Richard Branson Leaves Private Islands And Spaceliners To Preach Energy Saving
WHO better to lead the fight against energy waste than Sir Richard Branson, purveyor of airlines, internets, electronic arts, who raced a 99 ft. yacht across the Atlantic; who runs a tourist space program, owner of a private jet company and small Caribbean islands? We saw Branson launch ‘Start Insulating’ as part of The Prince Of Wales ‘New Start’ Initiative, London.
Power Mad
* A few highlights from energy saver Branson’s green career:
Branson almost came to grief when his catamaran Virgin Atlantic Challenger was holed and wrecked in August 1985 as he attempted to cross the Atlantic in record time.
He and the rest of the crew abandoned the vessel in liferafts and were flown to safety. However, next year he captured the Blue Riband title for the fastest Atlantic crossing when his powerboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger II made the trip in three days, eight hours and 31 minutes. It cut two hours and nine minutes off the record set 34 years previously by the American liner the United States.
In 1987 Branson promised to give up dangerous exploits after the near- fatal end to his first ballooning adventure.
In the Irish Sea, after completing the first transatlantic crossing, the co-pilot, Lindstrand, jumped into the water when the balloon looked certain to crash.
The damaged craft then shot skywards, with Branson waving red underpants to attract the attention of a naval helicopter.
Remember Google founder Larry Page’s trip to Richard Branson’s private island in the Caribbean last month to discuss – get this – Global Warming? (Via.)
TIME:
“There are some of us who believe that the problem of warming is as bad as the First and Second World Wars combined,” Branson told TIME in a recent interview at the climate summit in Copenhagen. “It’s that serious, and you know the key is carbon, [but] there’s no war room coordinating the attack on carbon.” So, Branson has taken it upon himself — unsurprisingly — to lead the charge against carbon. In 2010, he will officially launch the Carbon War Room, a corporate think tank of sorts, designed to incubate and spread the best ways to cut carbon in corporate sectors ranging from aviation to shipping to construction.”
Here’s Richard Branson – how much of this **** can you take?
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Posted: 10th, February 2010 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
