Jason Lewis Plays Nice For Green Causes
By Tim Gaskin

Mar 25 | archive | subscribe


You

What is your name?
My name is Jason Lewis

What work do you do?
I am an actor. 

How does it relate to green, good or giving?
Acting is not directly related to green however the small amount of celebrity that I have gained from my work allows me to participate in helping to bring awareness to different causes. I do feel that story telling is one of the most important parts of society as we learn and reflect through stories and I am happy to be a part of that tradition.

What are the major projects that you are working on at the moment?
Right now I am in the middle of shooting a guest roll on House MD and have the Sex And The City movie coming out in May.

How do you get to work?
I get around in my Hybrid.

What long and winding road led you to your current position?
My love for stories came from my grand mother, who encouraged and fed a voracious appetite for reading. So it's her fault that I do what I do.

Where were you born? Where do you live now?
I was born in Newport Beach, California on June 25, 1971 and grew up in Los Alamitos. I live in Los Angeles, California

Green

What environmental offense has infuriated you the most?
I think right now the war in Iraq would be high on the list of things that offend me environmentally. A false war on it's on that has done amazing damage to the environment whose goals seem to be far more about promoting and controlling a dying oil industry. When I think of how all that money could have been better spent on education or invested in new technology and energy resources it makes me wonder if those resources might have been able to induce some real solutions to some inevitable problems for the world.

Who is your environmental hero?
George Bush. I think that jerk off and all his oblivion has been great for galvanizing people who care to do something.

What's your environmental vice?
I think travel is probably my worst environmental vice.

Which stereotype about environmentalists most fits you?
I am not aware of the official list of stereotypes for environmentalist so I am going to take a shot in the dark and say it's that I give a damn.

What's your favorite place or ecosystem?
I have traveled a lot and seen some really beautiful places and I think the Old Growth Redwoods in Northern California is one of the most magical places I have ever been.

Giving

What is your philosophy of giving?
I believe that you live a fuller life through generosity and giving then always grabbing for yourself. Everyone should give back in life due to his or her capacity.

What is your first memory of volunteering or making a donation?
As a kid I used to go down to the jetties near where I grew up and I would bring food and beer to the homeless down there and listen to their stories.

Who is your role model for giving?
I work most actively with a charity called Chrysalis in Los Angeles, which is an amazing organization that helps the homeless get, a job and find a place to live and have an over 90 percent success rate with those who walk through their doors. changelives.org

Also with Global Green, with the help of Zem Joaquin [Founder, ecofabulous.com] over there I am becoming increasingly involved and learning more about what is happening in our world and what we can do about it. I leave in a few days to New Zealand to help promote a charity called kids Can that deals with the effects pf poverty. globalgreen.org

In general the environment, kids and the homeless are where I focus my philanthropic efforts.

What inspires your impulse to give or volunteer?
I think my strongest lessons in generosity and decency towards others and the world at large were instilled in me by my Grandparents. Those folks rock! I have been fairly fortunate in my life and much of that has been due to the generosity and care of others.

Finally

Who was your favorite musical artist when you were 18? How about now?
My Favorites always shift... this morning it's a toss up between The Iron Giant and Dr Zhivago. And right now I am loving Lupe Fiasco and Alicia Keys’ new Album. Back in the day it was probably Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction or something.

Which actor would play you in the story of your life?
I don't think there needs to be a movie about my life.

Famous Quote?
“It's tough standing next to Gavin. Because then I have to start worrying about my hair.” [Gavin Newsom is the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, California]

If you could have every Phil reader do one thing, what would it be?
Try to be nice to someone who really gets under your skin for no particular reason.