south-eastern
Ontario TV station. It was very interesting to watch
and listen to the program which presented different
ideas now being implemented on designs of buildings,
suburbs and businesses. Ideas were presented to reduce
heat absorbed into the surrounding areas. Instead of
large amounts of concrete in the entry ways of large
buildings, or on the roof they had large foyers that
were open to the air at the top to allow air/wind and
rain to enter. Trees were in the foyer to provide
fresh air and shade to reduce the temperature. Parks
open to the outside were designed on different levels
on the building that would also be open to air to
allow the rain to be absorbed and grass was planted on
the roof to absorb rain water to reduce run off in to
the sewer system, but also to reduce the amount of
heat absorbed by the building to reduce heating and
cooling costs. The grass would absorb the sunlight in
the summer but use it to grow and provide oxygen in
the city, which in turn helps to reduce the over all
amount of pollution. The grass also insulates in the
winter and absorbs the rain water.
Overall I thought the program I viewed was very
interesting and insightful. Their stations website
provides a TV guide for its viewers but also presents
interesting information.  It’s television that makes
you think. But the stations slogan is “Television that
matters”.

TVO-Ontario Public TV
http://www.answers.com/topic/tvontario?cat=technology

TVO-Toronto Public TV
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/about/index.cfm?page_id=886

tvo.org
http://www.tvo.org/

Sunday, November 4, 2007