WOODY HARRELSON DISCUSSES ORGANIC LIVING AT STANFORD

STANFORD, Calif. -- Actor Woody Harrelson mixed comedy with a call for
individuals "change in lifestyle and massive civil disobedience to protect
the environment" in a discussion in Stanford University's Kresge Auditorium
on Wednesday night. Harrelson is currently on a bike tour down the West
Coast in an attempt to inspire environmental activism. He received laughter
and cheers from the standing-room only crowd, though many left near the
end, when Harrelson's friends spoke about environmental issues.

Harrelson, dressed in clothes made from hemp, started the event on a light
note, inviting the audience to ask questions about anything they wanted to
know, even "a movie" or "Ted Danson." This led to Harrelson talking about
Austin Powers, his start in show business and even the type of professor he
would be.

"If I was your professor, I would be your favorite professor," Harrelson
said. "You can come into class whenever you want ... There would be no
homework because I don't want to read it."

Though Harrelson continued to interject jokes, the topics became more
serious. He spoke of his current journey down the West Coast. Biking,
followed by a bus powered mostly by hemp and vegetable oil, he has been
stopping at various places to try to promote environmentalism.

He also discussed the community he lives in, which is 100 percent solar
powered and has cars run by bio-fuel. He spoke on the importance of
industrial hemp, renewable energy and a change in eating styles to protect
the environment.

"The seed I want to plant is that you make the connection between what
you're doing and what's going on in the world, particularly the destruction
of the environment," Harrelson said.

Harrelson also criticized the war on drugs, which he called "a ridiculous
war" and "a war on people." He claimed that the government wanted people to
use synthetic drugs, not natural drugs.

He asked for all individuals to look at their lives, saying that they can
eventually make a difference.

"A model's the most powerful thing that makes change in other people,"
Harrelson said.

Harrelson introduced other speakers, who talked about topics such as the
need for industrial hemp and vegetarianism.

John Robbins, author of "Diet for a New America," spoke about the value of
vegetarianism and praised Harrelson, who has been a vegan for 11 years.

"Hollywood is full of celebrities who have resources and fame," Robbins
said. "How many of them use their status to make the world a better place?"

Harrelson ended the event by reading a poem that criticized the Industrial
Revolution for creating a society that was only concerned with money and
willing to destroy the environment.

He admitted his argument would not be for everybody, but only for the "hard
cores." After the speech, he said he wanted to convince "the people who
already have these beliefs" to become active. He pointed to the National
Rifle Association as an organization that has few members but a lot of
power. Massive civil disobedience, according to Harrelson, would assist in
the cause.

Harrelson encouraged those interested to visit the Web site
VoiceYourself.com, which he hopes will help unite environmentalists.

The event lasted about two hours, and there were many empty seats by the end.

"It was long," freshman Andy Sand said. "He brought in a few too many
speakers."

Other speech viewers disagreed.

"It was really provocative," freshman A.J. Magnuson said. "I was interested
the whole time."