Name: Mathew Horne (star of BBC2’s Gavin and Stacy tv programme)
Profession: Actor
Found at: Glastonbury backstage, right after a downpour
Do you come here often?
The last time I was here was ten years ago.
How come you took so long to come back?
Because of all this [points to the mud and puddles in the area]. Fun, yeah. Little on the damp side.
When are you heading off?
We’ll, we’re off tomorrow. And to be honest, if someone makes the offer, maybe tonight,
Have you been up to the Greenfields or anything?
How far away are they?
Quite far. Up that way.
Are we talking metres here, or kilometres?
I dunno – maybe about a kilometre and a half?
In that case, no.
Do you think Glastonbury’s good at promoting green issues?
Do you mean do I think it’s good at raising awareness? Then yes, definitely. I mean it’s very well branded, isn’t it? With all the charities and everything. [points to prominent Greenpeace, WaterAid and Oxfam stalls]
Who are you most looking forward to seeing?
The Maccabees.
Name: Chloe
Profession: Part-time barista
Age: A secret
Found at: Spanish Harlem, New York City
Where are you from?
I’m half French, half American. But, originally from Paris.
Cool. So what are you doing here?
Just working part time because they had to reduce my hours at my other job. They couldn’t afford to have me full time.
Damn recession! Does the recession mean you think less about the environment?
No way. I think about the environment all the time. All the time. Absolutely. I’m into organic, hand-made things. In fact, I’m into anything that’s good for the planet.
And do you have environmentally aware colleagues?
Kind of. They’re fun and laid-back. Very Nice.
Good for you, but what about the food here, is it organic?
There is some but unfortunately not all of it is organic.
What about that dessert - what is it?
It’s panna cotta.
So are you a typical panna cotta girl or one of those crème brûlée kind of girls?
Well, come to think about it…. crème brûlée for sure!
Name: Afaina de Jong
Age: 32
Profession: Creative entrepreneur
From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Found at: De Noordermarkt in Amsterdam
I love your old school roller skates, very eco friendly mode of transport. Are you eco conscious?
Absolutely. I’m very eco friendly.
For example….?
I was just in the market buying seeds for my new balcony garden boxes.
Cool. What are you going to grow?
I’d like to grow flowers, herbs and some veggies if I can find the room.
Ok. That’s fairly ambitious. Do you have lots of gardening experience already?
No. But I’ll learn. Everyone has to learn because the world needs to be more sustainable.
You sounded pretty gloomy as you said that. Do you worry about the future?
I don’t have sleepless nights but I do think there’ll be big changes in the future which we will have to deal with. This city could even be flooded in a few years because of climate change!
Lets stay optimistic for now and, on a lighter note, hair or no hair?
What??
Hair or no hair?
Ummm…. hair!
Photo by Tom van der Leij
Name: Mariska Maaike
Age: 28
Profession: Photography art student at the Rietveld Academy
From: Amsterdam
Found at: De Noordermarkt in Amsterdam
What’s that tattoo on your foot all about?
It’s the eye of a dragon. I didn’t want to have a tattoo of the whole dragon so I chose the prettiest bit. I got it because I knew it would annoy my parents.
Do you have an eco friendly lifestyle, Marisca?
Well, I try to. I eat a maximum of one hundred grams of meat a day. I think people eat far too much meat and the meat industry is responsible for a lot of environmental damage.
You’ve clearly thought this through, that’s a very specific amount of meat you’ve calculated to eat.
I guess so. But that’s all I need. And that’s probably all anybody needs.
Do you work next to your studies?
Yes, I work in a vegan restaurant.
A vegan restaurant? But you eat meat?
Yes, I know. I could never become a vegan myself, but I like the atmosphere and people there very much.
Skinny dipping or a bikini?
Well….actually neither of them. I’d pick a fifties bathing suit!
Name: Polamitis Sofronios
Age: 47
Profession: Manager and shareholder of Cyprusvillages
Where from: Cyprus
Found at: Tochni, Cyprus
Excuse me, what do you do for a living?
I have my own business. We buy abandoned old houses and renovate them into apartments for tourists. So far we have seventy houses in five villages.
Are Cypriots into sustainable building?
Yes. In fact, we get fifty percent of our money sponsored by the European Union because we restore houses in their traditional styles as well. Isn’t that a good sample of sustainability?
Well, yes, but does that save the world?
Hmmm… not sure, but I also try to recycle as much as possible. For instance my company collects glass, paper and plastic. In May there’ll be a conference about the environment and because I support the initiative I’ve offered some of the people attending a place to stay for free.
And what do you have to offer your visitors?
We only offer rural activities - not motorised ones. So horse riding, cycling and hiking.
What’s your philosophy in life?
I think that we as human beings are temporary residents of the planet. We have responsibilities for all creations on earth and have to use as little natural resources as possible.
Which dance do you prefer, Sirtaki or Zorba?
