Full feedHeal the world with an Energy Revolution!
Oscar, our celebrity stalker, was in Austria recently at a nuclear power station that's gone green. He writes:
On Friday night. I was at Zwentendorf, a small town in lower Austria, more precisely in a nuclear power station built in the 1970’s but never used because Austrians voted against nukes. The plant has just become a solar power station after a spectacular event that I attended this weekend. It is now a symbol of how collective action for a green world can transform dirty and dangerous energy into clean, green and peaceful fuel!
The recent Save the World Awards took place in this plant, which I was fortunate enough to attend this weekend. I was inspired by this symbolic step towards an energy revolution and hope that it will help to raise awareness of the need for action on climate change as we approach the upcoming climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December.
I was at the Save the World Awards here - as Greenpeace was being honored for our persistent and ongoing commitment to preserving our Earth and our fight against climate change. In this year, Michael Jackson was posthumously been honored with the prize for his social and humanitarian achievements.
It was a very moving night. Jermaine Jackson accepted the award for his brother and later I had the chance to talk with him: “What Greenpeace is doing is definitely very representative of what Michael has been doing... like with his Earth song… and it’s up to all of us to together to make a change…" is very important what Greenpeace is doing, and we will continue doing this as the Jackson family... What you see here, this nuclear reactor… it’s the power of the people - they came together to stop this major project... it’s the power of the people! To see the full clip of my interview with Jermaine Jackson - click here.
Andie MacDowell hosted the event, where our activists hung a banner of celebration that says “Energy Revolution – Climate Solution”, in the middle of the rain. “It was a beautiful presentation”, she told me immediately after the show finished. You can see my full interview with Andie MacDowell here. And Carl Lewis added later that “it’s a wonderful message for the world… the message is so relevant that all of us should support and encourage”. Check out the interview with Carl Lewis at the awards here.
Not only Hollywood superstars were present. Also Green Cross, the organisation founded by former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, was awarded. Alexander Likhotal the CEO of Green Cross told me that “the evolution of Greenpeace is very encouraging, because more and more are oriented to do actions and search for solutions… this is what exactly we need today: we need action and we need solutions” .
The rain was so fierce and I got totally wet. Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner, was brushing rain off my coat as she explained how, as a mother, she was very glad about the nuclear power station going solar: “This is a Greenpeace dream… to have this happen!” And then I asked her a question: "What would you say to world leaders if you would have them in front of you? The answer of this renowned peace activist was very clear: “You never get answers from the top down… ever… you can build solutions from the bottom up… so I would say: don't be so stupid, don’t wait… you know the truth, if you don’t take action, you will use your power in the wrong way… if you use your power in the right way you can build a brand new world”. You can watch the interview with Betty Williams here and check out a short video summarising the event itself here.
