I won't say this is a completely "green issue" but on February 17, 2009 (a little over a year away) TV as we know it will change and it is estimated that 30 million televisions will go "snow".

Now you have a couple of options
1. You can get a new television
2. Or you can buy the converter box.

The follow article talks about the switch that is coming and it also lists a site to order a couple to help pay for the converter box.

Better TV is coming, but are you ready for it? - Gadgets - MSNBC.com

This second link takes you to information about a coupon for the converter box. My husband was at it earlier today and he said it was down.

National Telecommunications & Information Administration

The article also talks about recycling your old televisions and the problems that the garbage industary is expecting when the switch comes into affect.

My husband is all set for the converter box. We have a very old style tv. All of our friends and family have cool new tvs but ours works fine for PBS and the local channels.

So your choices are basically to pay for the converter, or give up basic TV - which is often some families' only source of entertainment.

Then there is the "green" aspect to it: What to do with all the TVs people will be tossing out? In this article it states that there is about 4lbs. of LEAD contained in each TV!!! Can you imagine what that will do to some water supplies?? This is SCAREY!!

And that's not all this article claims will be affected...

Cell phones, alarms, navigation systems also affected:

Companies will now have to bid for digital spectrum, which can carry more information more efficiently, allowing them to transmit crystal-clear, high-definition signals, and more of them. The auctions will mean a windfall for the government — and a train wreck for consumers, said Umansky and other experts.

Televisions aren’t the only technology to use analog signals. Some cell phone customers still use analog service, which carriers won’t have to provide under a similar ruling that takes effect Jan. 1. So do about 1 million home and business alarm systems across the country, many of which are small, local operations for which the switch to digital could be prohibitively expensive.

“So you could have your alarm going off and the signal will go nowhere — basically fall on deaf ears,” said Andrew Stevens of Tele-Plus, a telecommunications and security company in Hagerstown, Md.

Likewise, General Motors’ OnStar automotive assistance service will go silent in all models that can’t be upgraded to receive digital signals. That’s every model made before 2002, as well as some made from 2002 to 2004.

Wow!! I think everyone should read this. Time to prepare. And spread the word.

Thanks for posting, Mel!!

EDITED TO ADD:

More than 100 retailers certified to participate in TV Converter Box Coupon Program for Digital Television Transition:

The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today that eight of the largest consumer electronics retailers -- Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart -- have been certified to participate in the TV Converter Box Coupon Program along with more than 100 other retailers, representing more than 14,000 stores throughout the nation, and additional Program details.

Go to second link above for more info...

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I had not read or heard any details about this so thanks for the article. We have cable so I'm thinking we will just continue with that. I'm not sure if we will need the converter box or if we do, maybe the cable company will supply it. I don't plan on a new TV.

This sort of thing makes me so mad. I have a perfectly good, not fancy, tv and no cable. I'm not sure what we are going to do yet when the time comes. I'm sure DH will vote for the new tv. It all just seems so wasteful.

There is a converter box and the article has links to a coupon.

I recently read that if you have cable, there should be no need to buy a new TV or converter box. It read that satellite TV offers the same. It's only if you are using rabbit ears or antennae reception that you'd have to buy the box.

I do wish they would start publicizing it with concise, clear and reliable info.

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