He seems to have setup a foundation that has an office and some expenses and he’s paid people to build this thing, and non-eco types might get involved a bit more (especially LA types)

He most likely does not have any leverage with the family directly. and I don’t recall seeing ANY MSM coverage or any self-promoting comments of his posted anywhere.

For you and I, sure we know about dead birds and turtles, and the containers of ducks and shoes and stuff. but maybe some young girls will start a fan-club and follow his every move and get the high-school to build a playground out of re-cycled trash.

or sumptin. I don’t begrudge the guys trying to turn an endless vacation in something slightly more meaningfull.

This critique of yours isn’t even consistent. First, you criticize the recycling of some plastic things into other plastic things, and then you praise David de Rothschild for recycling plastic bottles into a boat.

I’m beginning to think that there’s some kind of weird David de Rothschild cult of personality thing going on here.

Actually, yes, I recycle, and everyone I know recycles too. Everyone. I can’t think of a single person or business I engage with personally who doesn’t, and who doesn’t do it consistently.

As for projects to actually make things better, gosh, that’s not hard. How about solar power for homes in developing countries where people currently burn coal/wood/dung? How about anti-desertification/reforestation programs in the Sahel? How about high speed rail lines? How about supporting local food networks? Etc, etc, etc. I could name a hundred projects that would be of actual environmental benefit that David de Rothschild could fund, instead of vacationing for self-promotion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1NNIx8Mc_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=watbi_vU3SA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DVKztb-uTw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAICNec9970

I don’t think that most people understand the problem to this extent. It’s not something someone with a lot of money can just go into the ocean and clean up. It’s too late for that. We can however try to stop adding to the problem. Which is why what he’s doing is a good thing. It’s something that is going to take everyone to fix, and it’s not about much money you or your family has, it’s about how you take responsibility for the things you buy and the things you throw away.
I also think that the Adventure Ecology is a great way to engage with kids, and that kids are a great resource. If these children can get into the habit of living their lives in a way that is beneficial to the planet, then he’s accomplishing something amazing enough with that project alone. We’re already set in our ways of living in a disposable lifestyle, and think about how hard it’s been to change our own habits.
As far as the vacation point your trying to make, which I have say is your weakest point, from what I tell this isn’t going to be a vacation. From what I’ve heard, and read the trip is more like an exploration of the garbage patch. Updates will be posted. Pictures, videos and descriptions will be sent out to show us what most of us haven’t been able to see first hand. It sounds more like working than vacationing to me.

Well, I don’t think he characterizes or expects to be regarded as such, but the media hype behind him does. I think you make some valid points, but context of your argument always goes back to the wealth factor or seeking kudos for his adventure.

I haven’t seen the preachiness factor in regards to his TV show that appeared on Sundance or his book. He simply gives people options to affordable green living by starting small.

Rothschild is not looking to be the God of the enviro-movement, just using his name to help others seek environmental awareness whether people see it as good or bad.

“while they sit on vast fortunes of industrially-created wealth that could create actual improvements.”

In the end it comes down to corporations vs. the lone environmentalists. Until there are larger groups of lobbyists that truly give a damn about the environment vs. the big payoff paycheck, then we can see actual improvements.

Green Man, I think you & Rothschild need to get together for a picnic & hug it out;).

But the economic scale of Rothschild’s status matters. You don’t evaluate an elephant’s physical accomplishments on the same scale as a flea. Rothschild is an elephant, but he’s acting like a flea, taking little flea vacations in the name of “awareness”, and lecturing fleas about what they ought to do to make the world better.

I think it’s a lousy standard of success to judge Rothschild as some kind of eco-hero merely because he ISN’T personally funding industrial pollution, though his wealth comes from investments that do.

How many people would take a personally-designed yacht across the Pacific ocean, with GPS and other services keeping track of every movement, and warning of weather threats coming along the way? I’d do that, if I had the money, and the time to take away from work. Sounds like a lot of fun, but it doesn’t actually accomplish anything much to make the world a better place.

I’m not against people taking vacations. I’m against people having entire careers out of taking vacations, and expecting to be regarded as eco-heroes as a result, while they sit on vast fortunes of industrially-created wealth that could create actual improvements.

Why are you so caught up in Rothschild’s economic status? It seems that so many people get caught up in the Rothschild name & how they have a part in ruling the world.

He’s not apart of his family’s banking business – he took a different route to focus on what he really likes, which is nature and helping the environment. He went to school for Holistic Health, so wouldn’t exactly right him off as an eco-toff. From what I have observed & read, he owns his own organic farm, lives by his word on environmentalism & runs Adventure Ecology to raise further awareness.

The focus should be on the fact that he’s actually using materials that have not been used for sailing purposes. How many people would take the risk to float from San Francisco to Australia on a boat held together with plastic bottles & raw eco-friendly materials to hold a boat together? I know I couldn’t, so I wouldn’t exactly call his adventure a vacation.

And Bill I agree – at least he isn’t using his fat wallet to fly around and do nothing like a tart.

Those two statements don’t fit together, Helen.

If you’ve got scientific evidence that a wealthy Rothschild sailing a yacht across the Pacific Ocean “is needed”, please share it, Helen. You’re a scientific expert, right? So, where’s that evidence?

Rothschild is taking “action”? What action is he taking to reduce that big pile of garbage in the middle of the Pacific? He isn’t. He’s just going to look at it, and talking about to a bunch of people. He’s going on a vacation. He’s talking. I don’t see any action on the actual issue itself… unless the issue that Rothschild cares about is that he isn’t getting enough attention.

Or, is the issue Rothschild cares about that the world lacks “innovative materials”? There are already plenty of people working on inventing “innovative materials” all the time. Why does a Rothschild have to go on a yachting vacation to create “awareness” for that?

How can you say that it wouldn’t be constructive for Rothschild to give his vast fortune for projects in which actual environmental action is taking place? What’s not constructive about funding environmental cleanups, or projects like building efficient energy or transit systems?

Are you seriously arguing that the environmental crisis will “take more than just money to solve”, and therefore we need to have extremely weatlhy people NOT spending their money on environmental projects, but engaging on publicity vacations and just telling other people what they should do instead. How often have you encountered environmental improvement projects with leaders who say, “We have enough money to fund our efforts. What we need is more talk.” ?

It doesn’t make sense, Helen. Rothschild’s money could have a lot more impact than a pleasure cruise, no matter how he tries to spin it.

Perhaps you could also explain how children who lack the Rothschild fortune can grow up to become Adventure Ecologists, with a career like Rothschild’s. Please, bring your scientific expertise to bear, and demonstrate to me how it’s possible for a new generation of middle and working class kids to do what Rothschild has done.

You say that you’ve been involved in awareness efforts like this one. What actual, concrete, positive change in the environment have they created, Helen? Show me the evidence. It sounds to me that you’re trying to defend yourself as much as you’re trying to defend Rothschild.

David de Rothschild wants to have fun on his plastic yacht, and seeks our praise for his vacation. I don’t particularly feel like joining that bandwagon.

Why doesn’t Mr. Rothschild put his share of his family’s vast fortune into projects that actually help to reduce pollution, instead of just going on public service announcement vacations?

Why doesn’t Rothschild put his money where his mouth is?