‘I’ve Come Around’

Why did you decide to make "24"'s season finale the first carbon-neutral production?
Well, we hope it is still going to happen. We're aiming for it. I honestly don't know, it will entail a lot of advance planning, and it's tentative because of the strike. But we still hope it happens. We chose to do this because we think it's a great message to send.

Is Kiefer Sutherland on the green bandwagon as well?
Yes, absolutely. Kiefer is very aware of this issue. He's already done a public service announcement for this on fox.com.

Do you think "24"'s embracing the Hollywood green movement has surprised some?
I actually think the show has been given an unfair rap, largely because Joel Surnow ("24"'s co-creator) announced himself as a staunch conservative. It's an imperfect syllogism that because Joel is conservative and he created the show that the show is a conservative show. It is not a political show, it's a thriller, and I think any reasonable person can see it has no agenda. If anything, we show the complexity of such issues as privacy, civil liberties, and other issues. That's the reason everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Barbra Streisand to Bill Clinton likes the show.

How did you get involved in this upcoming Hollywood Goes Green conference?
I was invited by our network's public relations department. They knew I was involved in this issue. I said, "Sure, I would love to take part." I don't pretend to be an expert—as I said, I'm an expert by marriage. I don't really know the Hollywood environmental crowd. Laurie David is the closet friend I have in terms of environmental glitterati. I'm more of a layman. But I do contribute to the NRDC [Natural Resources Defense Council], Heal the Bay and other organizations.

What do you think the tipping point was for Hollywood in terms of making a real commitment to going green—or has it come yet?
I think it has. There's a political will now, and it's an increasingly bipartisan issue. I recently read a compelling argument from an investment banker about the economic opportunities of the environmental movement. They can be very great. I think environmentalism in general is becoming more and more embraced by corporate America, from General Motors to Monsanto. Both in the entertainment industry and elsewhere, I just hope it transcends the trendiness. It has a danger of being a fad rather than a real consciousness-changer. But to the extent that the movement has aroused the political will of not only Hollywood but the entire country, we will see some real change, and I hope the media companies, which seem to be embracing it in terms of reducing their own energy consumption, stay on board.

What was your personal tipping point?
I've had my own gradual conversion, thanks to my wife. Part of it was simply reconciling the hypocrisy of our lifestyle. I feel now that doing something is better than nothing, but for the longest time I just felt that the environment was too big a problem to tackle. I've learned that once you take those first small steps, it gets easier. It's consciousness-altering. Like when you change your first light bulb, you then become more inclined to carpool, then you decide to get solar panels, and the influences and activities just continue. I was cynical for the longest time. But I've come around.

© 2007