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'We're living on borrowed time', claims Charles
Last updated at 16:37pm on 06.12.06
Prince Charles: The heir to the throne is determined to reduce his carbon footprint on the world
Prince Charles launched his 'green revolution' with a stark warning that we are all 'living on borrowed time' if we don't stop eating up the world's resources.
In a forthright speech in front of leading figures, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Prince said: 'We are consuming the resources of our planet at such a rate that we are, in effect, living off credit and living on borrowed time.
'It is our children and grandchildren who will have to pay off this debt and we owe it to them and ourselves to do something about it before it is too late.'
The Prince launched his Costing The Earth — The Accounting For Sustainability project at a forum at St James s Palace attended by politicians and business and faith leaders.
They included the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Lord Browne, chief executive of BP, and former US vice president Al Gore, a leading environmentalist whose film An Inconvenient Truth warns the world must act now to save itself.
The former Democratic US presidential candidate praised Charles's green initiative in a video message to the forum. He said it may be 'one of the most important initiatives' and stressed: 'We need to continue the effort to solve the climate crisis.'
The heir to the throne is determined to reduce his carbon footprint on the world. He encourages his staff to make trips around the capital on bicycle instead of taking cars or cabs.
Actor Stephen Fry and comedian Al Murray have teamed up to make a film in support of the Prince. Fry, a close friend of Charles, plays Planet Earth while Murray, otherwise known as the Pub Landlord, stars as the Moon in the appeal.
The Prince is set to label all his Duchy Originals range with details of greenhouse gases made during their production. The Queen has already gone green at Windsor Castle with a plan to use hydroelectric power.
The Duke of Edinburgh uses a taxi cab fuelled by liquid petroleum gas to travel around London, while water in a bore hole at Buckingham Palace is used to supply air conditioning to the Queen's gallery before topping up the water levels in the Palace lake.
Mr Gore visited Britain in September to promote his film. Charles is said to have met him privately at Highgrove to discuss their mutual passion for the environment.
Reader views (7)
I don't care whatever Prince Charles would do or would be concerned about. It is his duty to become good and show good.
The Royal Family was almost down the pits but not until the PRINCESS came. She held them altogether for the world to see! Shoooo! Camilla, you are and never will be a royal for me!
- Tess, Osaka, Japan
I'll start believing the sincerity of these high polluting individuals when I see them setting examples by getting rid of their oppulent homes, cars and lifestyles and living like common folk!
- Henr, Bellevue, WA
It would be nice to have scientific proof of all this before we start letting government usurp personal freedoms.
- Jon D, Detroit, MI. USA
Nice, how he asked his staff to ride around on bicycles. What about him? I love how the rich tell us how we need to live our lives when they ride around in private planes and big, heavy, gas guzzling cars.
- Greg, Houston
So what? This isn't anything new. The bottom line is that people need to change how they work their lives, and any economist will tell you that that just isn't going to happen. People are inherently greedy, and without government-forced mandates or research nothing will be done about it because it isn't profitable enough for private corporations to take upon themselves.
- Steven Seagal, Los Angeles, CA
And how many private jets and SUV's does Prince Charles ride around in?
- Jacob, Kirkham, England
Save us your worship! Save us from ourselves!
- John, USA
