Did you know that plastic straws contribute to the depletion of our environment?
You would if you listened to Ted Turner speak last Thursday when the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development presented "Growing Green Leaders: A Conversation with Ted Turner," which educated members of NYU on how important it is to develop an environmentally sustainable way of living.
NYU alumna Bethenny Frankel, star of Bravo TV's "The Real Housewives of New York," moderated the panel. It featured environmental discussions from media mogul and philanthropist Turner and his business partner, restaurateur George McKerrow Jr. Together, the two co-founded Ted's Montana Grill - an environmentally-friendly chain restaurant with locations across the country.
Turner recalled growing up loving the outdoors, which he said influenced his decision to take up environmentalism. He fears that if there isn't a widespread recognition of the importance of caring for the environment, the world's future will be in danger.
"The natural world is pretty much all we have," he said. "We can't make the wrong choice."
Turner also said that going green is an important economic stimulus. He said that recently the "green-collar worker" has emerged, working to enhance green technology.
"There are many new jobs with the green initiative," he said.
Both men believe that the government should provide businesses and citizens with incentives for being more environmentally conscious. Just hours before speaking at NYU, they met with New York Governor David Paterson to discuss their green goals and the state's attitude towards environmentalism. Both said that the governor reacted "positively."
Ted's Montana Grill, beyond promoting a reputation of environmental sustainability, is famous for serving bison. Turner herds bison throughout his approximately 2 million acres of land in the United States, making him the largest landowner in the country.
Frankel said she was pleased with the event.
"It was so on point," Frankel said. "I learned so much. Most people are intimidated by the word 'green.' They gave people like me great take-home tips."
Steinhardt freshman Ashley Tessema thought the event offered great insight.
"This definitely articulated more about what it means to be green," she said. "I look forward to going green myself."
Chris James is deputy city/state editor. E-mail him at cjames@nyunews.com.
