Jack Bauer Set to Take on Global Warming

Aug. 7, 2007 — -- Jack Bauer has saved us from nuclear annihilation, a chemical attack and an assassination plot against a presidential candidate, but his next foe may be the most daunting one yet: He's taking on global warming.

The action-hero star of Fox's hit show "24" probably won't be rushing to the polar ice cap just in time to prevent a catastrophic flood or sacrificing life and limb to educate the president about greenhouse emissions just before the veto of a crucial energy-conservation bill.

But the seventh season, which debuts in early 2008, will incorporate environmentally-friendly messages into episodes, and executives have taken several steps toward reducing carbon emissions on the set with the goal of a fully "carbon-neutral" season finale, Fox has announced.

Kiefer Sutherland, who portrays Bauer, has also recorded a public service announcement on the effects of global climate change, and similar spots including other cast members are in the works.

With its announcement, Fox joins a growing list of companies that includes Wal-Mart, DuPont and Honda that have voluntarily decided to "go green" and institute environmentally-friendly measures designed to reduce harmful carbon emissions.

Fox's efforts will include substituting biodiesel for some of the diesel used to power generators, purchasing all of its energy from renewable power sources, integrating hybrid cars into its production fleet, and posting resources on the Web for viewers to learn how to reduce their own carbon use.

The new green set on "24" — which Fox plans on extending to other shows in the coming years — was instituted out of genuine concern for the future of the environment, Fox spokesman Chris Alexander said. He explained that widely publicizing the plan and encouraging others to do their part for the environment was just as critical to the push as making the internal emission changes.

The move has garnered Fox praise from environmental groups and activists who hope this will cause a domino effect in Hollywood, leading other studios to follow Fox's lead.