Christopher: Now, how amazing is it that all of—how happy are you that thousands of people are here right now at the Green Festival?

Denise: Oh, my god.

Christopher: Let’s talk about that.

Denise: Well, I think when I started working in this industry thirty-some years ago before it was an industry, I never, ever would have imagined, for one thing, that, you know, a major TV person—personality…

Christopher: Right, “major.” Major.

Denise: …would be interviewing me, or we’d be on ABC, NBC, oh!, FOX, and this morning I just got a call from Mona Mysapalsaloson—oh my god, the weather channel!?

Christopher: Ooh, that is big-time!

Denise: So here is some little hippie girl coming to green the world in 1977—would I have birthed something like this? Noooo frickin’ way.

Christopher: No, this is like—this is like—

Denise: Look at that.

Christopher: And then the bear walking up behind us.

Denise: A bear’s walking behind us.

Christopher: I mean, so, about thirty years ago, you came up with this idea, so now we’re basically in our mid-life crisis, is that what it is, if thirty years ago…?

Denise: Yeah, we’re past adolescence, we’re in our young adulthood, and we’re, like, at the prime of our life.

Christopher: I love it.

Denise: This is our time. Everything’s green. I mean, when Obama, the president of the United States is building, like, a green playground—and, by the way, they’re going to have a garden in the White House—I mean, come on. And the White House is, like, two blocks from our office in D.C., and we’ve been there during the last, how many years?

Christopher: Right, and now—

Denise: It’s a whole other world. And now we just got back from Denver Green Festival—had the governor there. I mean, come on.

Christopher: Yeah. Hey, fancy-pants.

Denise: The governor, the mayor, and here we are in Chicago—

Christopher: And we’ve got Da Green Show live. What other famous celebrities have you seen down here today, that have been wandering around?

Denise: Oh actually, do you remember “M*A*S*H*”? Oh, you’re way too young to remember M*A*S*H*.

Christopher: I remember M*A*S*H*.

Denise: But you don’t remember Mike Farrell, the actor? He’s here today.

Christopher: What!?

Denise: Yes. Yes. I don’t think you’ll recognize him though. So he’s here today. We had Ron Reagan, Jr., yes, the Ron Reagan, Jr.

Christopher: The Jr., the Jr.

Denise: Yes—is here today speaking. So this is a few celebrities. Every once in a while, you know, Daryl Hannah shows up, or Woody Harrelson, or who knows who might show up. We always have the mayor in Chicago, shows up at the Green Festival.

Christopher: ‘Cause it’s a great time. And you have such a great turnout. You know, when we were coming in early this morning, and we were riding our bikes to get in, we saw liiiiines of cars. Liiiiines of cars coming in.

Denise: And did you stop by the bike valet?

Christopher: No!

Denise: We have our own bike valet.

Christopher: Oh, I even missed it. Is it free?

Denise: Not only is it free, but if you ride your bike, you get $5 off.

Christopher: Look at this, this is brilliant because we do have to be a little more eco-friendly than just riding your car here. I mean, if you do ride your car, at least carpool, right?

Denise: And I think that’s what the Green Festival’s all about. You know, there’s so many ways to think about living more sustainably.

Christopher: Sure.

Denise: And to leaving a lighter, you know, footprint on this planet. And so when you’re here for two days, or even one day, you’re going to find out how to green your house, how to green your kids—actually, how to green your husband if you have one. Because we have an organic beer and wine garden. And you will really understand how different organic beer and wine is.

Christopher: Actually taste?

Denise: Actually taste.

Christopher: For those of you who are 21, it is pretty remarkable.

Denise: So there’s just amazing things here. You can find out how to invest your money responsibly, if you have any. And of course, there’s great things around—how to wear clothing that are made my cooperatives in Africa. This is what I have on here.

Christopher: Which is where I just came back from. I was in fact in Rwanda, at a co-op where they’re growing coffee and importing it to the U.S.

Denise: Right. And actually we have a whole fair trade pavilion here, which is—every half an hour, there’s another speaker talking about fair trade chocolate, fair trade crafts… fair trade chocolate, coffee. We actually have two Peruvian artisans that are part of a cooperative and they were on tour with us. And they were with us in Denver, they’ve been going all through the Midwest, and now they’re here talking about their work and how, you know, if you buy their products, you’re really supporting this amazing village in Peru.

Christopher: It’s wonderful. I mean there are wonderful people all around. Denise, thank you so much for taking the time to do this.

Denise: Thank you so much.

Christopher: You’re adorable!