Well the Zorba is part of the Sirtaki, it’s the more energetic part of it, so it will be Zorba!
Name: Jon Smith
Age: 23
Profession: Programming Associate at Comedy Central
From: Texas, USA
Photo taken at: Bank of America in Queens, NYC
What did you just do in there?
I just got money.
Wow. Not many people can say that nowadays.
Haha! Lucky me huh.
Do you think banking could be greener?
Definitely. I always do my banking online. But for some reason Bank of America still sends me stuff in the mail, though they don’t need to. I’ve told them, ‘Go Paperless’ about five thousand times.
What about cutting down trees to make dollar bills?
Oh no….I always thought… I always thought money was printed on cotton- No?
What’s your favorite Comedy Central Show?
South Park. I’ve probably watched each episode about five times.
What are you doing to go green?
In the shower I’ll get wet, turn of the water, lather up - kind of marinate a bit – and after that I’ll turn the water back on to rinse off.
Do you really do that?
Oh yeah. I had this really environmentally conscious friend in college who taught me that one.
What if you’re sharing the shower…
Oh, in that case I keep the water on!
Name: Steven van Grinsven
Profession: Curator of “ZINGERpresents”
Age: 32
Found at: Wolvenstraat, Amsterdam
Climate change, does that ring a bell?
Yes, I worry about that like everybody else. But I have to admit that I don’t do anything with it. Pretty bad huh?
Yes. Have you heard of green energy?
Uuhh..No.
Do you have energy saving and LED lights at home?
No.
How about ecofriendly fashion?
No. Style goes before consciousness.
Jeez…organic food?
Yes, but that’s because of the taste. It just tastes better.
Your scarf could be made out of recycled textiles?
Well….no. This is designer….!
Oh excuse me…
What do you drink, vodka or nettletea?
I actually don’t like either, but if have to drink one of them the whole day I would choose vodka.
Name: Charlie
Age: 30 Something
Profession: Culinary Student
Found at: 14th Street Between Broadway and 5th Avenue, Union Square, NYC
What’s your cat’s name?
His name is Nicholas.
Would you consider your cat eco-friendly?
Yeah, I would imagine so because he eats and does his business outside. That would be eco-friendly. I don’t use a cat litter. (laughs)
So are you eco-friendly too?
To a certain extent, I guess.
Low carbon footprint?
Yeah, I don’t leave a mess anywhere I go.
Have you ever tried to put a dog on your head?
No.
Would you?
No.
Have you ever put the cat anywhere else on your body?
No.
Do people try to touch the cat a lot?
Yes. I get a lot of wackos.
How much can you make in a day doing this?
That’s confidential information.
Name: Judith Hermarij
Profession: Dancer
Age: 29
Where from: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Found at: Elandsgracht, Amsterdam
You just came out of the organic grocery store. Why do you shop there?
I shop there because I care about people, the environment and animals. I buy almost everything organic. It’s the fuel for your body and the quality of your food is really important.
A lot of people complain that organic food is too expensive…
I think it’s the other way round: the stuff in the supermarkets is too cheap! Three euros for a kilo of chicken, that can’t be healthy! I’d rather buy a small amount of good quality food than a pile of rubbish.
Are you worried about the state of our planet?
Very much. But what I read about it sometimes confuses me. The planet is warming up but this year we have a very cold winter! But I’m convinced we should treat the planet with more respect regardless.
How do you save the planet, aside from the way you shop?
I have green energy, I support Greenpeace, I don’t eat meat and I do almost everything by bike. The last thing is not an effort because that’s the most practical way of transport anyway in Amsterdam.
Laces or velcro?
Eehhh…I prefer laces. Most sneakers have laces right? Isn’t velcro more a children’s thing anyway?
Photo by Tom van der Leij
Name: Frank Uffen
Profession: Advises Amsterdam on city development
Age: 32
Where from: Amsterdam
Found @: Berenstraat, Amsterdam
What are you up to today?
I’m on my way to work. I advise developers and cities on urban development projects. I come up with ideas on how to make the city nicer to live in.
Does ‘nicer to live in’ also mean more sustainable?
Yes. There’s more and more attention about impacts on the environment also at a social level. How can you make a neighbourhood healthier? How much garbage or energy does a building project cost? That’s what we think about.
Do you have sleepless nights because of climate issues?
No, I sleep very well. There’s nothing that can keep me awake!
Do you have nightmares sometimes?
No, but I do worry. I travelled a lot and the developments in China will have a huge impact on the climate I’m afraid.
How eco do you live yourself?
I live next to an organic shop, that’s where I do my shopping. I have energy saving light bulbs, a well insulated house and I recycle my glass and paper. I did buy this take away coffee though….
Tut, tut, tut! Who would you like to spend a day with, Al Gore or Tina Turner?
(After a long silence while Frank gazes out of the window)…Well….those legs of Tina…If I could get some work-out tips from her on how to get those legs, I choose Tina!
