Sting and his wife, environmental activist, Trudie Styler, were welcomed like old friends by Today co-host Ann Curry, on NBC's prime-time coverage of Live Earth. Curry, who has gushingly interviewed Styler before, implored the rock star and his wife to send a message to all those participating in the "rising fervor" for the environment. However, Curry worried that "fervor" would cool as she asked the 80s pop icon: "Well the iron is hot. People are listening. Irons cool, Sting. So what is the strongest thing you can say tonight to people listening?"
The following is the full interview as it occurred around 8:24pm on NBC's live July 7th coverage of the Live Earth concert:
Ann Curry: "Today's global Live Earth event is about great music and a powerful environmental message. Well representing the best of both of those, here at Giants Stadium, are the recently reformed Police led by Sting. Well Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler co-founder of the Rainforest Foundation. And they join us now. Hey, welcome both of you."
Trudy Styler: "Hey Ann."
Curry: "You know, you two, have been, because of the Rainforest Foundation, been working for this and these issues for decades now. And I imagine seeing this, seeing this rising fervor for caring about the environment, must bring some reaction in you. What about you, Sting?"
Sting: "Well you know, we've been fighting this struggle for almost 20 years. And it's nice to see other people in the struggle, too."
Curry: "More than nice. It must mean something?"
Sting: "Well we're way from victory. We can't celebrate too much. It's great that people are becoming aware of what's happening. And trying to do something."
Curry: "You care so much about the human suffering, that what the scientists are predicting will happen, you, you don't want to have that happen. But you say it's already happening in Ecuador. Tell us what's happening."
Styler: "I was in Ecuador three weeks ago. And what I saw was the most appalling human rights violation I've ever encountered in my 20 years of visiting indigenous groups. Three indigenous groups are fighting for survival because Chevron oil company have dumped 18 billion gallons of toxic waste into their lands, poisoning their waters and leaving them with leukemias and cancers, three times the rate of, of anywhere else in Ecuador. I've met with families, a mom and daughter, mom 38, uterine cancer, daughter 18 years old [with] liver cancer, who have not a hope because they took me down to their water supply and I can smell for myself the contamination, smells of oil."
Curry: "You know Chevron says that the Ecuadorian oil company is really to blame, and a court is now trying to settle all of this. But you know what, there are heroes involved. There's a man, as a young man, you were pointing out who's fighting for the rights of the indigenous people Hero, because he doesn't have a lost education to really help him do this and he's fighting a, it's sort of a David and Goliath story. But, you know, I think, you know, from this, [I] wonder what it is? I mean what is it that moved you? We are talking to people now listening about what they should be doing. What moved you? Why do you even care so much?"
Styler: "I care so much because over the years I've been going down a lot and seeing for myself that these people have been living in harmony with their environment and they should be left to live in harmony with these precious resources, the Amazon rainforest is precious to all of us."
Curry: "Well the iron is hot. People are listening. Irons cool, Sting. So what is the strongest thing you can say tonight to people listening?"
Sting: "I think we can all make concrete baby steps, something small is worth doing. I mean I'm a rock star. I have a pretty heavy global footprint, I admit it. So I have to do something larger. But everybody can do something, even if it's turning the lights off. We have a 12-year-old that turns off the lights in a room, even when people are in it.
Curry: "I know, they're leading the way, the young people."
Sting: "They really are."
Curry: "Alright, Sting, Trudie, pleasure. Such a pleasure to see you both."
Styler: "Thank you."
Curry: "Be well. Enjoy. We're really looking forward to hearing you tonight."
