James Taylor came to perform his songs at a recent gala event in New York for the National Resource Defense Council. The evening was aptly entitled, Forces of Nature.
Mr. Taylor, an NRDC board member since 1989, exuded a quiet graciousness as he commented on his reasons for attending:
"They are, in my and many other people's opinion, doing the most effective research, legal work, and congressional government work of any environmental organization."
Natural force and NRDC attorney, Robert Kennedy, Jr., has a way of bringing high profile people together who are determined to protect the earth, each in their own way. He's been a long-time champion for the underdog (our planet), and his ability to translate complicated environmental problems into common sense solutions is superb.
l to r: Garry Trudeau, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Larry Cox (from The Ford
Foundation), Trudie Styler, Sting, Daniel Tishman, and Al Franken.
The setting sun lit up the cocktail party room, as guests mingled among totally cool electric cars, a large petition called the Declaration of Energy Independence, and an offering of well-researched literature.
After dinner, with Al Franken as emcee, Forces of Nature awards were given to individuals who "demonstrate personal leadership in safeguarding the environment."
And the winners were:
Trudie Styler: Actress, producer, director, and environmentalist. Trudie founded the Rainforest Foundation with her husband, Sting. She has produced an annual benefit concert at Carnegie Hall for the past ten years, raising over fifteen million dollars to support the world's rainforests.
Daniel Tishman: Chairman and CEO of Tishman Construction Corporation, and Executive Vice President of Tishman Realty. Daniel was recognized for his ability to bring together environmental and real estate interests in support of green building practices.
Garry Trudeau: "Doonsbury" cartoonist. Gary, through humorous drawings and words, has brought public attention to serious environmental issues. His work has helped block the congressional rollback of laws, and protect our national heritage and public health.
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