for an
Extraordinary Person

by Jim Jerome

More Nell

Nell Newman

Daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, she is co-president of
Newman’s Own Organics and a tireless advocate for sustainable agriculture.

What did you have for
breakfast today?
I had non-organic Yorkshire Gold tea,
a big bowl of organic four-grain oatmeal
with organic raisins and organic milk.
I don’t think the butter was organic, but
the sugar was.

What kind of car do you drive? Hot rods—anything with a big V8. I’m waiting for a really good hybrid station wagon. Hybrids are definitely improving. The gas mileage will be considerably better, with lower emissions. My parents have two Priuses.

How “green” do you consider
yourself to be?
I’ve got two solar panels on my car,
I eat 80 percent organic, and I don’t
drive much. Between that, Newman’s
Own Organics, and the fact that
I’m becoming more personally philan-
thropic (my dad is a great role model
that way), I’d give myself a fair
amount of environmental credit.

How did your parents influence
your consciousness about the
earth’s resources?
My mom definitely had a socially and
environmentally conscious mind-set.
She recycled newspapers before people
were doing it. My dad taught me how
to use scent, touch and sound to pick
ripe farm-stand produce. He also took
me fishing from the time I was about
five. I fished almost every day and
learned how to clean and cook fish—
definitely a bonding experience.

Is your home earth-friendly? I bought a cold, mildewy 1940 cottage that needed major environmental improvements. I blew insulation into the walls and ceiling and added a vapor barrier underneath. I put in double-glazed windows and tightened all the doors. I mainly heat with a wood stove, but I buy only a cord of wood a year. I put solar panels on my home office and replaced an old

water heater with an amazing
“instant-on” type that heats only
what you need when you need it.
The house already had a low-flush
toilet—this is California—and
I put in a low-flow showerhead.

What keeps you sane and healthy?
I try to exercise every day—run, go to
the gym, bike or surf. Also, planning
a vacation—I usually take a big one once
a year. That keeps me sane.

Do you remember your own first
earth-friendly act?
After my second year of college,
I ripped up a big chunk of my mom’s
backyard and planted this huge organic
garden with everything from snap-
dragons to collard greens. It didn’t feel
like a particularly environmental act
then, but in hindsight it was.

Is there a special place on earth that you think needs to be saved? Everywhere (laughing). But, overall, wet-lands. It’s tough to pick one, especially if you read the newspaper. I do tend to look at the big picture.

JIM JEROME IS A NEW YORK–BASED MAGAZINE JOURNALIST AND COAUTHOR OF SEVEN SHOW-BUSINESS MEMOIRS.