James Cameron Opens Up on Climate Crisis & Urges People to Wake Up

Oscar winner and philanthropist, James Cameron has urged one and all to wake the f**k up and take the situation of climate crisis seriously, Both Cameron and wife, Suzy Amis Cameron have been championing environmental causes for several years, where the latter has led a charge toward plant-based eating in efforts to reduce the dramatic carbon footprint that meat protein creates.

In an interview with Variety, Cameron, who is responsible for two of the higest-grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar talked about hoe the three forthcoming sequels of Avatar will do the same. “People need to wake the f–k up,” the Oscar winner says. “We’re going the wrong direction as fast as possible. I like to say that we’re like Thelma and Louise. We’re driving straight toward the canyon at 90 miles per hour with the radio cranked up and the top down.”

He added, “We tried to find something that was less well understood and was a major lever that could effect change,” he says. “Food is a good one. It’s probably the second-biggest one. Well ahead is transportation. We all drive around in our Teslas and our Priuses and think we are doing a great job, but really we’re all assuaging our liberal guilt. The real solution is: change the way you live.”

Through their investment in Verdient Foods, Amis Cameron says the company is building a vertically integrated business — down to the farms it hires and the seeds it uses to make meat substitutes — that also dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of the beef industry.

“Look at the amazing success of Beyond meat and the stock market. I mean, it’s not a trend — it’s actually the way the world is going. If you look at what the beef industry is investing in and what the dairy industry is investing in: They’re investing in plant-based milk and cheeses and yogurt and meat products,” she says.

Go ahead and buy Priuses and Teslas, she adds, “but if you’re driving to McDonald’s? You’re not helping.”