Archive for October, 2009
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Today’s post is an interview with photgrapher, Andrea Bakacs. She is one of the many inspiring Timberland EarthKeeper Heroes from the global awareness website, Changents .
 Andrea Bakacs is harnessing the power of photography to deliver eco-messages. At just 29, Andrea is pointing her camera at amazing pockets of nature worth saving and a host of green projects sprouting from nooks and crannies across New York City. Ever seen Manhattan’s eco-friendly composting nuns? How about a farm complete with goats and chickens and cherry trees smack in the middle of the east village—on a rooftop? What about the green movement’s equivalent of graffiti artists—guerrilla gardeners? Andrea is taking the public along for a ride on her visual story of green NYC.
Andrea is a photography graduate of Parsons School of Design and has experience as both a photographer and photo editor. For the past two years, she’s authored a blog about other photographers’ environmental work. Andrea recently started working with the Majora Carter Group to help amass and edit a photographic and video library mapping its green course across the world. In the past, she’s campaigned for better paper use at Martha Stewart Living and Seventeen magazines, encouraged local photographers to “green” their shoots, started recycling programs across multiple departments, and began conversations with heads of print production to make them aware of the most cutting edge green technologies available to them.
EP: I read that you are originally from Romania. How old were you when you moved to the U.S.?
Andrea Bakacs: I am Hungarian from Romania, born in Oradea (or Nagyvarad as it’s known in Hungarian) until I was 7 years old, leaving 1 year after my parents escaped communism during the Ceausescu regime in 1986. I am part of the Hungarian minority, from a section called Transylvania. You might have heard of it?
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
AB: My parents gave up everything they had, everything they knew, everything they ever were and potentially were, to leave Romania, to give my younger brother and I hope for a better and more opportune future in the west. Leaving behind not only their material possessions but also their network, and in the case of my father, even the notoriety of his degree and career (the US will not recognize a Masters in Civil Engineering from Romania), we grew up extremely frugal, similar to that in Romania, where frugality was a given, only in that you had no choice. Goods simply weren’t available there, whether or not you had the money to pay for them. My parents particularly taught me about using things well into if not beyond their life cycle. How many people do you know that have had the same washer and dryer since 1988? Ok, they finally broke down last year after repair after repair (on behalf of my father– thank you very much) became dangerous to the house and to them (the heat on the dryer wouldn’t turn off and would therefore risk fire.) But that’s not to say I didn’t have things or opportunity. My parents definitely valued experience over materials things however. I played every sport I could’ve imagined and traveled all over the world. That’s when I started to think about the environment. Not necessarily that anything was wrong, or that it needed my help, but more that I truly loved being a part of it and having access to its never ending wonder. Since I probably still haven’t really answered your question, I should add that my household growing up was only green in the sense that we never had the thermostat above 68, didn’t have AC, only drove used cars, and took bottles back to the store to collect the deposit. Other than that, nobody including me had any clue.
EP: Being a photography graduate of Parson School of Design, as well as having various jobs as a photographer and photo editor, was there an “aha!” green moment that changed your focus?
AB: People often ask me if I’ve always been green, or if there was ever that “aha” moment. I think it’s much more gradual than that. It’s hard to pin point a specific time or event that triggered a huge change in thinking or behavior. Certainly, training in a career that involves ridiculous amounts of expendable supplies (you don’t even want to know how much film and paper and chemicals we went through in school just to be chucked away at the end of the day) it definitely happened in the past 5 years or so. I had been working as a photo editor and my eye is trained to notice things. Sometimes these are absolutely regular and ordinary things most people over look, or are normal and therefore unconscious. I started noticing the amount of paper in the recycling bins, my recycling bins, in the printers that would go unclaimed, in the garbage, now soiled, doomed for the landfill. And I began reading. I’ve always been more of a non-fiction reader, and as a few years ago I began to take more interest in food, agriculture, and eating a healthier diet some of the books I read on this subject happened to directly relate to environmentalism. The more I read, the more I wanted to read further. I became consumed and passionate like I had never been about something before. Because here was something I truly felt I could be a part of, have a voice in, and create positive change for.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
AB: Wow this is a tough one. I’m certainly guilty of this myself! To be honest, I’m not sure I have the answer. Except I know that we can’t stop, just because we think it may not be working. I’m not saying keep preaching so-to-speak, but don’t give up on the message and don’t give up the fight. I really think to make a change it has to come from the top. But in order to create change in government it takes us down here on the ground voicing our opinions and creating a movement. The more people involved in the movement the stronger our voice and the more power we’re creating for our voice to be heard and listened to seriously. That said, say it with kindness. And a smile. A smile usually works.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurts the environment?
