Amy Brenneman: A Green Practice
With brains and beauty, Amy Brenneman has been keeping it sustainable since she was a ‘70s kid silk-screening environmental messages onto t-shirts in seventh grade shop class (so we guess you could add “brawn” to that list as well). A graduate of Harvard and co-creator of the award-winning Cornerstone Theater Company, Amy’s been nominated for more Emmys and Golden Globes than we have fingers for her work as an actress on “NYPD Blue” and as the creator, producer and star of the beloved “Judging Amy” (she still gets call outs for that show). Currently, she co-stars on the hit show “Private Practice,” while playing mom to her two kids with writer/director Brad Silberling. She sat down with us to debate the merits of biodegradable diapers.
ES: When did you first become aware of the green movement?
AB: The 1970s. My dad is an environmental lawyer, so words like “conservation” and “ecology” were part of my vocabulary growing up. During Jimmy Carter’s presidency, there were phrases like “68 feels great!” (about keeping the thermostat low) and “Ecology for America!” which I silk-screened in seventh grade shop class.
I guess what’s odd to me now is that the green movement sort of went underground for 20 years. There have always been individuals keeping it going - my dad being one of them - but it was really global warming that made it front page news again.
ES: What kinds of green changes have you made or do you plan to make in your life?
AB: I am a spokesperson for a wonderful group called Healthy Child, Healthy World which is concerned with environmental toxins and their affects on children. They have five easy steps towards a healthier, green home which I have tried to adopt. They are: eat organically, no pesticides, judicious use of plastics when cooking, clean air filters in the home, and use non-toxic cleaning products, such as Method or Seventh Generation or Shaklee. I also drive a Prius and am in the process of changing my yard to include mostly drought resistant plants. I PLAN to make even more changes: solar panels and composting are at the top of my list.
ES: What are a few of your favorite green Green fashion designers or labels? How about stores or websites?
AB: I was introduced to a wonderful “eco-luxe” designer, Linda Loudermilk, who uses only sustainable materials to create the most beautiful clothing. I wear her things whenever I can. My children attend a Waldorf School, which promotes natural toys and games. Through their school, I have been exposed to wonderful companies like Magic Cabin, which produces toys only using natural materials. I also try to go to farmer’s markets whenever I can, and support local merchants, which helps cut down on the carbon footprint. Finally, my friend is starting a new rewards program, called “Eco-perks”—check out their Web site to see how imaginative buying green products can be!
ES: What’s your favorite eco-friendly tip our readers should know about?
AB: I think it is important to think about conservation in addition to buying green products. It may not seem “American” to use less and conserve materials, but our children will thank us.
ES: And, finally, what’s the best green advice you ever got and who gave it to you?
AB: Christopher Gavigan, my friend who runs Healthy Child, Healthy World talks about taking small steps and not getting overwhelmed by all the things we’re NOT doing. It’s easy to get emotionally exhausted by all of the environmental challenges. But inch-by-inch, step-by-step, we can all make a difference.
