Read the Beginning of our interview with Ed Begley

Ed: Even if you don’t believe climate change is real, or that man has any impact on it, by taking steps to mitigate its effects, you’re going to accomplish other things. You’re going to clean up the air in cities like Houston and Bakersfield that don’t attain the Federal Clean Air standard. We have four times the amount of cars in LA since 1970, yet we have half the ozone.

You’re going to lessen your dependence on Mideast oil, which I think is a very good idea for our nation’s security now. Fifteen of the 19 [September 11] hijackers had Saudi passports. Where did that money come from that funded people flying planes into buildings? It came from oil. Why would you want to fund that?

DL: Is environmentalism a partisan issue?

Ed: I’m very proud of the fact that about 40 percent of the emails I get from Living with Ed viewers are from wonderful red-state conservative Republicans like my dear father, who like to conserve. They say, “I may not always agree with you, Mr. Begley, but where do I get one of those rain collection barrels?” I love that.

Like so many things, it comes down to economics. Everything I’ve done [to conserve natural resources] over the past 35 years has been very good for my pocketbook, in terms of keeping my expenses down.

DL: What do you value most?

Ed: Remember that old bumper sticker: “He who dies with the most toys wins”? Well, I’ve never seen a hearse with a luggage rack on top. I don’t know what this acquisition of more and more stuff ultimately means. If stuff made you happy, there would be nothing but happy people living in Bel Air and nothing but unhappy people living in villages in Fiji. But it’s just not true. I’ve been in those villages in Fiji and the people are very happy.

I really like my solar panels and my electric car, but ultimately they’re just more things. What’s more important is being with my family and friends, or spending time up in the Santa Monica Mountains. That’s the real quality of life for me.