True to his Texas heritage, the late 'Dallas' actor lived in an egregiously large home. The catch? The home of television's most hated oil baron was completely powered by the sun.
Tue, Nov 27 2012
Late last week, the American solar energy industry lost one of its most outspoken — and highly ironic — celebrity boosters in the form of Larry Hagman. In the end, it was complications following throat cancer, not double gunshot wounds inflicted by his disgruntled sister-in-law/mistress, that claimed the life of the veteran actor who played the most loathsome Texas patriarch to ever appear on television. Hagman, a recovered alcoholic and liver transplant recipient, was 81.
Off-screen, Hagman was strictly a renewable energy kind of guy who milked his despicable, black gold-hungry on-screen persona for all it was worth. Case in point: the motto of Hagman’s recently formed charitable foundation is “Evil Does Good.”
Much has been written about Hagman’s non-evil solar energy-pushing activities over the years with the bulk of it focused on “Heaven,” his absolutely ginormous off-the-grid ranch in Ojai, Calif., that reportedly sports the largest residential solar array in the United States.
Hagman appeared, donning his signature 10-gallon hat and with his tongue firmly planted in cheek, in the an SolarWorld ad campaign on the condition that SolarWorld donate photovoltaic panels to the Haiti relief effort following that country’s catastrophic earthquake (Hagman also served on the board of the Solar Electric Light Fund, a nonprofit with the goal of bringing clean, renewable energy to developing areas).
I'll leave you with these words from Hagman himself as found on his official website:
Now, not everyone can put in the gonzo array I did; however, we can all learn from the mistakes of the past and make positive differences right now and for the future. Compact florescent light bulbs in our homes and businesses make a tremendous difference in the amount of energy we all use. Less energy used equals less pollution generated. Learning more about the foods we eat and the fuels we use to power our economy will lead to better health, economically and physically. You’ll love that feeling you get from driving an electric car. We have the power to make changes every day.The only things any of us truly have in this world are the decisions we make. Take some advice from me live a life you love and love the life you live. Become knowledgeable about what changes you can make in your daily lives. Our time is short to make these changes, but I’m heartened by the increased interest these last few years have brought.
Edited from article at http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/larry-hagman-the-solar-legacy-of-tvs-dirtiest-oil-tycoon-shines-on
Gene Dempsey, City Forester
Environmental Services
Office - (954) 828-5785 Fax - (954) 828-4745
Think before you print!
