The Greenest Man in Hollywood
An Exclusive Interview with Ed Begley, Jr.
While most people soak in their morning shower, clinging to every possible moment of warmth and steam, the actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr., sails through his shower Navy style. Water on, rinse. Water off, soap up. Water on, rinse. Aboard ship, Navy personnel are required to shower this way to conserve their limited supply of water. For Ed, this level of discipline is standard protocol for conscientious living on a planet that needs our help.
Using his bicycle as a first means of transportation, followed by public transportation or his electric car, Ed lives in a modest home in Los Angeles where he enjoys his solar-powered oven and white picket fence made from recycled milk jugs. His house is a work in progress as he competes with his friend Bill Nye (the science guy) in an ongoing contest to see who can achieve the lowest carbon footprint.
Ed came into the limelight for his portrayal of Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the long-running hit television series, St. Elsewhere, for which he received six Emmy nominations. Since then, Begley has had the luxury of choosing film and television projects to his liking. His current Woody Allen film, Whatever Works, opened June 9. Upcoming projects include the movie Georgia O’Keefe, with Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen, and another season of Living with Ed, his reality television series on the Planet Green network.
I didn’t ask him how on earth he found time to write his new book, Living Like Ed (to be released September 8, 2009) yet I was grateful to receive a copy of this much-needed resource and speak with Ed about his commitment to eco-friendly living.
HT: Why do you live the way that you live? You are making sacrifices and committing to a certain lifestyle. Where does this come from?
Ed: It came from several things. It started in 1970 for some good reasons and some not-so-good reasons. The good reason was being in the Boy Scouts and getting to see nature up close and personal. I thought there was something to be preserved and enjoyed. The other good thing was that my dad liked to conserve. He turned off the lights and turned off the water and saved string and tin foil and was an environmentalist without ever using the term. Those were the two good influences.
The negative one was living in smoggy Los Angeles. By 1970 I had lived 20 years in that smog and I wanted to do something that made a difference. That’s why I bought my first electric car, got involved in the first Earth Day and started recycling. What happened next is what I didn’t count on – I started to save money.
I saved on everything! Taking public transportation or riding a bike was inexpensive. By recycling, I got a little bit of money for that. Everything I did, I did on a modest budget because I didn’t have a lot of dough. I did everything cheap and easy, down and dirty. I began saving money on my first billing cycles.
HT: Your commitment to eco-friendliness came before you achieved fame, then?
Ed: Oh, yeah, big time. In 1970 I was a broke, struggling actor with no fame whatsoever and no money.
HT: I think that even though the green movement is becoming more popular, most people aren’t really going out of their way to conserve. How do you motivate them?
Ed: I think you are right. Probably half of the people, or more, aren’t going to go to great lengths. What we have to do is show them, give them a taste of it, and get them hooked with the stuff that is cheap and easy to do. Then, let them see and experience the savings. That’s the trick.
Recycling is a gateway drug to further environmentalism, I think. So are compact fluorescent bulbs, energy saving thermostats, weather stripping, bike riding, if weather and fitness permits, and public transportation if it’s available near you. All that stuff, if you get people to try it and they like it, hooks people because they love saving money. That’s the way I present it, through that other dream known as money.
HT: Let’s say I have a small amount of money to invest in something to make my home more eco-friendly. And I want to earn that money back as soon as possible, given the low budget. What do I do?
Ed: You start with the cheapest and easiest stuff. Energy-saving light bulbs, energy-efficient thermostats, weather stripping along your doors and windows. More insulation is very effective, if you can afford some attic insulation. Pick the low-hanging fruit first and I promise you – I promise everybody in America and the world – that you will start saving money!
It took me 20 years to be able to afford solar electric. Twenty years! So I am not recommending that people do it any differently than I did. I didn’t get into any huge debt in 1970 by buying solar that I couldn’t afford. I did what I could then to save some money and moved up the ladder – up and up until I could afford to do more.
HT: Just about anybody can do something now to save money and the environment.
Ed: Yes. That’s what I emphasize. I agree 100 percent. People need to make a list of things they can do and can afford and experience the savings. Once they get a taste of the savings while knowing they are protecting the environment, they want to do more.
HT: Can you give me an overview of your book, Living Like Ed?
Ed: Yes, it is a lot of what we were just talking about – step-by-step tips, things people can do around their home or apartment, however they live, wherever they live. We use a little tree icon in the book, suggesting what represents the lowest- to highest-hanging fruit. The suggestions at the bottom of the tree – the lowest-hanging fruit – represent what we can do with minimal investment. Then there is the fruit hanging at the middle of the tree, like double-pane windows and solar hot water. At the top of the tree are big things like doing an energy retrofit on your house, buying solar electric and buying a hybrid car.
But nobody should start at the top of the tree. You start at the bottom and get a taste for it and get the energy savings and then move up the tree. You don’t run up Mount Everest with your first steps. You get acclimated and do what you can when you can.
HT: What’s next on your list?
Ed: A grey-water system (which filters household wastewater for reuse in the garden or for other purposes). I’ve always wanted a grey-water system and now it’s available. I know a guy who has a real nice one and I’m going to give it a try.
HT: I’ve seen Dennis Weaver’s video on the Earth Ship homes. Those are built from the ground up with the grey-water system, but you are retrofitting an existing home, correct?
Ed: Right, that’s the idea. Dig up the backyard and put a system in there. It’s always more expensive to do it later, but I’ve got a hankering to do it.
HT: Give me a quick perspective on what it’s like to have a reality TV show. I’m not a very social person and can’t imagine having a film crew around all the time. Is it a sacrifice?
Ed: If they were here all the time it would be quite an intrusion, quite an invasion in my life. They are here only a few days a week, sometimes as much as 12 hours a day, but often just six or seven hours. So, it’s not bad at all. It’s completely manageable.
I go to work in my home and they film while I work. Right now they are filming in the living room with Rachelle and I’m up here checking e-mail and talking to you. Then, they’ll come up and say, “Ed, we’re ready for you now. Can you come down and talk about the solar?” So, I go down and work for 15 or 20 minutes and then come back up and read more e-mail. Not a bad job.”
Healthy Times wishes to thank Greg Glass of Brentwood Communications International, Inc. for his help arranging this interview.
About Ed Begley, Jr. Ed serves on the boards of several organizations including the Thoreau Institute, the Earth Communications Office, Tree People and Friends of the Earth. He has earned a number of prestigious awards from environmental groups, including the California League of Conservation Voters. Begley currently lives in Los Angeles in a solar-powered home with his wife Rachelle and their daughter Hayden. For more on Ed Begley, Jr., visit www.EdBegley.com. His new book, Living Like Ed, is available at major booksellers.