Jane Fonda, Quinta Brunson weigh in on environmentalism at Hollywood Climate Summit

Jane Fonda and Quinta Brunson have recently weighed in on climate change and environmentalism at the 2023 Hollywood Climate Summit.

On June 22, Brunson revealed how she discarded the use of plastic bottles on the set of Abbot Elementary.

“I know who probably uses plastic bottles the most and it’s our below-the-line crew members. These are the people who are carrying things, doing the hard jobs. And I was like, ‘How do you guys feel if we switch to like these really fucking fancy water bottles, you can refill them, I’ll buy them,’ and then that was a change that got to happen from our below-the-line up. And I think that just really makes a huge difference,” explained the 33-year-old.

Brunson also pointed out how she integrated environmental storylines into her show and researched with her own family to see that “being beat over the head with the message will make them turn the TV off”.

Brunson mentioned that the second episode of the last season of Abbott talked about hot weather.

“I know it seems so stupid but I think that’s really necessary for people who otherwise would not really be interested in looking into the climate,” remarked the writer.

Besides, Brunson, Fonda also discussed about the fight to end the use of fossil fuels.

“I think it’s helpful for us all to realise that there’d be no climate crisis if there was no racism,” stated the 85-year-old.

Addressing oil companies, Fonda noted, “They choose communities of colour, they choose indigenous communities, they choose communities of poor people who don’t have the political power to fight back.”

“All of Los Angeles is built on what used to be huge oil reserves, but they cite the drilling and the fracking in poor communities. They’re called sacrifice zones, that’s what they’re called out in public by Big Oil and Big Gas, sacrifice zones,” mentioned Fonda.

The actress and activist added, “It kind of helps the one percent to have a climate crisis, because the people they want to get rid of will get sick and die all over the world. I mean, frankly, that’s how I think their minds work.”