Preventing warm weather the Evan Kopelson way

1. Leave luxurious living quarters and move into a tiny yoga pod
2. Watch as a fossil-fueled van delivers a $100 check to help defray your fossil-fueled Los Angeles to Copenhagen flight
3. Fly to freezing Copenhagen, where UN incompetence leaves you shut out of the climate swindle talks

Evan Kopelson: Setting out on ‘The Sustainability Journey’

I just crossed a threshold in my journey to sustainability. About 2 weeks ago, I took a leap of faith — or was it madness? I sometimes wonder — and gave up everything “luxury” I’ve ever owned, from my grand piano and all my recording gear, to my big furniture – couches, beds, desks, tables, lamps, kitchen appliances, everything – and left my home of 12 years, a massive 3 bedroom apartment on the beach featuring expansive spaces, enormous windows with lots of natural light all day, a roof deck where you can see from the ocean to the Hollywood sign and beyond, with 360-degree fireworks every July 4th, and an elevator opening from my private 3-car garage right into my unit. I gave all that up 2 weeks ago and moved into a “pod” the size of my former walk-in closet, made from reclaimed materials and located in the backyard of a communal living experiment called Yoga House with seven other people.

[Taking a fossil-fueled trip from Los Angeles to Copenhagen]

How sustainable is it to fly by airplane to Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations conference on climate change?
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Yesterday, I received a completely unexpected Fedex package with a $100 check from an old friend from college. He asked to be kept anonymous, but said it was inspiring what I’ve been accomplishing by setting out on these so-called “impossible dreams” and he wanted to help me get to Copenhagen.

My dear friend Laura saw my video on Facebook and said to count her in for $100.

Including my own $100, I’m $300 closer…but about $1,700 away, with taxes, fees and ground transport while in Copenhagen. That doesn’t even count accommodation...

The Sustainability Journey: On Flying to Copenhagen

Smart Planet was kind enough to furnish me with the letter of assignment I would need to gain press accreditation by the UNFCCC for a media pass into COP15. Unfortunately, I was shut out of the media accreditation process along with 10,000 other journalists.