the bunch of lotus flowers on the feet of his fallen friend. rashid group had been holding his beloved fathers body into calcutta select trick. overcome with grief, offered a prayer to his dead friend. preying on a great of history at. ..

>> this evening, it is my pleasure and such a treat. first of all, any time to come out to this neck of the woods, but certainly to get to participate this evening with todd wilkenson and you this evening. i want to start with, you have other properties. you're all of the world, but you have for here in montana. what brought you out here and make you fall in love with this country? >> it is just a beautiful place. the people look beautiful. the weather is great. it is just the closest thing to have and that i have found on the surface. [applause] i like the rocky mountain. >> the conservation easement is a big one on the flying

properties. what possessed you to preserve that much land? >> temporary insanity. no. i loved it and i did not want to see it developed except for wildlife and nature. >> what about -- obviously you had been at the forefront of returning that creature to our native landseer. what made you fall in love and then decide to do the kind of work, breaking down the fences, restoring the landscapes that the animal could flourish? >> that all happened pretty much at the same time. but when i was a little boy i was fascinated by nature, obviously. i read every book in the library and i could get my hands on about all aspects of nature, butterflies.

and the bison entreat me because it was the largest land animal in america, and it was brought to the edge of extinction by our foolishness. i wanted to see if i could help bring it back. when i started 30 years ago, started collecting and breeding bison there were 3,000 bison in north america which is all that there were in the world. now there are 500,000, ten times as many more. and of those 500,000 now 55,000, on our ranges, so we have 10 percent of all the bison in the world into an percent of all of the prairie dust. [laughter] >> as beautiful as they are coming anyone who has the sliders, tell us about your

relationship. for a long time. tell us how that started and then the life span and have a book about. >> the book took seven years to write. our conversation goes back more than 20. i was on an assignment for a new york magazine. ted had recently arrived in montana, cowboy country. he booted all of the cattle off and raised this turn of those people on a.m. radio. [laughter] and that other network we won't mention tonight. i arrived out there. ted strolled into the room. he was a swagger. at the top of his game. i was a little bit intimidated, not quite as intimidated -- i am not intimidated now, but i was then. and he looked me over and told

me that i had 20 minutes for an interview that i thought would last an hour. after sizing me happy is added to give me more time. so that conversation as continued to play out, and i was particularly intrigued at the time of what he wants to accomplish. he has an incredible ability for being able to look into the future and look around corners. he had dinner with media, taking a gate crasher mentality to winning the america's cup. he did with the braves as well. and so interesting to watch that play out with nature. >> tell us a little bit more about the book and the concept. call me ted came out, was a huge success. we learned a lot about ted. tell us what different story you wanted to tackle? >> there have been several books that have come out. ted road is now more. it dealt primarily with this

business career. did mention some aspects, but it did not dive deep into it. when i started this and wanted to not only interviewed said and get at his motivation i interviewed a number of people that he has collaborated with over the years. gorbachev, richard holbrooke, all passed the people. it really is a story that had not been told in any depth. that sarah started. >> tell us about the environmentalist that influenced you as mentors, friends, people you work with, people you looked up to. to you, the environmentalist, it meant something to you in your life, like jacques cousteau or others. >> shark is stow, jane goodall,

the chimpanzee lady, those are two that -- obviously captain cousteau's son, very, very -- the position in this area. >> they're is a story that you tell me. it was about you when the going down the amazon. and that think that things are looking desolate in the environmental world. he shared a conversation with you. you remember that? >> sure. >> tell me that story. >> i was a little discouraged. it was back when reagan was president. he had just called russia the evil empire. that is not the way they -- that is not the way the make friends. [laughter]

anyway, the i am having a hard time keeping from getting discouraged about the beginning of their weapons and having peace in the world. he said, even if we knew for sure where were going to lose, which we don't, what else could we do but keep fighting until the end. whenever i tended to get discouraged since then, that was 25 years ago, i remember what the captain said then i say that to myself the. of the discouragement pass a late. >> that was a moment when ted was able to get sustenance from cousteau. that was returned. >> absolutely. ted picked up the mantle from your stow. he said go forth and try to make a difference with your impact. and then 15 years later he was

sailing. and they work together watching an airing of the film gettysburg at the national theater in washington, and do stowe had begun to despair. everyone wants to around -- sat around and watch the interaction . he thought it was time to give up ahu. he told me a story and cried telling it of the difference that ted turner had made and the fact that ted became, at one point had been the student of the master and in turn had become a master. i think it's a story of transference road. >> three as seven irrawaddy no questions. i will not read the sender's

