Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question that isn’t answered here? Send it to info@planetforward.org

What's Planet Forward all about?

Planet Forward is a whole new type of citizen conversation, flowing from web to television and back again. We're bringing together citizens and experts to talk about the environment. You submit your viewpoint to the site, and the best submissions have a chance to be featured on the Planet Forward television special. After the show, the discussion moves back to the web site. You can find out more on our About Planet Forward page.

What are the air dates and premiere dates for Planet Forward's TV show and web sequel?

We are working toward a future broadcast in 2010. Planet Forward's first TV show premiered on April 15, 2009 on PBS and can be viewed online. Our web sequel, with Planet Forward's Frank Sesno and President Obama's former green jobs advisor, Van Jones, premiered on May 21st and can be seen here. Please see our content submission guidelines for further details.

What's the topic?

How can individuals, communities and organizations reduce their carbon footprint?

You might want to show/explain a new technology that holds promise. You can illustrate what’s already happening in your community, you organization or your own backyard. You can talk about attitudes or policies that will reduce, in some way, society’s carbon footprint.
If it’s relevant to our energy future, it’s relevant to Planet Forward.

Who can participate in Planet Forward?

• Contributors submitting content must either be age 18 or older, or, age 13 to 18, submitting content with the permission of a parent.
• Submissions should come from individuals rather than organizations. Transparency is quite important to us. If you’re representing an organization’s viewpoint we expect you will say so.
• All points of view are welcome. Members whose work is judged most creative, most informative or most persuasive by the online community and Planet Forward's editors may have their work showcased on this site or a future Planet Forward program.
• Naturally, you also have to agree to and follow our terms of use, which are designed to make Planet Forward work for everyone. If you violate the terms of use, your content and profile may be deleted.

What kind of content can I submit?

Almost anything. Since we're producing a television show, we like video, but written essays, photos or artwork, podcasts or even songs or poetry are fine. For full details, read our submission guidelines.

Will you use everything that’s submitted?

Probably not everything. We’ll have to filter out submissions that are of poor production quality, inappropriate, stray from our focus or that otherwise don’t meet our standards. Remember, we’re asking you how we can best reduce our carbon footprint, and our goal is to start a conversation. Most submissions will make it onto the website, but only a few will be chosen for Planet Forward webisodes or TV specials. And because of the time constraints of those programs, we may only show portions of those pieces.
Contributions to the Planet Forward web site will be accepted on an ongoing basis, for a continuing debate on the web about how individuals, communities and organizations can reduce their carbon footprint.

What happens once my viewpoint is submitted?

Once your content is posted, it goes into a cue for our editorial team to review and approve for public posting.
Once a video is approved, people will see it. They’ll discuss it. They’ll critique it. All discussions will be moderated. Viewpoints and comments must be appropriate and respectful. We want a civil exchange of ideas and viewpoints, but we recognize there will be debate. In fact we encourage that.

What are topics of upcoming shows?

Future shows and web discussions will be on different aspects of the energy and climate problem. We'll post the new topics on the site. If you want to be notified when the next topic is set, you can follow what's happening on Planet Forward by e-mail, RSS, Facebook or Twitter.

Will I get paid if my viewpoint makes it onto a show?

Sorry, no – this is public media, after all, not a commercial show. The real reward is the chance to have your viewpoint considered by influential people and become a real part of the national debate.

How does Planet Forward decide which viewpoints will make it onto a show?

That's determined by the online community, Planet Forward's expert panel and Planet Forward’s editorial team. When you rate a viewpoint, you're casting a vote on which viewpoints are the best. Overall, we're looking for the most creative, most persuasive or most informative viewpoints. The Planet Forward editorial team will make the final decision.

What happens to the viewpoints that aren't chosen to become part of a Planet Forward webisode or TV show?

They're on the Planet Forward web site for everyone to see and debate. Only a small number of viewpoints can be on the show, but there is no limit to what we can accommodate online. We think of Planet Forward as a web site with a TV show, not a TV show with a web site. The real discussion is going to happen online, so being on the site isn't second best by any means.

How do I submit a viewpoint?

First, read our submission guidelines, then sign up and become a member of the Planet Forward online community.

Do I have to be an expert to do this?

No. We want to hear from lots of people and lots of perspectives. We all consume energy and we all have some idea of what the future should look like. Your contribution will be stronger if it’s based on fact or expertise – or on your informed opinion. If you are an expert, that’s good, too. Your expertise will bring an added dimension.

What if I work in an energy-related business?

You can still send us a submission. Your viewpoint is every bit as welcome as everyone else’s, but we do ask that you tell us where you work if it has to do with energy, climate or carbon footprint reduction.

Can I recommend or endorse a product?

No. Don’t promote a specific product. You can talk about a technology that you think works or holds promise. You can and should discuss the merits or drawbacks. But keep it informational, not promotional.

How long should my video be?

Videos should run between 1 and 3 minutes and not exceed 100MB in file size. Please see our submission guidelines for more details on submitting a great looking video.

How and when will I know if my viewpoint is selected for a show?

We'll contact you. That's why it's critical for you to provide a valid e-mail address when you become a member. If we can't reach you to verify your submission, we can't use your viewpoint on a show.

For more details about how we protect your personal information, have a look at our privacy policy.

Can I change my profile?

es, you can edit your profile or delete it from the site entirely at any time.

Can I edit or withdraw my viewpoint?

Once you submit a viewpoint to the site, you can edit or delete it without our help. We strongly suggest you review it carefully before you upload it or hit the "submit" button. Planet Forward will review all viewpoints before they're posted to make sure they're in line with our terms of use.

Planet Forward reserves the right to delete any viewpoints or other content that violates our terms of service.

Do I give up copyright for my viewpoint?

No, you still own (and are fully responsible for) any content you submit. However, by making a submission you grant Planet Forward permission to use at any time, and at no cost, all or any portion of your content for any purpose on the web site, the television show, in promotional materials and in any other outlets related to the project. Read our terms of service and privacy policy for full legal details.

Can I submit something I created for another purpose, like my blog?

Yes, you can repurpose something you've done before for Planet Forward, so long as it meets our submission guidelines. You can also upload your viewpoint to YouTube or your blog if you want.