Speaking of the Founder ...

Normally in this space Founder and Chairman, Carl Hodges waxes eloquently about the real world.  People, events, ideas, whatever he is thinking and doing are prime candidates for topics.  But this month, we thought you would enjoy hearing what some others think of him.

In May 2006 an issue of Vanity Fair Magazine hit the stands as one of the first, non-environmental magazines to circulate a “Special Green Issue”.  With a forest setting and classy green garbed George Clooney, Al Gore, Julia Roberts and Robert Kennedy on the cover, it posed the position; “A Threat Graver than Terrorism: Global Warming”.  This year has been one of acceptance of that threat.  And many articles, conferences and broadcasts have brought the reality of global warming, sea level rise and multiple other consequences to our doorstep.

The 2007 May issue of Vanity Fair hosts the 2nd Annual Green Issue. This cover sports Leonardo DiCaprio with 3 month old Knut, the polar bear cub born in the Berlin Zoo, representing his relatives imperiled in the wild by melting Artic ice.  And a look inside updates us all on the planet’s climactic troubles and acknowledges the mainstream recognition of this problem.

For a first look at the skeptic’s side; “A Convenient Untruth” shares Myron Ebell’s stalwart position that there is no problem called global warming.  Luckily for the planet, although loud and bold, he is definitely in the smallest minority, and getting smaller every day.  A series of “reviews” of books, papers and conferences that range from Sir Nicholas Stern’s paper on the cost to all of us to fight sea level rise to Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall on the implications for US national security,  give us a broad brush stroke of how much we can be affected. 

And, under the headline of Global Citizens, are the profiles of activists and scientists propelling a cultural turnaround…including Carl Hodges, the Future’s Farmer.  While we are proud of Carl’s life’s work in this field, we are equally proud of all the “Global Citizens”, from workers, to supporters, to scientists.

Vanity Fair photographer Gasper Tringale, and assistant Angel Morales captured Carl on film in Bahia Kino, Sonora last February and writer Adam Spangler spent time with Carl making sure he understood our work and, as you will see, did a great job of concisely telling readers about seawater, sea level rise and the Foundation. 

Make sure you don't miss the splendid artwork Chris Gall created to help graphically explain the intricacies of integrated farming.

Thanks to all at Vanity Fair for getting the green word to a well read and intelligent audience.