name. it was a question received. poe's consistently revealed a strong majority of montana and support conservation efforts in favor plane air and water, open spaces, while kutcher corporate jets and wildlife habitat, why you think they'll let politicians in the state legislature is seem to oppose efforts to protect the environment. [applause] >> we have that all over the nose states. >> a lot of them don't agree with them. they're running because they're angry ross something. they don't like what is being done. it's a free country. you're allowed to do that. we just have to be sure that we

have enough electable candid it's that we win the election and get our program adopted rather than theirs. >> but you have demonstrated -- yes, money helps, but the welcome of the determination, the perseverance that you have demonstrated, what would you -- what would you say to kids or to people who sometimes feel so frustrated when they look at the -- just like it's moving too slowly, what do you say to individuals who are trying to make a difference on their own? >> keep working at it. don't give up. in the end the group that wins is going to be the one that perseveres the best. >> i am going to broaden it because the last couple of days here is a great example. president obama over the last couple of days has announced to leading initiatives in his

second term, getting rid of a clear weapons and global climate change. and i think he used dare i say following in the footsteps, we saw him talk about the nuclear threat initiative. tell us just a little bit now that we are looking at the president once again taking a leading role, with that organization does, the nuclear threat initiative. tell us what it does? >> it will sway public opinion in favor of nuclear disarmament. >> but you have former secretary of state. just amazing personality. >> the very best people that he could, kissinger, perry, himself and if you're a member be the

discussion with them. they're doing a good job of it. we are closer to getting rid of it clear weapons that we'll probably ever been. >> and white -- [applause] it is nice to think so, anyway. >> and through the you in foundation so many initiatives center around women, education, health costs so many aspects, why the focus -- this is a rhetorical question, why the focus on women? or maybe we should not ask that question. >> they look better on tv than men. no, it is -- it is high time

that we get women more involved and all of the 80's. we are doing at. right here in the united states there are more women in college now than there are meant to. more women in graduate school. >> do you recall the story about political office? would you like to tell them what you said a few years ago i advocated having men be barred from serving in public office. in the elected job, and the elected body for 100 years. i think at the end of that time a long before it we had had the military budget be slashed dramatically. money would go to education and health care.

[applause] >> i think your suggestion is catching on. the dali lama the other day said that he thought it would be absolutely appropriate that his successor is a fino. so getting very interesting. you have learned so much, and there is so much of what he has done that applies to almost any area, and the endeavor. but when you talk about the principle of the triple bottom, what is that? >> i think that ted in this century is, perhaps, the template for this notion of a capitol which is doing business that does no harm. the triple bottom line is based -- think of it as three stools. profit, motivation, of course, conservation will exist on private land.

it needs to pay for itself. another leg and it is caring for the environment in doing no harm to the environmental and it possible restoring harmed landscapes. been perhaps the biggest model of that in the country. and then the third aspect is a human one which is you take care of your employees to not pay them a decent, livable wage. channel as much business back into local communities from what you're driving your profits. ted and wherever he operates has channeled millions of dollars of commerzbank ended trickles into the oval immunity's. in essence what he has done is turned them into it stakeholders for conservation. it is a concept that a lot of people talk about, but it is one that ted has put into practice. >> tell us of little bit about the entire families involvement? m.a., for the audience it is so

impressive that each one of his five children and grandchildren, the activities, the involvement, the causes, tell us a little bit about how expensive their work is as well? >> i have tried to encourage them to educate their cells about the environment and helping out in philanthropy and get them interested as dancers and hopefully they will continue with it when they become adults. >> let's talk about the adults. us talk about what laura does. >> they all do philanthropic and environmental -- >> britney back --

>> let's make an environmental documentary. you have got all of the kids running the operations. ginnie during environmental funds. each one of the children is making a major contribution. >> thankfully. >> well, people may not know that you were a champion or richer in prep school. there is a verse the you have quoted to me on many occasions but it is very applicable to this cause. could you give us a little bit. >> lines on courage from horatius at the bridge. step forward. to every man and woman born deaf, center late.

