Wa$ted
- Published: 18 October 2007 08:00
- Author: Will Hurrell
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 19 October 2007 10:49
A New Zealand home improvement format promises to help households become eco-friendly.
The format
Wa$ted is a programme that takes a household which is more than a little lazy on the environmental front and transforms the property into a veritable haven of eco bliss.
The Wa$ted team is made up of eco-experts, who calculate each household’s carbon footprint using their unique eco-calculator. They tell the household just how much energy they needlessly waste and offer them tips on how to bring it under control. In the process of stopping this waste, they also help them to save plenty of their own cash, as well as saving the planet. Wa$ted also offers a cash prize to the people who take part in the show.
Every kind of household can get involved, from families with four children to three professional young women living in a flat-cum-party pad. The format is billed as TV with an environmental conscience.
Who’s showing it?
The format was developed by New Zealand indie Fumes TV and was first broadcast on New Zealand’s TV3. All3Media, which owns the international rights, has since sold the format to Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The finished 10 x 30-minute programme has been bought by several broadcasters including MTV in Finland, Discovery Channel USA, W Channel in Canada and DBS in Israel.
Coming to the UK?
All3Media-owned indie North One has optioned the format.
Will it work here?
Green formats are a big trend right now and a show that combines this and Britain’s love of home improvement stands a good chance of success.
