“We’re seeing the first round of grant recipients, and we’re telling stories about the grant recipients.  The actual impact of these projects is what’s most exciting to me.  I’m excited to see how they develop.”

“I’m still very intrigued by the Arctic.  It’s being out on the edge, a place where the impact of humans is there but invisible.  You have to know how to look for it.  It’s where you learn – there’s something deeper there.  It’s where you learn about yourself and the world.”

- Ben Jervey

KissMyCountry had the chance to talk with Ben Jervey, Planet Ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Project –and a person truly committed to saving our planet.  In this interview, Ben adds to his comments from our post about the Pepsi Refresh Project a few weeks ago, talking about what he’ll do as Planet Ambassador in the next few months as grant recipients are announced and their projects move ahead.  Ben also talks with us about his thoughts on the Copenhagen talks, which he attended last December, the recent SXSW conference, and the places he loves – including a great eco-eatery in Brooklyn.    Enjoy getting to know Ben Jervey, hearing his opinions and about his experiences – and don’t forget to work on your Pepsi Refresh submission!

Lexy: What are your main activities for the Pepsi Refresh Project?  What kinds of things are you doing, and what are you enjoying the most?

Ben:  It’s been changing a lot.  The Project just started and we’ve been figuring out our roles as Ambassadors.  On March 22, there was an announcement of the first round of 32 winners from February.  We’re starting to tell the stories of the grant recipients  and helping them to implement their ideas.  The actual impact of these projects is what’s most exciting to me.  I’m excited to see how they develop. 

Lexy: You mentioned a few weeks go that you’ll be reporting on Planet funded ideas for the Refresh Project.  When will that begin, and how many projects will you highlight?  Will you visit grant recipients in person?

Ben: Each Ambassador will try to tell one grant recipient’s story each week through phone conversations, and every month or so we will go visit funded ideas.  We plan to create web videos and blog posts to highlight what they’re doing, and these will be on the Pepsi Refresh and GOOD sites.  I haven’t decided yet where I’ll go first.  The GreenShields project to make school buses more energy efficient is really doing well, and as soon as they have a prototype I’d like to go see one and talk with the grant recipients. 

Lexy: Ben, you were at the Copenhagen climate talks last December.  That’s incredibly exciting, and your blogs about Copenhagen are awesome.  Copenhagen received mixed reviews.  As someone who was actually there, what are your most vivid impressions?

Ben:  Everyone – and I’m not pointing any fingers – created such a circus and such high expectations there was no way it would have worked.  It was no setting for sober, thoughtful negotiations at all.  What was accomplished is nothing close to solving the worldwide climate problem.  But it’s folly to completely dismiss the progress made.  It was a small step forward when we were all hoping for a giant leap forward kind of moment – but it was a step forward.  We still have a lot of work to do, and I count myself among those disappointed.  It was an incredible collision of people but also a great convergence.  Note:  KissMyCountry’s Mr. K posted thoughts about Copenhagen before and following the talks, including a hopeful message that echoes Ben’s opinions.

Lexy: You were also just at SXSW Interactive – lucky you!  That was really the place to be a few weeks ago.  What were the highlights for you – what did you see that you’re still thinking and talking about?

 Ben:  There’s a lot of fun innovation – a lot of tools, a lot of toys for the tech crowd.  It’s disappointing to me there aren’t more tools developed to serve the greater good – on this point, there is a long way to go.  I’d like to see that community shaken and all this incredible innovation being used for positive change.  I’d love to see a day where the most buzz worthy tools at SXSW are those with the most positive value for the world.

Lexy: You’ve been doing a lot of traveling, and travel can present dilemmas for a Green lifestyle.  As a person saving the planet and a world class Traveler, what are your suggestions for making travel a little Greener?

 Ben:  I love to rent or borrow a bicycle when I visit another city.  In Los Angeles when I go to GOOD’s offices I borrow a bike from a friend.  It’s a great way to see a city.  I feel I know Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities better because I know it from two wheels.  There’s actually a subway in Los Angeles that nobody knows about.

Often times, I take the train.  I really love the train.  I like Amtrak.  It’s not the most well-managed – and I’ve written about that.  I long for the day we have European or Japanese high speed rail travel here in the US.

Flight is tough.  It’s an enormous emission of greenhouse gases.  There are some offsets you can pay to cut this a little bit.  I have a friend who works for 350.org, and he and I were talking about this in Copenhagen.  He said, “I will go any distance and take any flight if I’m working toward solving climate change.”  Most of the decisions I make personally or professionally have to be for a good purpose.

Lexy: Ben, at KissMyCountry we like to ask people about their favorite places.  What places do you love the most?  Where do you love?

Ben:  I love my neighborhood in Brooklyn – Fort Green.  It’s a real community in the streets, the restaurants and the bars.  It’s a wonderful place to live.  I love the Green Mountains of Vermont.  I went to school there, and I lived there for years of my life and still have a connection there.  Also, the high peaks wilderness in the Adirondacks Mountains is really just the next level of heaven.  It’s rugged, massive and sublime.

Lexy: You seem to enjoy travel.  Any place you’ve never seen that you’d love to visit?  What’s at the top of your ‘wish list’?

Ben: I’ve been fortunate to get to some places in the Arctic.  I’ve been to the east coast of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard.  I’ve felt the need to get back.  I’ve never been to Western Greenland or Baffin Island but I’d love to visit some villages there – also the north slope of Alaska.  I’m still very intrigued by the Arctic.  It’s being out on the edge, a place where the input of humans is there but invisible.  You have to know how to look for it.  It’s where you learn – there’s something deeper there.  It’s where you learn about yourself and the world.  I’d also like to go to Vancouver – a city that is so well planned and operated.   Cities are a really important ingredient and Vancouver might be one of the best models we have.

Lexy: You live in Brooklyn, which seems to have a lot of great places to eat.  If someone is spending the day in Brooklyn, where do you suggest they stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Ben:  Spring through Fall there’s Habana Outpost – it’s an eco-eatery.  The food is good.  The corn is amazing.  It’s Cuban-influenced food and the setting is amazing.  You can enjoy the outdoor café, it’s solar-powered and rainwater captured.  It’s a real beacon, and a great hub for conscious and conscientious types in Brooklyn.  Franny’s has some of the best flatbread style pizza made with locally grown sustainable produce.  They shop in the farmer’s markets daily.

Ben, we wish you the best as you visit and talk about Pepsi Refresh Project funded ideas – we can’t wait to hear how they’ll be saving the planet and bringing good to their communities.  We look forward to catching up with you later this year, and in the meantime will stay in touch through your blogs for Pepsi Refresh, GOOD, and ONEarth.  Thanks for keeping us posted about what’s going on, and what we should know about!