Everyday is Earth Day for Prince Charles
April 4, 2008 by Maricar Macalincag
If you take a stroll around b5media blogs this month, you’ll notice that a number are turning their attention on Earth Day, which will be celebrated on April 22. Among the merry royals, there is one prince who is known far and wide for his passion for the environment. Almost everything he does is seen through green-colored lenses. We’ll take a look at how Prince Charles’ advocacy for the environment is manifest in both his official activities and personal pursuits.
Much of Prince Charles official engagements involve ‘The Prince’s Charities’, a group of 19 charitable organizations of which he is the president. Some of these organizations tackle environmental issues, mainly “the need for sustainable development, for responsible stewardship of our natural resources and for global co-operation to protect our environmental heritage”. Examples are:
Business in the Community (BITC)
Scottish Business in the Community (SBC)
The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF)
The Prince of Wales’s Business & the Environment Programme (BEP)
The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment
Over the years, Prince Charles has used his official appearances to draw attention to many issues, such as the need for more natural foods. He has pledged to give up some of the perks he has enjoyed in order to pursue a greener lifestyle. He has written several books about organic gardening and his experiences at Highgrove.
Prince Charles’ advocacy for the environment has earned him recognition, both positive and negative. During his U.S. visit last year, former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore presented him with the Global Environmental Citizen Award. The prince’s activities are also closely monitored by environmentalists, who are not shy to point out when Prince Charles is not adhering to an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
As the prince continues his duties and someday become king, we can be sure that the environment will remain one of his foremost concerns.
