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Each month we ask a new eco-maven 18 questions about his or her life, occupation, and advice for other like-minded people. This month we connected with star of 90210 and fashionista, Shenae Grimes-Beech. While Shenae has been acting for the past ten years, including her lead role on Degrassi, she has extended her career into fashion and recently launched a new clothing/accessories line, Two Halves, with her husband, Josh Beech.
1. What is your name?
Shenae Grimes-Beech
2. What is your occupation?
One of two halves behind a jewelry and apparel brand, fittingly called Two Halves (www.twohalvesstore.com). Aspiring fashion presenter and producer. Former actor who still dabbles from time to time. Most importantly, a student of life in creative mediums of all sorts.
3. Do you have a “green” memory growing up?
My first car was a Prius. I loved that thing so much. As my first car ever but more specifically, my first car in LA, it really became an extension of myself.
4. What’s your favorite meal?
My nonna’s Italian. Anything she makes is the best Italian food I’ve ever had.
5. Who/What inspires you to be more “green” in your life?
Living in LA, it’s hard not to be aware of it. Everyone is living green and living healthy so when I walk out my door, I’m inspired to follow suit and stay conscious.
6. Where on the “green scale” do you fall?
Somewhere in the upper middle area I suppose. My emissions are low, I drive a Smart car and love to ride my bicycle with my husband to get around. We do the simple things and are conscious of waste. I haven’t gotten into the green household products and all that just yet, more than anything because I don’t know much about it. I’m still a new wife and constantly learning the tricks of the trade so to speak. I feel like the more I learn, the more green my lifestyle will become.
7. What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?
Keeping my chin up. I am a believer in the notion that everything happens for a reason and you get back the energy you put out into the world. With that said, some days it’s harder to have faith in that than others. Everything I do is self-motivated and in acting I got used to external validation. In this new path I’ve chosen, I don’t get that. I have to depend on myself to get things done, have success and know I’m doing a good job. I thank god for my husband every day for constantly supporting and encouraging me. On those days where it’s hard to find the strength to stick with it, he’s there to be strong for me and keep me going.
8. Where’s your “greenspot” food, body care/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain:
I’m a big fan of Veggie Grill and picking up fresh produce from the local market to start my day off with a tasty, healthy green smoothie. We’re also big fans of biking and hiking in my house. Any time we’re cruising down the street on our bikes, I feel relaxed. No traffic, no air conditioner, no smog just cool breeze getting us from A to B. I feel like a kid again and nothing tops that really.
9. Where do you turn for your news?
My husband’s very socially aware so he educates me more than any other outlet. We like to have the local news on in the evenings sometimes but if you pay too close attention, it can drive you a bit mad with all the things going on in the world today. It’s about staying aware but finding balance within that.
10. What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year?
No more water bottles. It’s convenient but it’s got to stop. Every time I pick one up I feel guilty and know I’m taking the easy way out on something that I could so easily change with the tiniest amount of extra thought.
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?
My nonna. She’s lived a crazy life and because of our language barrier (Italian is her first language), I never feel like I get a full grasp on all of her crazy stories. She survived and thrived through so much in her life. From being a child in Italy at the end of the war, humble beginnings working on a farm in a large family, meeting my nonno and overcoming so much as an immigrant in Canada where she knew no one and they were truly starting from scratch. She’s had a wild ride and such an incredible faith throughout all of it. She’s one of the strongest women I know, I admire her so much and I think if I could trade places with her younger self for one day, my appreciation for her would grow exponentially if that’s even possible. She really is just the best person out there.
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!
You’ve messed up guys! How are we still here? Still waging wars, committing acts of extreme violence against one another, leading your people into and through economic crisis. Over what? Pride? Greed? So basic, so dated, at this day in age we as a public should be entitled to expect more but here we are, still here, still so much fear. We are all in this planet and it is our public duty to take care of one another, and we’re missing that massively. There are so many issues you tackle that I truly wouldn’t know where to begin but you’ve got to start chipping away at them all one by one or generations to come will never see a change. Socially, technology has been the only advance I’ve seen clearly in my young life and that makes me sad. I wanted to be a part of a generation that witnesses positive social change on a global level, a time that our kids will learn about and be grateful for so get your heads on straight and get busy.
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!
Be proud to be you, be brave enough to carve your own path and respect others carving their own.
14. If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be?
Lifestyle/apparel manufacturing. There are a lot of great green alternatives in manufacturing but sometimes you compromise the quality and integrity of the piece you set out to make. I look forward to seeing this side of the industry grow throughout the years to come so green alternatives in manufacturing have endless options for designers to choose from. It’s on its way but there’s a lot of progress to be made.
15. Where in the world would you most like to be right now?
Thailand or India with my hubs.
16. What is the best book you have read recently?
I’m reading The Silkworm at the moment and I’m hooked. Gone Girl was amazing too.
17. What makes you cringe?
Men in flip-flops…on a daily basis.
18. What do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be a great mom and a great wife first and foremost. I want to do for my kids what my mom has done for us because she truly is the best mother on the planet. I want to make my husband laugh every day and be his number one cheerleader in every walk of life we take together. And I want to be successful professionally, particularly in the endeavors my husband and I take on together as a working duo. If we can successfully provide for ourselves and one day our family by working together, I’ll be the happiest lady on the planet. Getting to go to work and go home with my husband every day would be a dream come true.