AB: I just blogged about this yesterday! I saw a superintendent of a building in my neighborhood take 2 bags of folded sweaters and dump them in a curb-side trash can. Don’t even want to get into it! Most of my friends know me to be pretty hardcore when it comes to recycling, so when I see people at Whole Foods read the signs that clearly show (with pictures too!) what should be thrown in each individual tub and then completely get every single one of them wrong—well, it kills me. And not because some of the stuff is now contaminated, even if people are sorting it on the back end, but mostly because I know that probably means they don’t care. Ok sometimes it means they don’t speak English! But it definitely makes me sigh.
Obviously there are much larger issues that both anger and frustrate me, if not cause me to question humanity and our society as a whole. Whoa. Definitely don’t want to get into it on that one.
EP: At some of your past positions, for example at Martha Stewart Living and Seventeen magazines, not only did you partake in your “regular” duties, but you provided some “green” guidance. Can you elaborate?
AB: My greenness, if you could call it that, certainly took hold of me during my 5 year stint at Martha Stewart. At some point, alarms would go off in my head when someone a few desks down was throwing out folders and I’d immediately run over and ask if I could take them off their hands. I was going to reuse them, whereas they were going to use new ones. I wasn’t the only one however that began noticing the regular mixing of our pre-sorted recyclables and garbage late at night. Besides some of these detective roles I played which thankfully led to positive solutions, I also began some conversations about better and more sustainable paper practices both in the printing of the magazine as well as with regards to our general office duties.
At Seventeen, which occupies a floor of the LEED certified Hearst Tower, we transitioned from a highly paper wasting production process to an almost completely paper free one. Hearst wanted Seventeen to be the model for the rest of the publishing house, and therefore also the guinea pig. I worked with a fantastic department who were excited about contributing ideas on how to implement the program, and posted tips and suggestions on cubicles. Paper tracking software installed by the business department showed paper use had gone down drastically, and it was just the beginning. I also began conversations with the well known cafeteria in the building after I noticed that the fish at the sushi station was not labeled with place of origin and catch method like other fish at nearby stations. After I learned the sushi fish was coming from places like China, India, Japan, Brazil, etc. I began discussing alternatives with the head of the cafeteria.
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can people inspire others to be involved and help the environment?
AB: I think the best way to inspire others is to use the skills and talents that each individual inherently has, and channel them for the cause. I’m not a solar panel engineer, nor a project manager for an NGO, I’m a photographer and a photo editor who is using what I know and the skills I have to put out an important and urgent message. Use your notoriety and expertise for the greater good. I seriously think most people who aren’t yet convinced or aren’t yet involved simply do not understand the gravity of the current environmental crisis, the sheer scale of it, nor the urgent danger we are in.
EP: Your photography and love of travel takes you all over the world. How can the people in United States bring green awareness to help 3rd world nations? What do we need to accomplish?
AB: We have to start practicing what we preach! For one, who are we to tell others what to do if we won’t do it ourselves? How do we set an example our children, to other countries, to our leaders, if we refuse to take responsibility for our part in this? And that’s a big part. We throw away enough food to feed the entire planet. Yet roughly 14% of the world is hungry and suffers from undernourishment. We have only 5% of the world’s population but we account for 25% of the energy used. That means, if every family in the world lived like the average American family we would need 5 planet Earths to sustain us. We don’t have 5 planet Earths people—wake up!! And no, it is not ok to think you deserve to live like this but millions of other people don’t. Right now, in the States, we have an amazing opportunity. An opportunity to act, as a nation, collectively, for the greater good, and for the future of our entire planet. We have the technology, we have the know-how, and I believe we have the will power, we just have to do it. Imagine that our grandkids will be saying that we were part of the generation that saved the world vs. the generation that let this happen, and knowingly. To do this however, we have to convince our government, because they are the only ones that can implement the change we need on the scale that is required.
