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THINK | EARTH HOME INTERVIEW SHANE WEST
SHANE WEST
The Good Kind of Germ

Between starring in The Germs flick What We Do is Secret and fronting the band in real life, actor/musician Shane West is super crazy busy. He nevertheless found some time chat with us about his hobbies, the EMA, and what he’s doing to help the environment.

When did you first get involved working with charities?
My mom got me into that at an early age. Up until now, I have mainly been involved with charities for battered and abused families, disabled veterans, and urban communities. This is new for me in the environmental charity world. Getting green is something I am really getting into.

Have you discovered an environmental organization that you like a lot?
I think the Environmental Media Association (EMA) is great, in that we in the entertainment industry must get environmental issues out to the public.

How else do you contribute to eco-friendly living?
I have been an avid recycler for many years, and I even used to have my own compost heap in my back yard. I also use the same recyclable bag for when I grocery shop. However, I need to get better and smarter with a lot of things, and I’m working on that now.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
I don’t have much spare time with acting and music being a major part of my life. But I like to read, collect old records, work out (a major hobby since I turned 30), and spend time with my friends and lady. I also have a horrible spending habit at Amoeba records – I’m a big movie watcher and lover of music.

It’s no surprise, then, that you’re an actor and musician. If you weren’t, what could you see yourself doing?
Psychology. It’s the only "normal" job I was interested in when I was growing up. That and oceanography.

One of Alternative’s favorite words is “inspiration” – what is something that continually inspires you?
How about a phrase? "I shall grow old, but never lose life's zest, because the road's last turn will be the best," Henry van Dyke. That and, "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what the man or woman is able to do that counts," Booker T. Washington.

Environmental Media Association (EMA)