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THE GREEN SIDE OF “GOVERNATOR” ARNOLD SCHWARTZENEGGERDate: 24.03.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Chile
(March 24, 2007) (Ed. Note: The former Austrian bodybuilder and Hollywood actor-turned-politician talks to reporters Marc Hujer and Gerhard Sporl about his environmental reforms as governor of California. In September of 2006, Schwarzenegger signed a law to limit greenhouse gas emissions, which made the state of California the first in the United States to take measures against global warming. )
LA NACIÓN: Not too long ago you were a proud owner of a Hummer collection, vehicles infamous for being gas-guzzling machines. But now that you have become the first “green governor,” it seems as though you would have to stop using them. Are the rumors true that you in fact sold your fleet?
ARNOLD SCHWARTZENEGGER: On occasion I do buy and sell cars, but I do not buy and sell fleets of them.
LN: So then you still have the Hummers?
AS: These aren’t just any Hummers. I asked General Motors to make one of them that can run on hydrogen. It’s the only Hummer in the world with that kind of motor. Another one has a bio-diesel engine instead of a gasoline based one. But now I use vehicles provided by the state, and the Hummers stay in the garage.
LN: Don’t you think that it’s strange to convert a Hummer, an SUV that burns through gas, into an ecological car? Wouldn’t it make more sense to buy a smaller one?
AS: Not at all. The message I am trying to convey is that to protect the environment you don’t have to be against large vehicles. Instead, we need to develop the technology that can stop the emission of greenhouse gases, because that’s the real issue.
LN: Could you say then that Californians will be able do the right thing without having to sacrifice luxury?
AS: Yes. It’s marvelous! Recently, our offices were the first in the country to receive the hydrogen-fueled BMW-7. BMW made 100 of these cars, and distributed them to 100 different political leaders, stars, and other highly visible people. When these people drive the cars in the streets, they sell the idea that driving a hydrogen-fueled car is desirable. For this reason, I don’t want to say that you need to make cars smaller. I say, “Keep your luxury!”
LN: If and when the economy falls victim to environmental changes, will you still feel comfortable with the nickname, “Green Governor?”
AS: I love this nickname. When I was on the campaign trail last year, “green” was my final message. For example, at one of our press conferences, the ocean was our backdrop, with a sign reading,“The oil-bearing riches of the ocean floor will eventually disappear because we now know pollution is self-defeating, and we maybe slowly killing the earth with global warming.”
LN: You are not the only politician in the US that has adopted a green platform. Others, like the former vice-president Al Gore, are taking on this pressing issue. Has global warming become a political hot topic?
AS: I think the topic is huge right now. It reminds me of my bodybuilding days. In the beginning, it was relatively unknown, but we promoted the sport, and it became very popular.
LN: What brought about this new wave of ecological consciousness? Was it the rise of gas prices, and the fact that the US depends on the Middle East for oil?
AS: We are not happy with the fact that we must depend on fossil fuels for energy. It’s naive like an investor that only invests in one product or business. We must diversify. We have not done that with our energy.
LN: But you don’t think global warming takes second place behind the war in Iraq for the upcoming 2008 election?
AS: I don’t know. Right now, Iraq is also a huge issue. But in politics things can change quickly. I hope it’s not the only topic they focus on with the candidates, but also infrastructure, health, immigration, and other important matters.
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