BILLY JOEL JOINS DON HENLEY AT EVENT HONORING ED BEGLEY JR. AND RACHELLE CARSON-BEGLEY
The popular actor/environmentalist Ed Begley Jr. and actress/environmental advocate Rachelle Carson-Begley, received the Walden Woods Project’s 2019 Global Environmental Leadership Award, tonight, during a fundraiser at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Over $1 million was raised for the Walden Woods Project. The event was hosted by Don Henley and featured a special performance by Billy Joel.
Eagles co-founder, and Walden Woods Project founder, Don Henley, presented the award in recognition of the Begleys’ enduring commitment to protect the planet. Henley praised Ed Begley Jr. as “the living definition of the word environmentalist.” Henley said, “Having been one of the first to drive an electric car, and well before the threat of climate change went mainstream, or recycling became a household word, Ed Begley was a passionate advocate and spokesperson on behalf of the natural environment.”
Together, Ed and Rachelle designed and constructed their net zero, Platinum LEED certified, solar-powered home. Along with their many roles on stage, screen and television, the Begleys host a living green podcast, called Begleyesque.
This was the fourth time the Global Environmental Leadership Award has been bestowed by the Walden Woods Project. The first recipient was President Bill Clinton in 2012, followed by Robert Redford in 2014, and Professor/Pulitzer Prize winning author E.O. Wilson in 2017.
The presentation ceremony took place at a dinner attended by 600 Walden Woods Project supporters who enjoyed a hilarious standup routine by comedian Jimmy Tingle. Tingle also hosted a live auction.
In granting the Global Environmental Leadership Award, the Walden Woods Project seeks to recognize significant achievement in the areas of climate stability, biodiversity, natural resource protection, human understanding, and environmental policy. It draws inspiration from the foundational thinking of Henry David Thoreau and builds upon his ageless principles of environmental stewardship, global interconnectedness, and personal responsibility. In April 2020, the organization will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding.
In addition to the Global Environmental Leadership Award, the event honored two other organizations with Environmental Challenge Awards, highlighting efforts that create new opportunities and solutions to a range of environmental issues. This year’s recipients were Outdoor Afro (https://outdoorafro.com/) and Plant-for-the-Planet (https://www.plant-for-the-planet.org/en/home).
The Walden Woods Project is a nonprofit organization founded by recording artist Don Henley in 1990. The WWP preserves the land, literature, and legacy of quintessential American author, philosopher, and naturalist, Henry David Thoreau, to cultivate an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. One word, Walden, has come to represent a powerful way of thinking about important global issues. Visit walden.org for more information about the Walden Woods Project’s programs and activities that help ensure Walden Woods will remain a vital inspiration for generations to come.
