A 'carbon neutral' roast

I'm all for being kind to mother Earth but in the past few months the level of sanctimonious marketing-speak about the film and TV biz going 'carbon neutral' has been getting to the gag-me state. At first glance at this press release from Comedy Central about their plans for a roast special skewering rapper-turned-VH1 star Flavor Flav, I thought a "carbon neutral roast" was a new Starbucks flavor or something. But no, Comedy Central is promising that the July taping of its Flavor Flav roast will be "the network's first-ever carbon neutral production" and that it will offset its carbon emissions associated with the production with assistance from NativeEnergy, a national marketer of carbon offsets and renewable energy credits that offer "individuals and organizations a means to compensate for their global warming pollution."

I suppose it's better than not doing anything regarding carbon emissions and pollution, etc., but somehow putting it in the sub-headline of the press release makes it seem like it's at the very least (trying to be charitable here) as much about marketing as it is about genuine concern for the environment.

"We only roast the ones we love," Elizabeth Porter, Comedy Central's senior veep, specials and talent, gushes in announcing the special, to be taped in July and air on Aug. 12. Now that's the kind of hot air, er, global warming, we can stand in a press release.