Prince Charles asks British celebs to join his "Garden Party”

Prince Charles seems to be the odd man out when it comes to the royal family. He’s been overshadowed by his mother the Queen, his former wife Diana, and now his sons William and Harry. While he might not sell a lot of papers, Prince Charles is still pushing to get the word out about the environment, a cause that he’s championed since the 1980’s. His “Start” initiative will bring together celebrities and green ideas for an eco-minded “Garden Party To Make A Difference” this September.

Start was born out of the idea that “confusion makes us lose interest.” Talk of the Kyoto Protocol and statistics on greenhouse emissions can turn off people from the green movement because it is based on fear, not optimism. Prince Charles wants to give the public a fun time by opening up his own organic gardens to show off simple ways people can live their lives via sustainable practices.

The twelve day Garden Party To Make A Difference marks the first time that the Prince of Wales has opened his gardens at Clarence House in London to the public. The eco-minded summer festival features eight different areas that include music, food and outdoors, garden, comedy, debate, fashion, kids, and home.

Each section is run by a British celebrity such as Dame Vivian Westwood who’s working on fashion. Her section will feature workshops with ideas like adapting adult clothes for kids and the chance to transform the Prince’s old curtains into a reusable shopping bag. An additional draw is sure to be a show by the fair-trade fashion label People Tree for their line “Love From Emma.” The Emma on the label is actually actress Emma Watson, best known for her performances in the Harry Potter films. She won’t be in attendance, though, because of that thing called “college.”

Another big push from the organizers of the Garden Party is the subject of food. Headed up by Kate Humble, a BBC journalist that specializes in wildlife and science shows, it will feature a large farmers market as well as cooking demonstrations. It will also teach people how their food is “sourced, how it’s grown, how it can best be stored, cooked and disposed of..and tips on reducing waste and packaging.”

Prince Charles and the his Garden Party To Make A Difference are doing something important with their message. They aren’t focusing on what we shouldn’t be doing, but rather looking at alternatives that can make a difference in the long run. And who wouldn’t love to take take some royal curtains to the supermarket?