LIVING GREEN

red flowers in foreground with background view of lake and trees

a group of people working outside in front of a home on a sustainable living project

About Us

Living Green is more than just a public television series from WUFT-TV; it reflects a new way of life for the 21st century. Living Green focuses on how communities incorporate environmental concerns into their homes, neighborhoods, and businesses to help conserve natural resources and wildlife for future generations.

faculty member hosting television show in front of a videocamera

The flavor of the show is upbeat and even humorous at times, when presenting the myriad challenges and solutions associated with any environmental issue. While entertaining, the show is meant to inspire individuals to take local action and make a difference. Each episode highlights a wide range of environmental issues, outlining the need for a united response at the local and (most importantly) individual level.

Specific attention is paid to the solutions to growth/environmental challenges and the opportunities for individuals to help search for "win-win" strategies that balance socioeconomic and environmental concerns in their own communities. The show targets an adult audience, but is also relevant to middle-school and high-school students.

What You Can Do

The connection between humans and nature is an important one: our economy, culture, and even politics are closely tied to the environment. In order to function as a green community, each resident must make a conscious effort to environmentally manage their home, yard, and neighborhood.

The following resources will help you and your loved ones practice sustainable living:

Local Information

Did you know that UF/IFAS Extension has a presence in every one of Florida's 67 counties? That makes it easy to find useful and practical solutions for your life. In addition, the Cooperative Extension System (CES) connects Florida with state Extension programs across the country.

Partners & Sponsors

Each entity listed below was instrumental in helping the show get started, and continues to lend support to produce Living Green content:

Production Team

Mark Hostetler, Ph.D. | Executive Producer/Host/Writer
Hostetler is an associate professor working with state and county agencies to develop and implement community-wide sustainable design and management strategies. He is part of the University of Florida's Program for Resource Efficient Communities, which works with developers and municipalities to create "green" communities. He is author of the award-winning book That Gunk on Your Car: A Unique Guide to North American Insects.

Dennis Gaston | Videographer/Director
A Florida native from Jacksonville, Gaston graduated from UF in 1973. His first job was at WJKS in Jacksonville, working as commercial photographer/cinematographer/film processor, and then he spent 12 years as a television news photographer in Jacksonville and Memphis. He was chief photographer for WJXT Channel 4 in the early 1980s and joined WUFT in 1988 as videographer/editor/producer/field director. He has since worked on award-winning documentaries, including the Vision of Nature series, Florida's Historic Lighthouses, Gainesville Wins the Pennant, Protest: The Story of the Gainesville Eight, and The Jumping Game - a documentary on steeplechase horseracing, hosted by Bo Derek.

James Scott | Editor
Scott studied film and video at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. Since 1995, he has worked on various TV shows, documentaries, and short films. He works in all aspects of production, but prefers post-production - in particular special effects and motion graphics. Currently he resides in Gainesville, Florida, where he produces local broadcast material. Editing the Living Green series offers him the chance to work on challenging social and environmental issues.

Vinnie Jones | Producer/Editor
Jones is a seasoned, award-winning producer with more than 20 years experience producing and directing series and live event programs in public television.

Titus Rush | Station Manager
As station manager for WUFT-TV, Rush is responsible for all of the programming produced by and for the station. He provides support for the administrative aspects of the series. He has a background in television production dating back 20 years, and he has received awards in several areas of television/production/programming, including several Emmys.