The environmental optimist

The Angeles Chapter mourns the passing of Huell Howser, the beloved host of PBS' "California's Gold" and other travel series. Howser was honored with an Angeles Chapter Award in 2007 for his efforts to keep the spirit and importance of California State Parks alive. He will be greatly missed on the entertainment and environmental landscape. Here's a 2005 interview former Southern Sierran editor Domnique Dibbell conducted with Howser about his thoughts on travel, activism and, of course, the environment.

Despite being obviously nonnative, drawling Huell Howser is as much a part of the California landscape as a taco truck at sunset. The affable Tennessee transplant has made the Golden State his home for more than 20 years and the subject of his low-key TV profiles for 15 years with his PBS show California's Gold. Last year Howser expanded on his 'gee whiz' format with a new program investigating practical ways to help the environment. Now in its second season, California's Green continues to uncover small suggestions that may add up to big changes. So far, the monthly show has covered topics such as recycled tires, wet cleaning, straw bale, and native plants, with a show in the works on green burial.

DD: What was your impetus for starting California's Green?

Huell Howser: My feeling was that we as a nation have become very polarized-the good guys versus the bad guys. Very little open dialogue is taking place, especially when you're dealing with environmental issues. That's not to say I don't think there are good guys and bad guys. I'm not naïve. But the people I'm primarily interested in reaching are the vast group in the middle who I think on their gut level would be in favor of preserving and protecting our environment.

I also think it's important that people feel empowered, so that no matter how small the gesture, they are actually doing something. Most of the time when you think about environmental things, you've been presented with global warming, overpopulation, destruction of natural resources. These are huge issues that the average citizen feels overwhelmed by. But if you get it down to biodegradable eating utensils, that way you have them involved.

Even in our Chapter, only a small percentage of members are actually activists, are going to meetings, and writing letters. It's a big commitment sometimes.

It's overwhelming to say lets save the Eastern Mojave desert, but it's not overwhelming to say, hey, next spring rather than buying a bunch of petunias to put in your yard, why don't you buy some native plants?

I thought it was interesting in your episode about crumb rubber (made from recycled tires) how the manufacturer couldn't get the big-box retailers to stock his recycled products because they're not cheap enough.

It's like the chicken and the egg. The only way it'll become cheap enough if it's sold at enough volume that the price comes down. One of my projects for this year is to personally go and meet with some of the regional managers for some of the big stores like Home Depot or Lowes and say, we understand your price points, but how about setting aside a very small corner with products for people who are willing to pay a little bit more for something that's green?

Often times I feel like we in the environmental movement are up against cultural differences. We're really talking about the same things. Who doesn't want clean air and clean water?

It's almost like the die is set before you begin the conversation. Everybody's all ready for hell to break loose because it's perceived as two diametrically opposed view points are going to try to work it out. Well, that premise from the beginning is flawed. Whereas if you approach it the other way and say who doesn't like clean water, but we recognize the fact your company has shareholders that expect a profit. So how can we make this work? The truth of the matter is that environmentally correct products are actually going to help your company make more money.

Have you gotten a lot of response to the show?

A lot of response. People contact the websites we put up on the screen. People buy the products we put up on the screen. It's gotten the kind of reaction I'd hoped it would.
Do you ever hope that by getting people environmentally aware they will get more deeply involved in activism?

I think it could, but that has to be choice they logically make by themselves as they go down the path. Rather than forcing it on someone, you gently show them their options. Suddenly they realize they're very environmental, yet they're not who they thought pro-environmental people are.

They're not driving Volvos.

You're not Ed Begley Jr., you're a guy living in the suburbs in San Bernardino who's just figured out that, hey, I can cut my water bill in half and my yard looks just as nice and I'm doing it with native plants.

Where do you stand on petroleum?

There's a finite amount of petroleum in the earth, so that seems to be an issue that is literally going to solve itself, because this madness can't go on. If you really get into it makes you crazy. I like wind power, but then there's this whole argument that these windmills are destructive to wildlife corridors, they drip oil.

Human beings are waste producing, there's no way around it.

You're tempted to go, so, what is your answer? I try not to focus on those things. I tend not to read a lot of environmental papers before I decide whether I'm going to get excited about something. My point is we're trying to move forward.

Air quality is better than it was in the '70s.

And there's some cleaner streams and lakes. I look around and see things that make me crazy every day, but if you internalize those things too much you end up not enjoying life because you're so stressed over these things you'll never really have control over. We're saying that in life as with this show, the best we can do is show people things they can do in their own lives to make a difference. It's the same thing as saying, can you change the world? No. But you can be the kind of person who lives your life by the way you treat other people-your kindness, your truthfulness, your compassion. Can you have a positive influence in your workspace, in your family, in your community? Definitely yes.

To find out when California's Green airs, go to www.calgold.com. If you would like to suggest a topic for the show, e-mail huell-at-calgold.com or write Huell Howser, 4401 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90027.

Photo: Huell Howser at the Nisei Week Grand Parade, Los Angeles, California, 19 August 2007. Credit: Wikimedia