You know, way back in 1989 or there a-bouts, while working on Les Miserables in Sydney I organised an event involving most of the Les Mis companies around the world. The event was called STOP THE BURNING and was trying to raise awareness and funds to help stop the destruction of the Amazon rainforest through the burning of the forest in the dry season. This practice was, of course, leading to the destruction of the homelands of a number of indigenous peoples.

So, here we are twenty plus years later and it continues in one way or another. http://amazonwatch.org/

As an actor I have managed to stay away from destructive ads by simply not doing them. I have been fortunate enough be able to chose. But there have also been many times when the temptation to just go for it and take the money has been a reality. Fortunately the handful of voiceovers I have done have been 'ethical' as far as I could tell. Perhaps my face has saved me from being offered the handful of T V ads that I HAVE gone for. Perhaps my inner life shines through in the audition and the advertisers KNOW the real me is not the real they want.

But in all of this, what I see is that time has not stopped the destruction of the planet. Certainly not actors. More people may be aware of it all, and more action is being taken against all types of destructive acts and industries, but the drive to consume and to enjoy the marvels of technological life is overwhelming. And we all, every human being, has a right to enjoy the best that life can offer. But I've read somewhere that for all of us to enjoy the standard of life that we in Australia enjoy, for example, would require 3 planet Earths.

And in all of this, or perhaps it's UNDER all of this little rave today, is the fact that my lovely farm like so many lovely farms in this wonderful country, is going under the knife of yet another coal mine. What the hell are we doing???