The 2011 Emmys were special, and not just because Jane Lynch sung show tunes in a metallic monstrosity of a dress. This year, the TV awards event also made waves because for the first time in its 63-year history, event producers used clean energy sources and LED fixtures to light the red carpet. High-powered celebrities walked, posed and smiled beneath 200 high-powered solar panels as they entered the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, which hosted the event on September 18th. The 50-kilowatt system contained four separate solar canopies, which surrounded 400 feet of red carpet, giving renewable energy a highly visible position during the Emmy pre-show. LED light bulbs illuminated the red carpet area and consumed only 20 percent of the power typically used by conventional fixtures. To top it off, “This year’s red carpet is made from 25,000 square feet of locally-sourced recycled carpet, produced by a LEED-certified carpet facility. Made from 50 percent recycled content, the carpet will be donated after the event to the Ronald McDonald House Long Beach and to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles,” according to Environmental News Service. It’s nice to see the entertainment industry giving back to its community and the planet…let’s hope this is the beginning of a big trend.