"Really the best approach in our culture at the moment is to make being anti-green very uncool."
KT Tunstall - Los Angeles, January 2007.

In December 2007, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter KT Tunstall performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in addressing man-made climate change. Earlier, in January 2007, KT Tunstall helped launch Global Cool, an organization that is calling on one billion people to reduce their carbon emissions by just one ton a year, for the next 10 years. Below, KT shares a few insights about her dedication to the climate change issue.

AWEARNESS: Tell me a little about the issue you are most passionate about and why?

KT: Climate change! The Western human attitude is currently destructive and obsessed with consumption, and we are starting to realize that we, as humans, are all guests in the same hotel. Maybe trashing the rooms isn't such a great idea... The American government must take immediate steps to introduce guidelines on reducing carbon emissions, otherwise all other attempts from all other countries are in vain.

AWEARNESS: What are some of your favorite sources for staying informed about environmental issues? 
 
KT: The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Global Cool, good quality broadsheet newspaper websites, and BBC Online.

AWEARNESS: Which of your peers do you most admire for their attention and dedication to the environment?

KT: I'm hesitant to call him a peer as it feels a bit cheeky, but I'm honored to call him a friend: Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, head of the IPCC. He's dedicated his life to raising awareness around the globe of our current situation and how we can begin to counteract the damage done.

AWEARNESS: Within the US, what are some of the other issues that you feel have been most ignored by the mainstream media?

KT: It's difficult for me to answer that as I am not American, but it seems the healthcare system in the US doesn't serve the average American well, and I'm very grateful I live in a country where medical attention and care is a basic right.

AWEARNESS: Looking ahead, what is the #1 item on your to-do list for 2008?

KT: Take some time off to travel, sigh in awe, and educate myself about the world a little more.

[image: KT Tunstall at the launch of Global Cool]