eco18 Questions: December Edition

1.    What is your name (and age)?

Santa Claus but I’m sometimes called Saint Nick, Kris Kringle and Father Christmas

2.    What is your occupation?

I bring gifts to good children all over the world on Dec 24^th…. Christmas Eve

3.    Do you have a “green” memory growing up?

Elves…The elves they always wear little green suits. They changed them to blue one year, very silly, just didn’t work!

4.    What’s your favorite meal?

Milk and cookies

5.    Who/What inspires you to be more “green” in your life?

The children…We have to make the world a better place for them to grow up in.

6.    Where on the “green scale” do you fall?

Oh, I’m very green. My sleigh, my main mode of transportation is powered by my nine flying reindeer and my workshop at the north pole is run by the elves – they make all the toys by hand you know.

7.    What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?

Having to deliver everything in one night, it’s a miracle it all gets done! But, knowing all the children will wake up Christmas morning with something from Santa, that’s reward enough.

8.    Where’s your “greenspot”: food, bodycare/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain

My greenspot is my home in the North Pole. Now I’m sure you’ve heard of global warming, well because of the Ice meltdown in North Pole, the native animals of that region including the polar bears are encountering a threat to their very  existence. These animals depend upon the sea ice for their survival and in the event of ice melting down, they do not get the cold temperature that they need for living. I know I like it a bit warmer, but they certainly don’t. If the sea ice continues to disappear, the animals that depend upon ice will face greater risks of extinction and we certainly can’t have that.

9.     Where do you turn for your news?

Letters. I may be a little behind the times, but I still get more letters than anyone on the planet and not all of them are asking for things. You’d be surprised at what’s in those letters, children and their parents share all kinds of wonderful stories with me. But, I am on the web now, so I often check out CNN and the BBC. I kind of like that John Stuart, but that’s not really news, he just delivers a good punchline!

10.  What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year?

I’d like to find a way to let parents know that they don’t have to be excessive in the things they give their children at Christmas. There is so much waste, I would like to put the heart back in Christmas – peace and love – some fun things for the children, but love above all else. You don’t need to put that in a fancy box and wrap it!

11.  If you could trade places with one person from any time in history (past or present) for one day—who would it be and why?

That’s tough, I really like being me. People really like me, I mean, people often say they would love to be me for a day, but let me think. Oh, I know…Walt Disney. He just made some of the most timeless children’s movies ever, it must have been magical to have that kind of imagination. I just love Bambi!

12.  You have a meeting with the leader of every country in the world. You have 30 seconds to tell them anything you want. Go!

Trust me I know when you are being naughty, many of you were very, very naughty children, nothing much has changed, but it could. So be nice.

13.  You have the chance to send one tweet to all the tweeps in the world. Let’s hear it in 140 characters, or less!

Merry Christmas… Ho Ho Ho!!!!

14.  If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be?

Chimney’s…. they are horrible, smoky things, spewing out soot and carbon. I’d like to do away with them altogether. I got stuck in one once, that was not fun, it would be much easier to go through the front door and it will help the environment.

15.  Where in the world would you most like to be right now?

On a beach in Hawaii, it’s pretty chilly in the North Pole right now.

16.  What is the best book you have read recently?

The Grinch who Stole Christmas – even the grumpy Grinch came around!

17.  What makes you cringe?

People being mean to children.

18. What do you want your legacy to be?

For children everywhere to always carry Christmas in their hearts.