EP: Tell me about the Majora Carter Group and how you got involved?
AB: A friend, John Mundy, is the Project Manager there and recounted the inspirational story that led him to apply for a job there. At the time, I had left Martha Stewart, and was well into the freelance world. I was also looking to make my way into the green industry somehow, but hadn’t yet found my niche. I wanted to target companies and organizations I both cared about and believed in, and those I felt I could contribute to in a unique way given my background and expertise in the photo industry. I came on board to track and down and acquire photographic content from various events that Majora has attended over the past few years, along with video footage, to begin a media library of sorts, accessible for PR purposes, presentations, etc. I worked mostly with the VP at MCG, James Chase, although I do want to say Majora is absolutely every bit as inspirational in person as she is on television or radio.
EP: Earth Promise is about connecting and sharing ideas for change with others. What things have you done professionally that you can share with our community of members who are now making changes in their lifestyle? What have you done to raise awareness?
AB: Treehugger said it best last week when they wrote if we all just made 2 changes in our lives, just 2, we could truly help solve the climate crises. Stop eating meat and sign up for green power. I do both of those things, along with the usual stuff like only buying all natural beauty and cleaning products, drinking only from the tap, unplugging appliances when not in use, shopping seasonally at the farmers market, buying milk in reusable glass bottles, recycling my textiles, etc. On the professional side, I have gone digital, which has replaced enormous amounts of chemicals used in the making and processing of film. I upgrade my computers instead of purchasing new ones, soft proof when I edit to avoid using paper, when necessary to print do so on 100% post consumer recycled paper, opt out of all credit card offers and junk mail, cancel yearly paper phone books, etc. I do have a sticker on my door that shows I support and subscribe to 100% wind power, as I think it’s one of the most effective, if not easiest choices you can make to greening your home, office, or business. That said, beginning and continuing discussions on how to incorporate sustainable business practices is a must.
EP: When travelling, have you taken any steps to green the process, including getting around and the photography equipment you use?
AB: Yes, I’m all for train travel whenever possible to avoid unnecessary planes, and love to master the public transportation in any city I’m in. As far as equipment, I am now digital which makes me greener when I travel, in that I’m no longer carrying hundreds of rolls of film which later must be chemically processed. I was recently on a shoot where the location van, or RV, was green. Solar panels, full on recycling, souped up fuel efficiency—it was amazing.
EP: In your blog, Photography for a Greener Planet, your intention is to unite photographers and environmentalists; a great place for artists to learn from one another. What have you learned?
AB: I’ve learned a great deal both about photography and about environmentalism. In researching for appropriate photographers to write about I inherently also find out about their backgrounds, why they’ve gone into environmentally related subject matter, and of course about the issues at hand which they’re exploring. For me it’s a great way to submerge myself in both worlds simultaneously. That is, the photo/art world and the green world.
EP: Looking at your photography and other environmental artists’ works, I can see that art is a relationship between people and their environment. Regarding your environmental works, you truly focus on what the true problem is: neglect, greed, selfishness, gluttony. What are your thoughts on this?
AB: I have certainly also focused on the positive, not just the negative. For example I began a photographic project on Jamaica Bay, specifically the salt marshes there which are classified as official wild life refuge, right next to JFK airport. I focused on the beauty and unique habitat and ecosystem these marshes are providing, yet always with the underlying urgent message that they are in danger, in that they are sinking too rapidly for conservation and rehabilitation efforts to keep up with. I also produced a body of work called “Natural Containment” which questions taming and containment of both man and nature and lies on the positive spectrum. However, I’ve also photographed my fair share of work on the problems you highlighted. I do not want to shout doom and gloom, but sometimes you’ve got to see the negative before you can imagine a positive solution. There is a certain beauty to decay and the message can be easier to read. For me it truly depends on the subject matter and how I approach it personally before I decide how to approach it photographically.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
AB: I’m going to start composting in the next 6 months. And that’s an earth promise!
EP: Thank you!
Tags: agents, Andrea Bakacs, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeeper, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green photography, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, heroes, Majora Carter Group, martha stewart living, ocean habitats, organic, parsons school of design, photography, recycle, reduce, reuse, Seventeen, social network, timberland
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Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
As you know, Earth Promise has formed a relationship with Changents, a site that “connects Agents of Change with a fan base of Backers around the world, enabling them to create change together.” Not only have I posted some blogs about the site in general, but have begun interviewing some of the most incredible Heroes.
