The (deputy) director's cut

A couple months ago, I took the train up to New York to film an episode for the half-hour show “Enviro Close-up with Karl Grossman”.  I have long been a fan of Karl’s, who has written several books on environmental and nuclear issues, hosted award-winning documentaries and for many years has been a pioneer for investigative and environmental journalism in a variety of media.  The invitation to appear on his show, which is produced by Enviro Video and aired nationally on Free Speech TV, was a personal honor and a great opportunity to talk about Greenpeace and our global efforts to protect the environment.

I arrived at the address where we would film the program ahead of time, which is unusual for me and left me wondering what I would do with myself in the interim, given that I rarely make it anywhere with time to spare.  True to form, the extra time I had quickly evaporated as I was thinking about baseball when the person at the front desk told me where I should go.  Since I was too embarrassed to ask again, I thus began an Escher-esque game of musical elevators in an attempt to find the place myself.  Upon finally finding the right floor, I made my way to the studio (two minutes late) and was warmly greeted by Steve Jambeck and Joan Flynn, the husband and wife team who do the behind-the-scenes work at Enviro Video that make Karl’s show possible.

I’ve done shows like this before, but it had been awhile, and I’d forgotten how much work goes into filming a program such as this.  Karl and I sat across from each other as the film crew made their adjustments, got the light right, adjusted sound levels and gave me a few last-minute pointers to maximize the camera’s ability to make me look good.  Throw in the usual nervousness that comes prior to an on-camera interview combined with the heat of the lights, and the lead up took on a slightly surreal aspect to it.  Finally it was time to roll, Steve gave the signal and Karl launched into the interview.

Once we got going I settled in and the interview went well.  Karl asked good questions, and I had the opportunity to talk on issues ranging from the threat global warming poses to polar bears, to the Cape Cod Offshore Wind Project to how we work with students across the country to win campus-based campaigns.  The half hour was over before I knew it.

After we had wrapped up and I said my good-byes to Karl, Steve, Joan and the rest of the film crew, I made my way back to the ground floor and out the door for the nearest subway station.  As I walked down the street and replayed the interview in my head, with a slight chill to the air in the late afternoon sun, the one thing I hoped came through in the program is that despite all the problems, there is in fact hope.  I’m faced every day with the monumental environmental problems that threaten our planet, and whereas it’s easy to get caught up in the difficulties and uncertainties, I only do this work because I have faith we will win in the end.  We have to win.  My children are counting on it.

Show Information:

"Enviro Close-Up: Greenpeace USA with Bill Richardson", on Free Speech TV

will air:

May 17  2:30pm 
May 18  7:30am + 8:30pm 
May 19  2:30am 
May 20  4:30am + 8:30pm
May 21  6:30pm 
May 24  2:30pm 
May 25  7:30am + 8:30pm 
May 26  2:30am 
May 27  4:30am + 8:30pm 
May 28  6:30pm