1) What was your reaction when you were one of two (from 4,500 applicants) chosen to embark on a Greenpeace ship to Iceland?

Utter disbelief at first. Then elation, excitement, and gratitude. I was fortunate to be selected, but the certainty of the adventure didn’t fully hit me until eight days later when I boarded the Esperanza in Lorient, France.

2) What impressed you most during the trip?

Working with Greenpeace is almost too good to be true. The organization is saturated with interesting people who are totally dedicated to repairing and preventing international environmental problems. Also, Iceland is a spectacular place. You should consider going there when they stop whaling. (For details, visit: http://act.greenpeace.org/col/get?i=959&sk=is&la=en)

3) How did you come to be so passionate about environmental causes?

I always cared about animals and loved the outdoors. It occurred to me that everything I care about depends on a healthy environment. Friends, family, future generations, good health, wild animals, clear blue skies, eating, breathing. How can you not get passionate at that point?

4) How does that translate locally?

I think the two most important environmental issues facing the Truckee Meadows are dependable water supplies and frenetic construction. It’s easy to forget we live in the high desert when water always flows from the tap, most new houses have lawns, and we haven’t seen the worst of drought in a while. It’s easy too to overlook the impact we have on natural resources like forests and fossil fuels when houses keep getting bigger and older commercial buildings are abandoned for huge new superstores.

5) How can one person make a difference?

Think about your actions. Do you need to use three paper towels to dry your hands? Do you need to take a 20-minute shower? Do you need to buy a big truck when you hardly ever haul anything?

6) How do you balance your graduate work, environmental crusades, social life?

Luckily, my graduate work is all about environmental policies, so I can apply my education to my activism. My husband, David, is an outdoor enthusiast and groundwater contamination specialist (at DRI and UNR) who knows more about most issues than I do. Nearly all of my friends are as committed to the environment as they are to having fun. They’re the reason I went.

7) Tell us what you like about playing bridge.

Bridge is hard. It’s the ultimate card game. Every hand is different, and each player employs a slightly different strategy, so outcomes are unpredictable. Plus, bridge usually includes a tasty meal and a good bottle of wine with our friends.

8) You’re also a sports enthusiast. What is your favorite sport and why?

If I had to pick just one, I’d say rock climbing. I love climbing for the challenge, the adrenalin rush, the camaraderie, the workout, and mostly just for being outside in the sunshine.

9) What do you enjoy most about Reno?

The climate and geography, along with the people I’ve met.

10) You moved here from Southern California 10 years ago. Do you miss it?

I do and I don’t. I miss my friends and I miss the beach, but I see my friends pretty regularly, and now I get to play in the Sierra Nevada, the Truckee River, the Black Rock Desert, and Lake Tahoe. Keep it wild!

Look for Marnee Benson’s feature in the July/August issue of RENO Magazine.