When I first found Changents, I registered to be on their mailing list. Yesterday’s email that I received truly caught my attention. Here is a portion of the post:
Change Agents Help the World.
What Happens When One of Them is in Trouble?
 Change Agent Denise Russoproduces events and concerts that raise $$ and awareness for the global water crisis. She’s been telling her story on Changents and building a community around her work since March. And right now, Denise is in distress.
On September 21, Denise’s hometown of Austell, GA started to flood. That morning Denise had no idea that by nightfall her kids’ elementary school, as well as the family car, would be completely submerged under water. She began the next day – which, by the way, was her birthday – with a “personal gondolier ride…in a canoe…to [her] front door.” Over nine feet of water had flooded her house and destroyed her family’s belongings – more than $80K in damages. Today, the house is down to its studs and her family is living in a shelter.
We stand behind our Change Agents, and right now it’s time to rally the Changents community around Denise.
As a real Change Agent, Denise is focusing on the solution instead of succumbing to grief. While this is undoubtedly an extremely tough time for her, her husband, and her two young children, she’s full speed ahead on rebuilding her life and telling us how we can help. So in true Changents fashion, we are jumping head first into problem solving mode!
Denise needs your help. She’s posted a special blog on Changents with three requests. Please check it out and while you’re there, make sure you leave a comment of support for the family! You can also forward this email to a friend using the “Forward Email” button below.
This is my way of spreading her message. Please take the time to support Denise and all that she has done for the Global Water Crisis; it is now time for the world to help her.
Tags: agents, Austell, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, clean water, climate change, denise russo, earth, earth promise, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, flood, Georgia, global, global warming, global water crisis, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, Hero, heroes, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, social network, swim, timberland, water crisis, water pollution
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Monday, October 5th, 2009
The global awareness website, Changents, “connects Agents of Change with a fan base of ‘Backers’ around the world, enabling them to create change together.” The best part about Changents is that it brings global awareness about uniquely fascinating people (aka, Heroes) and their do-good actions. Combining storytelling and social networking, Changents, partnered with Timberland and EarthKeepers , promoting these praiseworthy environmental ambassadors (and their adventures) in the hopes of gathering supporters from around the globe.
Earth Promise was fortunate to have interviewed many of Changents’ environmental Heroes.
 Christopher Swain, on Earth Day 2009, dove into the frigid and dirty Atlantic ocean, beginning a 1,000 mile, 2-year swim from New England to Washington D.C. — an eco-expedition designed to find alternatives to “unhelpful human activities” (as Christopher likes to say) destroying our ocean habitats as a result of water pollution. The public can follow Christopher’s swim, communicate with him, and experience first hand what he sees while freestyling through water contaminated with algae blooms, oil slicks, trash, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, sewage and nuclear waste… not to mention container ships, rip tides, rain, snow, lightning, high winds and tiger sharks.
Earth Promise: What changes, or Earth Promises as we call them, have you made in your lifestyle to be greener? Changes in home, travel, work, with your kids and community?
Christopher Swain: Like many people who are concerned about the environment, I used to drive long distances in my SUV to give speeches about how people shouldn’t drive long distances in their SUVs. So, for me, the first step was admitting publicly to this sort of silly inconsistency. That led to a slow series of changes in my life, like switching to a diesel pickup truck that runs on waste vegetable oil, and doing my hometown errands on my mountain bike (yes, even when it rains). In terms of my kids, well, they notice what I do more than what I say.
EP: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your involvement in the environmental “movement.”
CS: I wouldn’t call myself an environmentalist. I am a swimmer who wants clean water, and a dad who wants his kids to grow up in a healthier world.
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
CS: We didn’t even have curbside recycling when I was little. It was a big deal to stop littering—I remember my mom yelling at me to pick up my trash and throw it in the bin.
EP: I’ve read that you were drawn to the water at an early age, growing up by the water and winning your first sail-boating race at age 7. I’m assuming this love of the water drew you to making your bold statements about preserving our oceans?
