SALEM, Ohio — Craig Zamary says he’s passionate about the environment.
The 30-something from Mahoning County, Ohio, drives a hybrid Toyota Prius and uses geothermal energy to heat his home, which is filled with energy efficient appliances.
He calls his office in the Youngstown business incubator green, too: With only a laptop and telephone, he’s aiming for as small a carbon footprint — his environmental impact — as possible.
And he prefers to discuss his fledgling company, GreenEnergyTV.com, by phone instead of in person whenever possible. It saves time, a car trip, gasoline and carbon emissions, he points out.
Going green
Some viewers call GreenEnergyTV, launched in early 2007, ‘the YouTube of green.’
The site is chock-full of video clips about green and sustainable energy technologies, spotlighting everything from how recycling works to organic cotton fashions, solar panels and wind turbines and making biodiesel fuel in the garage.
Going green
Growth of Zamary’s startup Internet-based television network proves he’s not the only person with such a keen interest in Mother Earth.
Each and every video clip is shot and posted to the site by someone who wants to share environmentally friendly projects with the world.
And the world is taking notice. According to the most recent Google statistics, Zamary said the site has logged viewers from at least 151 countries around the globe.
The site fills a void, Zamary said, and blends two of the most up-and-coming global pastimes: using green energy and watching videos online.
“This platform goes all around the world and can educate viewers about what’s going on,” Zamary said.
Zamary said awareness of environmental projects and tools is key to the success of not only his business, but the earth, too.
“It’s critical that we help spread ways to cut down on carbon footprints, whether they’re from an individual or the biggest corporate giant,” he said.
Check out www.greenenergytv.com to see an experimental car that gets 1,900 miles per gallon; how changing light bulbs can save $8 billion a year; and Ohio University’s earth-friendly Ecohouse.
Sit and watch
“There’s a huge shift going on now, where people are trying to educate themselves about what’s going on with the environment,” Zamary said.
His network provides a wide range of video clips to educate and inform about a variety of topics, from energy conservation to vehicle emissions to simple things anyone can do around their house to save energy, he said.
And along the way, by giving ordinary people and huge corporations the chance to post their projects, Zamary said the network is creating “the perfect green storm.”
“By showing off what’s going on, we’re applauding efforts. Big companies see what others are doing and try to outdo each other, and that’s good for everyone involved,” he said.
“This really gets eyeballs on videos,” he said.
Videos have been posted by Google, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and the Marriott hotel chain, Zamary said.
“And the best part is, they found us.”
Two audiences
Zamary is pleased, too, the site has developed into a portal that serves an audience he can’t even describe with certainty.
“There’s no specific demographic. It seems everyone with an interest in what they can do to make a difference is watching,” he said, noting his site has been popular with everyone from elementary students to their grandparents.
Several topics, like organic food production and switching traditional light bulbs for newer compact fluorescents, appeal to the masses, he said.
“The tree huggers are here to see how they can save the environment, and the others want to see how they can save money,” he said.
Up next
The site and its popularity are growing every time someone shares a link to a video they saw on the site with a friend, who shares it with another friend, Zamary said.
He’s got the site set up so anyone can post or share a link to any video, and it’s all free. He encourages ‘stealing’ the videos to post on other sites, too.
The site also has a store where anyone can purchase green and eco-friendly products. Up next, in the coming weeks, will be the addition of a job board strictly for ‘green collar’ jobs, Zamary said.
