Wa$ted! (TV show)

Infobox Television
show_name = WA$TED!


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genre = Reality
creator = Carthew Neal
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presenter = Francesca Price
Tristan Glendinning
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theme_music_composer = Jed Town
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country = flag|New Zealand
language =
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 16 (as of 2008-03-05
list_episodes =
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runtime = 30 minutes (including advertisements)
network = TV3
distributor = All3Media International
picture_format = 576i
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first_aired = 2007-02-20
last_aired = present
preceded_by =
followed_by =
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website = http://www.wastedtv.co.nz
production_website = http://www.fumes.tv
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WA$TED! is a New Zealand reality television show, which shows families their impact on the environment, and helps them to become greener in their daily lives.

The show has been acclaimed as the first show of its type, and is now being shown outside New Zealand. Even in production, they reduce their impact on the earth by using hybrid cars, crew carpooling, and reusing props. [cite web |url= http://www.wastedtv.co.nz/index.cfm?&action=behindthescenes|title= WA$TED! - Behind the Scenes|accessdate=2008-03-05 |format= |work= ]

Format

Current format

The show usually starts with Francesca and Tristan trucking back to the family one year's worth of their rubbish. From here, they filter through the rubbish with the family to show them what they could have recycled, and what environmental impact their rubbish is doing. Taking into account rubbish, electricity, water, and transportation, a household footprint is calculated to show how much land it would take to provide the resources for their household, and comparing it to the size of their section (or house, if they live in a rural area). They also calculate how many tonnes of carbon dioxide the family would emit in a year, and comparing it to the national average (which in New Zealand is 2.5 tonnes per person per year).

Francesca and Tristan set to work to help reduce the environmental impact. Recycling and food scrap systems are implemented, followed by dealing with heating, power consumption, water consumption, and transportation. This includes a section called Tristan's Test, which is where Tristan tests the knowledge (usually of the children) of what environment impact a simple task can do.

After completing the tasks of reducing the household impact, Francesca and Tristan go away for three weeks, and watch how good the families are at using the new systems, under the promise that any savings that they make in those three weeks, they will project forward over the coming year, and give those savings back in cash. On their return, Francesca and Tristan reveal how much the family's household footprint and carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced. Finally, Francesca opens a green bucket, containing the savings they would have produced over a year, and gives the cash to the family.

Differences in Season One

The main differences in Season One was that the carbon dioxide emissions and Tristan's test did not feature.

Other countries

The NZ version of WA$TED! screens in 15 countries with USA, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Malaysia also making their own versions.

Awards

*Best Observational Format - FRAPA/C21 Format Awards 2007
*Supreme Energywise & Residential Award - EECA 2007
*Green Ribbon Award - MfE 2007
*Best Innovation - Sustainable Business Network 2007

Distributor

All3Media International, London [http://www.all3mediainternational.com]

References