CS: I love the water, and I enjoy doing projects with kids. I am doing to this swim as a way to help 50,000 kids do project-based learning about the ocean. I think working with kids is the most leveraged use of my energy–adults can be pretty set in their ways.
EP: What was your first, “aha!” green moment?
CS: Not sure there was one. I remember feeling sad when I found trash on the beaches when I was little.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
CS: Nobody likes being told what to do.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurts the environment?
CS: It is sad to see that so many of us lack the courage to leave our comfort zones behind in order to live in healthier ways.
EP: Tell us more about the 2007 documentary, Source to Sea: The Columbia River Swim?
CS: In 2002-2003, I swam the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River to call attention to the disrupted ecosystems and dislocated peoples of the Columbia River basin. The documentary went a long way toward telling the river’s story in the voices of the people who lived along its banks.
EP: How did you get involved in the Changents program?
CS: One of my neighbors told me about the site and suggested that I get involved.
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can parents and schools inspire their kids to be involved and help the environment?
CS: I believe the best way to inspire kids is to lead by example. Beyond that, I think parents and teachers should give kids the information and tools they need to begin searching for solutions.
EP: Do you feel that the United States needs stronger laws to protect the environment? If so, in what areas?
CS: In every area. In particular, I feel that the U.S. should be leading the world in protecting the web of life and in addressing the climate crisis. Sadly, we are not there yet.
EP: How can the people in United States be the world leader in green awareness to help 3rd world nations? What do we need to accomplish?
CS: We need to lead from the front. We should not ask anyone to do what we are not doing ourselves.
EP: Are these inspiring environmental actions a trend? We have interviewed Nathan Winters who just completed his 3,500 mile bike ride across America dedicated to raising awareness for land and nature conservation and to support the Nature Conservancy. What type of message should people be taking from eco-adventurous people like yourself?
CS: It takes courage to go forward when things are scary or difficult. Whether we are swimming in the ocean or riding through the Rockies in a hailstorm, we all need to fund the reserves of strength that will sustain us in challenging times.
EP: What message would you give others who want to spread their eco-ideas?
CS: You have to have the heart for this sort of work. Unless you are willing to put yourself, and maybe your life, on the line for what you believe, you aren’t going to win many hearts and minds.
EP: When on your swimming adventures, have you taken any steps to green the process, including getting around and equipment in general?
CS: Sure. We use sea kayaks and extremely-efficient, catamaran-style inflatable boats and four-stroke outboard motors for escort craft. We travel in a vegetable oil-powered truck. We are setting up virtual classroom visits for the coming school year to lower our travel miles. Our overall goal is to reduce our footprint as much as we can and then try to balance out the remaining impact through various helpful activities, like investments in new renewable energy projects.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
CS: To try to enjoy myself more when I am working hard out in the field.
EP: I’m sure all of the swims you have accomplished have a special place in your heart, but was there one that was more personal?
CS: My swim down the Columbia was a trial by water. By the time I reached the Pacific Ocean, I was an entirely changed man.
EP: Where will the next swim take you?
CS: Good question…ask me again when I get to Washington DC!
EP: This has been great. Thank you very much.
Be sure to come back and read more about the Earthkeeper Heroes.
Tags: agents, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, christopher swain, clean water, climate change, Columbia River, earth, earth promise, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, heroes, ocean habitats, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, social network, swim, timberland, water pollution
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Change the way people think. Isn’t that what any movement is all about? In order for us to see a change in environmental issues, we need to modify the public’s thought process. We need to make it personal; how it will affect them. Turning off the lights in rooms in the house which are unoccupied can not only save you in energy costs, but will help reduce greenhouse gases. That hits home for many. Overall, people do want change to help make a better world. Even just a small alteration in lifestyle certainly could be a solution to our crisis of climate change. However, it can be difficult to get people to transform many aspects of their lifestyles. How about a company, then, that changes their method of running their business? Would this draw you to shop, knowing that they practice energy efficiency? How about this for a strategic plan: Your business is advised to take specific green steps to make energy-efficient changes. In exchange, a “mob” of customers on a set day will to come and purchase from your store. A set percentage of that day’s sales will go towards revamping your business to upgrade the store to adhere to the energy efficient recommendations. What a fabulous way to applaud your business based on their green practices. 
So what is 
