Mindful Metropolis September 2010 : Page 23
In 2007, JGI created the “Good for All” brand to recognize companies and environ-mentally conscious products that are making the effort to use sustainable processes and so-cially responsible practices. I am pleased that so many eco-friendly companies have come to the table with innovative ideas and products that are consistent with JGI’s vision and values. A portion of the proceeds from “Good for All” products help support JGI’s efforts including chimpanzee protection and community-cen-tered conservation in Africa, as well as Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, JGI’s global environ-mental and humanitarian youth program for young people from preschool through college. Together, we can truly encourage consum-ers to make positive changes in their every-day lives that will help the environment and build a more sustainable future. are such collaborative partnerships with for-profit companies a new front in the campaign to protect the environment? While there are still a number of challeng-es to overcome, many companies are begin-ning to change. There’s no question that many companies are trying to help people in the countries where they’re operating. They are trying to improve standards of living and help children get educated. There are people who really, really care. And I think more heads of corporations are beginning to feel that way, whether they’ve seen the writing on the wall or looked into the eyes of their grandchildren. Whatever it is, I think more and more are beginning to understand that we’re not in this world just to grow and take. We’re in this world to help and to save something for our future generations. Public companies can only act in a socially and environmentally responsible way, that is, make decisions, with their shareholders’ approval. Pressure from the public can also encourage a company to change their prac-tices. So again, it comes back to us. The com-pany will be driven by the people who buy the products. So our purchasing decisions affect our environment on a daily basis. We hear talk these days of yesterday’s global barriers being broken down— especially among today’s youth— thanks to the internet, travel and trade. how can such cross-cultural movement help us protect the environment? Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots is breaking-down the barriers we build between people of different countries, religions and cultures. It’s even appearing in prisons and among senior citizens. It’s also being embraced by staff at various companies. It’s what gives me hope, and what gives me energy to carry on. The shining eyes: “Dr. Jane, we want to show you what we’ve done to make the world a better place. We want to tell you what we’re doing to make the world a better place and what we plan to do.” I hope that one of the achievements in the next quarter century is that more and more people around the world will understand that there are actions that each one of us can take to make a difference. This will happen through the Internet, word of mouth and through the development of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots and other programs coming together to create this critical mass of youth with different values. But if we don’t get there, then during the next quarter of a cen-tury we will see the world deteriorating, so it is up to every one of us to become involved locally and to take steps to change the way that we live on this planet. the Great lakes regional office of your roots & shoots program is located in chicago. tell us about roots & shoots and how it relates to the work for which you are most known—research-ing and protecting chimpanzees. When I was in Gombe I was just con-cerned with learning about the behavior of one group of chimps. Then I realized that chimps across Africa were becoming extinct and so I traveled around Africa and talked about conservation. It was not long after that I realized how many of the problems in Af-rica are due and left over from colonialism and the continued exploitation of Africa’s re-sources. While travelling in Europe, Asia and North America, I realized how many young people had lost hope, which led me to estab-lish this global program for young people, which is now in more than 120 countries. Roots & Shoots involves young people from preschool right through university. Roots & Shoots’ main message is that every one of us makes an impact on the world every day. It’s helping individuals to understand that though they may feel their small actions don’t make a difference, it’s not just them. Cumula-tively, our small decisions, choices and actions, make a very big difference. Roots & Shoots is youth driven. The mem-bers get together with their peers, teachers, and/or family members to talk about the problems around them. They then choose three projects that they feel would make things better: one for people, one for ani-mals and one for the environment. We are changing lives on a daily basis. Young people are empowered to want to make a difference in their world. I think this is why it’s growing so rapidly. how has individual involvement in the environmental movement changed since you were a child? The Internet has broken down a number of barriers for the environmental movement since I was a child. People from all over the world can learn about different environmental issues. They can share their thoughts, organize and collaborate with each other to overcome the threats facing the planet and its well being. What advice do you have for budding young environmental activists today? and, what are the most important current causes in which they should get involved? I would say never to give up and to get in-volved. We need to step up to the challenge now. There are so many opportunities for people to step up in a positive, lasting and meaningful way—to think globally and live locally. I would encourage young people to get involved in Roots & Shoots, identify the issues that concern them, whether in their own backyard or across the globe and take action to make a difference for people, ani-mals and the environment we all share. at the nature museum, you said, “if i’d imagined what i’d be doing today, when i was out in the forest, i think i would have gone deeper and deeper into the forest and never emerged, but it was thrust upon me. so i went in as a scientist and i came out an activist.” Was there a particular moment when you realized what your calling was? It actually all began in 1986. You know, in the beginning of the year, I was in a dream world. I was out there with these amazing chimpan-zees. I was in the forests I dreamed about as a MINDFULMETROPOLIS.COM 23
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