David de Rothschild – Friend of the Earth
Henry Sands meets David de Rothschild – environmentalist, author, and founder of the wed-based group Adventure Ecology.
How best can celebrities bring awareness to environmental issues, and is enough being done to do this?
The power of celebrity is now phenomenal. It is a new medium that is just as powerful as TV, radio and the web. Some people might describe the enormous following that celebrities have as fickle, but that doesn’t change the fact that there is huge belief in their actions. People really take note of what celebrities do and follow their example. Unfortunately, there is a lot criticism and adverse publicity of charity endorsements. People often say how easy it is for celebrities to do lots of charity work and some believe this can be belittling to the public. Yes, I come from the de Rothschild family, but I am still trying to make a positive change. It shouldn’t matter what my surname is: I’m just Dave. I’ve seen the “What do they know about anything?” attitude assumed much of the time, especially if a celebrity supports more than one charity. The fear that celebrities have of the media jumping on them and criticising them prevents many of them from doing more charity work. The fact is, celebrity endorsement does work. I mean, just look at Darfur. It’s suffering from one of the worse atrocities this world has ever seen, but had it not been for the work of George Clooney and Brad Pitt there is no way it would have got the media coverage and support that it has. Many celebrities who endorse charities are actors who, by trade, are the best storytellers. Environmental issues are some of the most important stories that need to be told; therefore having the best storytellers on board is essential.
You have just started working on a new TV series called Eco-Truth. Could you tell us a bit about it?
Eco-Truth is about investigating the life-cycle of everyday products, to allow people to have a better understanding of exactly where those items have come from. The idea is that we take a normal item such as a T-shirt or a milk bottle and then show the viewers just how it was made, step by step. At present there are so many reports and information available about how these products affect the environment that it has almost become generic. I want to show the truth in a neutral manner in order to allow people to make up their own minds on what is environmentally friendly at what is not.
What is your opinion of the Kyoto treaty?
It’s a starting point. However, I see it as more “off-putting” than “off-setting”; it is also very localised. The planet needs attention all over, not just in specific areas.
Developing countries, particularly China and India, seem to ignore the planet’s environmental crisis. What can we do in the West to change their point of view?
I find the West’s criticism of Asian pollution rates rather like the smoking mother’s analogy. If a mother wants her children not to smoke, there is no point in her lecturing them while she has a cigarette in her hand. It is hypocrisy at its clearest. In order for Asia to cut back its pollution, the West must stop patronising them and make a change itself. We must lead by example. The only way they will listen to us and take note is if we can transfer clear information in a non-condescending manner. We must change our own habits before focusing our attention on theirs. That’s the biggest issue.
You work closely with IWC watches. What can luxury brands do to help charitable causes?
Well, it’s strange because the idea of luxury and environmental awareness sounds rather an oxymoron. In actual fact, the message I’m trying to get across is very similar. A good watch is passed down through generations, looked after and loved by its keeper. You don’t own a watch but merely look after it for the next generation, as the slogan says. That is the same message I’m trying to get across about our planet. We have to look after it and love it so our future generations can too. When you break a watch down, it is made out of tiny little parts which by themselves may not seem very important; however, they are all essential for the mechanics of the watch to work. It is the same with the earth. What might seem like a little thing by itself actually plays a very important role in the bigger picture. IWC watches represent the values that I stand for. They are not so mainstream luxury that everybody knows them, but everyone with a passion for watches knows their quality. Their clients are generally influential people who are in positions to instigate change. IWC’s support for Adventure Ecology allows me to take a sniper approach to gain their clients’ interest in my projects. In that respect luxury brands are very helpful in tacking environmental issues, as they can facilitate communication between the necessary parties.
Do you have an environmental hero?
There are many people who are doing great work to help the planet, and there are lots of people I greatly respect. To say one person was my environmental hero would be wrong. I am a huge admirer of the work of Van Jones. His work addresses the problem that as good as it is to encourage the distribution of solar panels and environmentally friendly equipment, there have to be the engineers to install them. His work is dedicated to building an inclusive green economy without poverty.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Living peacefully on my farm in New Zealand, eating organic food.
David’s next challenge is to sail 8,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney in a boat made of plastic bottles and recycled waste products. The vessel, named the Plastiki after Thor Heyerdahl’s famous 1947 expedition in the Kon-Tiki, is designed to draw attention to the usefulness of recycled waste.
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January 8th, 2010 at 11:15 am
I would like to ask Dave De Rothschild what his views are all the points raised in the powerful documentary “collapse” What does he agree with and disagree with and what steps does he think we need to take.