Alysia Reiner David Alan Basche

Holistic in Hollywood: An Interview with Actors

Holistic parents come in all shapes and sizes! We met What are your top 3 natural/green passions? with Hollywood couple Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New 1) Chemical free living, getting as much toxicity out of Black) and David Alan Basche (The Exes) to learn more our food, our water, and the world in general. about their passion for sustainable, healthy living and 2) Encouraging others to build or remodel green. parenting. 3) CSA’s and local organic farmers markets.

What got you started on your green living journey? Tell us about your home. How did you get inspired to Alysia was always eco conscious and then David jumped green your living space? on the bandwagon. When our daughter Liv was born, that We bought an abandoned 5 story crack house in Harlem. really motivated us even more. We were always aware of No really, we did! It had been boarded up and vacant for things like recycling, conserving, and being conscious of at least 5 years, and we found needles, crack vials, and not only what we put into our bodies, but also what we garbage on every floor. There were no windows, no doors, put on them. And of course there’s nothing like becoming and only half a roof. We were determined to rebuild it, someone else’s food source to make you even more aware! and because we had a clean slate so to speak, it just made sense to try to do it as green as we could. And again, the reason for buying the building in the first place was to

18 Copyright ©2014 holistic moms network have room to start a family, so we were inspired by that cloth diapers, choose earth friendly diapers (we loved goal to make it green, clean, sustainable and comfortable. Nature Baby Care). Then look at your personal care items and food and go as organic as you can. Then try How has parenting changed your views on natural/holistic to get your kid’s school to switch to natural soap, and living? then try to get your whole parenting community to Parenting has increased our awareness and commitment start a composting program in the local park, etc etc… EXPONENTIALLY! When you are responsible for the And remember, kids do what they see YOU do, so your health and care of another small human being, it really attitudes and actions around green living have a direct wakes you up to the things you’ve ignored before, to impact on them. Ghandi said “be the change you want the things you know you must now do. And it’s all to be to see in the world,” but he may as well have said “be the able to look that kid in the eye and say “we are doing our change you want to see in your kids!” best to take care of you and give you a good start.” Also, it saddens us to see how many parents still just don’t Alysia Reiner is an award winning actress, producer, mother, humanitarian, and outspoken environmentalist. As an actress her work is prolific, she’s appeared on screen and stage, believe some proven facts: more sleep really does make for has won awards and rave reviews, and has even been suggested on IMDB as one of top 3 smarter, calmer, healthier kids; plastics and BPA and other picks for the next “Bond Girl.” She is still often recognized as Christine, Thomas Hayden Church’s fiancee and then bride in the Oscar-winning cult film favorite “Sideways,” for contaminants can truly change a child’s estrogen levels which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance for an Ensemble and affect their health in a hugely negative way; and too Cast.

much sugar most definitely is poison. She is currently shooting her second season of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, playing FIG, the assistant warden in the new series by Jenji Kohan who created WEEDS, and she Alysia – tell us about your involvement in your daughter’s just wrapped the film LIFE ITSELF with Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton. Reiner was busy this summer, scoring roles in a slew of upcoming films including Martin Scorsese’s school. REVENGE OF THE GREEN DRAGONS, THE GIRL IN THE BOOK, and KELLY AND CAL, I’m on the Green Committee, and the whole school playing opposite Juliette Lewis. THAT AKWARD MOMENT with Zac Efron that will hit theaters soon. composts now! We’ve changed the snacks to be healthier and we’re now in the process of changing the soap Alysia is a champion of all things eco-friendly, and she and her husband used their own home as a way to share information about building green. Their brownstone renovation in from that gross pink stuff to a clear, chemical free, Harlem was featured on television’s “World’s Greenest Homes” ”HOME & FAMILY “ and biodegradable brand instead! “Renovation Nation”; in various magazines like Dwell, Gotham, and The Nest; and they allowed the environmentally friendly construction process to be chronicled on Web sites such as Dwell.com and kohler.com. David – tell us about your tattoo about perfection and its inspiration. David Alan Basche can be seen in the hit sitcom “The Exes” on TV Land. He stars as the lovably neurotic “Stuart Gardner,” roommate to Wayne Night and Donald Faison. Season 4 I’ve always struggled with perfectionism all my life, so airs this Summer. when Liv was born I got a tattoo on my left wrist that says And while David’s been a series regular on many TV comedies and dramas, he’s also worked “There Is No Perfect” and it’s in my own handwriting, in film for Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Paul Greengrass, Shawn Levy, Robert Zem- which is…well…imperfect! As I get older I see more and eckis, Michael Patrick King, George Nolfi and more. He’s flirted with Julia Roberts, stolen Tom Cruise’s wife, berated Brooke Shields, married (and divorced) Debra Messing, chased more that I do not want perfectionism to be a debilitating Matt Damon all over New York, yelled at some boxing robots with Hugh Jackman, and loop in my life, rather I want to do things like raise a snubbed Sarah Jessica and Mr. Big.

daughter, build a career, become more eco-conscious, and David is also an outspoken environmentalist, and has been featured on TV’s “World’s Greenest just strive for my best and be happy with that. Homes” and “Renovation Nation,” as well as in various magazines like Dwell, Gotham, and The Nest. He and his wife, actress Alysia Reiner (Orange Is The New Black), are involved with many charities including The Cancer Support Community, SAY (Stuttering Association What advice do you have for other parents starting their for the Young), Actors for Autism, and Cycle For Survival. green living journey? Start small and work your way up! If you can’t go with