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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 22 February 2018
Will and Jaden Smith create eco-friendly water company: Just

By SANDY COHEN said. "We're just about to Will Smith, speaking by
AP Entertainment Writer launch our second product phone from Atlanta, where
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jaden and we felt like there were he's beginning work on
Smith's environmental con- enough people who al- an Ang Lee film, said he's
sciousness was born when ready have accepted the been inspired by his son's
he was out surfing at about brand and it wouldn't look commitment — both to
age 10. He saw plastic wa- like celebrities trying to sell the cause and to himself
ter bottles bobbing in the some water." as someone who can cre-
ocean beside him, and he Jaden Smith's passion ate change. The 49-year-
was so upset by it that he for the company's mis- old superstar said that's the
told his parents. sion — reducing plastic most valuable thing he's
Then he learned in school and carbon dioxide emis- learned from his children
about the Great Pacific sions globally — is evident (including daughter Willow,
Garbage Patch, those when he speaks about it, 17, and son Trey, 25): "That
floating "islands" of gar- as well as in various videos you have to freely and un-
bage and plastic debris, he's released talking about apologetically be true to
and insisted that his family climate change, sustain- you above all things."
do something about it. ability and renewable re- "There's a certain expecta- In this Aug. 1, 2016 file photo, Jaden Smith, left, and his father
The result is Just, an eco- sources. The 19-year-old tion that has developed Will Smith attend the world premiere of "Suicide Squad" in New
friendly bottled water com- said he's visiting schools to of me over the years, and York.
pany founded by Smith spread awareness about in watching Jaden and all Associated Press
and his famous dad, Will the problems caused by of my children, I'm learn- up to an image of who I cally Jaden, to not concern
Smith. The company makes plastic and pollution and ing to get free again to be am," Smith said. "I found a themselves with anything
its packaging from almost to inspire young people to me and do me without the really brand new freedom above honesty and truth
entirely renewable resourc- help find solutions. absolute concern of every through watching my kids and integrity to themselves
es, including "plastic" de- "School and education is single moment trying to live and how they tend, specifi- first and foremost."q
rived from sugarcane. where it all starts, because
"This was a company born that's where it started for
out of a child's love for me," he said, adding that
the ocean," Will Smith told he tells students: "I just want
The Associated Press dur- you to know that I came up
ing an interview with the with this idea when I was
father-son entertainment your age, and that means
duo about their company's you have the infinite ability
new offering: flavored wa- to come up with any idea
ter. They established the or any way that you want
company in 2015, but the to change the world."
elder Smith said he wanted He said his goals for the
to wait until it gained mo- company also include pro-
mentum on its own merits ducing classroom furniture
before revealing the brand from used water bottles as
had celebrity backing. a way of repurposing ma-
"We did not want this to terials and diverting them
be a celebrity brand," he from landfills.

Geraldo Rivera talks

weapons age-limits

with President Trump

By CATHERINE LUCEY strongly that he was going
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tele- to act to strengthen back-
vision personality Geraldo ground checks."
Rivera says he has dis- Rivera says Trump was
cussed the idea of raising "deeply affected" by visits
the minimum age to pur- with survivors of the school
chase assault-type weap- shooting in Parkland, Flori-
ons with President Donald da, that left 17 dead.
Trump, adding that Trump The gunman used an AR-
"took it under advisement." 15. Rivera says Trump was
Rivera, a Fox News con- "shocked and distressed"
tributor, says in an email by the wounds inflicted.
Wednesday that he spoke On Tuesday, the White
with Trump during a din- House said the idea of rais-
ner at Mar-a-Lago over the ing the age limit to buy an
weekend. He added that AR-15 was on the table for
Trump "further suggested discussion.q