Hollywood's guru of global warming

Laurie David has become adept at using pop culture to promote a greener planet – on TV, the Web, and in the rock music world.

from the April 12, 2007 edition

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It doesn't hurt either that David once worked in the sharp-elbowed world of late night TV as a talent booker for David Letterman. If nothing else, it has made her fluent in the language of the rock world and able to connect with young people. She has teamed up on initiatives with Reverb, a group that enlists musicians to talk about global warming. "She is a tour de force," says Adam Gardner, cofounder of Reverb and a guitarist/vocalist with the rock band Guster.

Not everyone swoons over David. She has been dismissed as a bête noire extremist by Rush Limbaugh, the auto industry, and oil and coal companies. Critics argue she overstates the global-warming threat and preaches the virtues of reducing a carbon footprint from a home in the opulent suburbs. "The American people know when their intelligence is being insulted," said US Sen. James Inhofe (R) of Oklahoma, an ardent global-warming skeptic, in congressional testimony referring to David and other activists. "They know when they are being used and when they are being duped by the hysterical left."

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David lives in a big house in upscale Pacific Palisades, and she occasionally flies in private jets. But she is committed to shrinking her own impact on the atmosphere. She doesn't believe Americans must adopt a neo-Luddite existence to help curb global warming. "Each of us can do more every day," she says. "For now, it's the little stuff that can make a big difference."

In the David household, that means low-flow showerheads and toilets, biodegradable toilet paper, and turning off lights. In the summer, the family retreats to Martha's Vineyard, where David often hosts "educational" dinners that bring together scientists, politicians, and celebrities, whom she leans on to get involved.

Two budding activists influenced by David are Christina and Jeffrey Lurie, owners of the Philadelphia Eagles. They founded "Go Green," which has brought discussions about energy efficiency and carbon footprints to football management. "My goal is to be able to buy all of the energy that powers the stadium and team facilities from clean energy sources," says Ms. Lurie.

Kennedy shares a letter he sent to David. It features a famous quote from Abraham Lincoln upon meeting Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin": "So you're the little lady who started this big war."

David, for her part, says she's not interested in pulling America apart or the glitter of Oscars. More than anything, she wants citizen action against global warming to spur commitments from candidates in the presidential campaign. "I believe we are nearing a tipping point," she says. "I think we can push this over the top."

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