and malcolm and i better than facing fierce odds all the speed you may. i was holding the fellow in play. my well be stopped by three. you will send other hand and guard the bridge of me. >> so many causes worthy of attention, "what worries you the most. what do you lose the most sleep about? >> the greatest danger we face is the nuclear-weapons. the center we get rid of them before we make a mistake, something goes wrong, the better. and then the second after that

this protection of the environment, particularly getting a handle on global climate change and stop burning fossil fuel. [applause] >> what do you hope the book accomplishes? >> a lot of money. i'm just joking. >> beyond royalties, what do you hope the book accomplishes? >> he wanted to make money. three air partners in it. 5050. [laughter] >> just upset people enjoy it. >> he is a hell of a partner have. that road afford to the book and i think he said it best.

we live in that time or people arsenical in the live in a time when they're told they're not making a bit -- difference. i hope it inspires the young to get involved in the old to be engaged. again, i think by ted's example, this notion of the go capitalism, a dismisses this notion that ecology and economy cannot coexist. he says it is a false dichotomy. just bought more.

he has become a major catalyst for an example of a push to help eradicate polio. that will be done than a few years. you can go down a long, long line of areas that ted has been involved with. without giving to cornballs, i really think were sitting here among a giant. >> no question. [applause] >> todd, what surprised you the most in working with ted and getting to know and? that you can share with us. [applause] >> we have had a lot of great conversations. i think what surprised me, a quick anecdote, we were in new mexico, and i was trying to interview him while he was quail hunting.

we have a different kind of interview that we carry on when he has an audience. he knows how to apply toward the crowd and, again, we have have lots of very personal conversations about his life and looking a worries opened up. that said that people know publicly, there is the steep sell-off reflective person there. it is ironic that he created the modern media age. it is a ride this notion of him exists but behind the scenes have just watched and channel all of this information. a surprised how well read and inform the as.

>> it's exciting to watch you. gorbachev talking about how emotional you are. and how is it spending time out here, even just sitting on the porch being surrounded by this kind of magnificent? how is it being able to live with montana being such a big part of your life to mike. >> it's nice. i like it. i just like looking at it. i love the mountains. the spanish peaks. i love could look at them for weeks. >> he's off the horse. if there's a piece of trash anywhere on the property -- >> or we'd. >> obnoxious week. you really are just such a

steward and guardian. there are so many areas that you have the tralee dominated all over the world. to you have a sense of what you want your legacy to be? >> it will be whatever about to beat. i'm not worried about it. the board of pocketing the job done. >> but still, every day, and i see you worrying about the issues. what can i do now, what sort of drives you on a day-to-day basis now. >> i want to do the best job that i can. >> but there are so many areas the you are still involved in. you feel like much of your focus now is on the environment to work? >> a lot of it is. because i am pretty well doing about as much as i can on the environment. i have been there and done that. i have been at work on getting

rid of nuclear-weapons and trying to get us in such a way for fossil fuels before it's too late. >> tell us before we wrap up, there is a new group to you have been putting together with jeffrey sack. tell us a little bit about the global sustainability effort. >> jeffrey is really doing that. i'm trying to give him some encouragement, but basically i'm good friends with boone pickens. about a year or two ago he came on with the program on television. he said, we don't have an energy plan. he said over and over again. seventy years with no energy plan for this country. i thought, cheese, we have a plan for cnn. if you don't have a plan come out you never get anything done? so i thought about it and i go,

help, we don't have an energy plan, we don't have a plan for anything, population. and in our lifetime, those of you better 75 in near the end of the population has gone from 2 billion people to seven and a half billion people. that is unsustainable obviously. what we need to is plan for everything. i suggested that we do it. [laughter] i am a loaded tired to take on a project. he thought about it and said he would. his working guy. so some time during the next year there will be a plan for humanity. it is going to be endorsed by the united nations. in fact, it is going to be their plan. he works for the u.s. it will take a shot at putting a plan together that would include

the overfishing, it would include farming, water, population. and it will even have a chapter in their on poverty and health care. not just putting together a global health plan. is putting together a global education plan. we can do anything we want to do . the incredible capability if i can go from no to a three to the 55,000 we can do anything.

[applause] >> i will still one of my favorite lines and have seen him give up the most prestigious groups. stop doing the dumb things and start doing the smart things. i would love to get your final thoughts. >> again, i -- someone like ted comes around very rare in our lives. he follows in a line of the great tycoons at the turn of the last century, the carnegie's you brought libraries and literacy, the rockefellers to set aside grand teton park. ted is in this incredible class. you know, it is kind of amazing that he has adopted bozeman, montana, our home town as his

backyard. he is a tough act to follow. one thing a lot like to ask you to do, would you do a reprise of you did when you were inducted into the international hall of fame? would you want me to do? >> the president, mount rushmore were behind many stood up and led them in a song. >> there we go.