CBS Joins Mayors to Green U.S. Cities

MIAMI, Fla. — CBS Corp. will work with mayors around the U.S. to bring green projects, such as renewable energy and green building, to cities across the country.

CBS will join media company EcoZone and city governments for the project, which will start with a green schools initiative scheduled to launch in Miami, Chicago and San Francisco in the fall.

The project will draw from an earlier model tested in Miami with the support of Mayor Manny Diaz. A private-public partnership there delivered a mass tree planting, solar energy system, lighting retrofit and storm drain filter installation. The project helped earn Miami the designation of “America’s Cleanest City” by Forbes.

“We’re always looking for ways to increase the positive impact in the communities we serve," said Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS. "Miami’s success with the EcoZone program is proof that media can do more than simply carry green messages and raise awareness; it can actually fund real projects that lead to measurable environmental improvements. To this end, we look forward to using our unparalleled collection of local media assets to build on what we accomplished in Miami by implementing change in markets across the country."

The parties announced the collaboration in Miami Thursday, the cite of the 76th Annual Conference of Mayors.