Sundance Channel Announces Winner of User-Generated Eco-Contest “What's the Big Idea?”

New York – Sundance Channel today announced that Mark Sanders of Louisville, KY has been named winner of the network's user-generated contest, “What’s the Big Idea?”, which invited viewers to share their suggestions to help green the planet. The national contest - presented by Lexus – is an extension of the network's new programming block The Green which features the original series, “Big Ideas for A Small Planet™.” Viewers were asked to submit a one-minute short film featuring their most inspired eco-solutions. Sanders’ winning idea, “The Aqus” is a water conservation system that prevents gallons of fresh, drinkable water from being flushed down the toilet. “The Aqus” cleans and recycles sink water to fill toilet tanks, saving a household up to 5,000 gallons of water a year. As the winner of the contest, Sanders was awarded a cash prize of $10,000 and a one-year lease for a Lexus hybrid car.

"Winning this contest is just amazing," Sanders said. "My intention was to bring something to the table that can make a real difference environmentally. But I think what's truly special about the Aqus is that it can impact the masses and that's an absolute must when it comes to making positive environmental change."

Sundance Channel received a tremendous response to the contest and narrowed the submissions down to 25 ideas, which were posted on sundancechannel.com and voted on by users. The five films that received the most votes were then reviewed by a panel of environmental experts, including Yves Behar, the founder of the San Francisco-based design studio fuseproject; and hosts of THE GREEN Majora Carter,
Executive Director & Founder of Sustainable South Bronx; and Simran Sethi, an award-winning environmental journalist.

The four runners up in the contest were, Amelya Hepner from Seattle, WA, who submitted the “Tattle Tale”, a device that measures levels of pollution in water; Ginger Criswell from Lilburn, GA for her idea entitled “Green Teams”, which encourages schools to train and support a new generation of eco-conscious citizens; Chris McWhinney, an Englewood, OH resident, whose “Individual Energy Independence” theory states that using wind and solar energy to create hydrogen may empower individuals to become fully independent for all of their power and fuel needs; and Lisa Morey of Winter Park, FL for “Adobe Building”, which updates one of the world’s oldest building materials for modern construction. All of these submissions can be seen at sundancechannel.comthegreen.

Each week THE GREEN on Sundance Channel presents original series and documentary premieres about the earth’s ecology and concepts for “green” living that balance human needs with responsible care for the planet The destination is hosted by award-winning journalist Sethi and community advocate and MacArthur Fellow Carter, two dynamic leaders who have distinguished themselves with revolutionary ideas in such areas as civic planning and global business practices.

Robert Redford’s THE GREEN on Sundance Channel is sponsored by Lexus and Citi Smith Barney.

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, and original programs, all unedited and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture of NBC Universal, CBS and Robert Redford. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel’s website address is www.sundancechannel.com.