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June 2nd 2008

Neil Young Takes His Hybrid-Electric ‘59 Lincoln For A Test Drive

Cruise almost ends in disaster...

Filed under: cars-houses, transport — michael @ 2:59 pm

Hot on the heels of Matt Damon taking an electric vehicle out for a spin, rocker Neil Young hit the road with his still-under-development green vehicle: A 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV that’s being turned into a beautiful serial-electric hybrid by John Goodwin. Young has been working on having the car transformed since the announcement of the project last October. ”Johnathan and this car are going to make history,” said Young in an interview with The Wichita Eagle. ”We’re going to change the world, we’re going to create a car that will allow us to stop giving our wealth to other countries for petroleum. And we’re going to do it right here in Wichita, a great place that I now love, where people know how to make things, and make things happen.”

Of course, there have been a few bumps along the road. The $120,000 project almost ended in disaster during a recent test-drive with Young and Goodwin. From the article,

“Because there is no gas pedal, Goodwin had to drive with his left hand, with no power steering, while twisting half around and turning an acceleration knob in the back seat with his right hand. ‘And we just about crashed it,” Goodwin said. At K-96 and Webb, as they approached the entrance ramp, Goodwin turned the knob the wrong way, and the car leaped toward the back end of another car. In a micro-second, Young, from the passenger seat, stomped the brake, averting disaster.

‘Still needs a little work,’ Goodwin said.”

For more pictures — and a video — of Young’s hybird Lincoln, jump to the article here. 

June 2nd 2008

Matt Damon Caught Cruising In Electric Tesla Prototype

Filed under: cars-houses, green and famous, transport — michael @ 1:19 pm

During the Bourne Ultimatum press rounds last year, Matt Damon revealed that he was on the list for an upcoming Tesla Roadster. ”Next year I’m getting a Tesla Roadster, which I’m very, very excited about,” he said “It’s an electric car, gets about 250 miles to the charge and is fast as hell! I can’t wait to get it. Driving a green car is one of the ways we can all do a little more, so I’m trying to do that.”

Well, obviously, it’s been a long wait for everyone on that list — but to ease the pain just a bit, it appears that Tesla let Damon take a prototype for a cruise out and about Studio City, CA! Steve Levy, editor of the great new site, autofiends.com, was sipping a coffee when the actor pulled up. Here’s a bit of his reactions: 

“The passenger jumps out to grab some coffee and I walk over and start talking to the driver. I ask if I can take some photos and he tells me to go ahead. I’m chatting away asking questions about the car, trying to figure out why he’s driving it and whether he’s press or maybe a disgruntled investor being thrown a bone—test cars haven’t exactly been offered up that easily, and actual production cars…well! I take a few shots and we keep talking. This guy’s raving about the car, telling me it’s a prototype, how unbelievably quick it is, super friendly and open. Still, I’m thinking to myself who is this guy? Then it drops about three or four minutes in—that’s Matt Damon! Cool! So what does he think?”

Jump over to the site to get Matt’s reactions from his test drive of the Tesla. Needless to say, he’s impressed — and when pressed as to whether he was going to get one sheepishly responded, “Yeah, I guess so…” 

Additional photos of Damon cruising in his Tesla below:

May 30th 2008

Kristin Davis Brings Hydrogen To Sex And The City Premiere

Filed under: cars-houses, transport — michael @ 9:00 am

The always adorable Kristin Davis showed off some green wheels last night at the Hollywood, CA premiere of Sex and the City at the Arclight Cinema. Joining the likes of Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Cameron Diaz, Davis showed up in the BMW Hydrogen 7 — the world’s first hydrogen-powered car for everyday use. 

As we profiled last week, Davis is a green-gal at heart with a brand new solar-powered home in LA. She has also done extensive work in Africa for Oxfam America to help alleviate poverty. Check out the photos below for more!

Photo credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images

May 28th 2008

Michelle Rodriguez Is Worried Her Prius Will Give Her Cancer

Filed under: cars-houses, transport, video — michael @ 2:43 pm

It’s pretty rare to see celebrities actually do little more with paparazzi than say “Hello” and get on with their day. That’s where this video appears to be headed — until Michelle Rodriguez decides to elaborate on the question of “How do you like your hybrid?” Then, the video become legendary. Here is her response: 

“I think my car is alright. But you know one thing? I’m researching right now…the battery, bro. The f**king battery now seems to have an issue: causing cancer, brother. It’s some serious s**t. Like, imagine your cell phone, a hundred times fold…that type of s**t going right up your ass. Ok, baby? Ok? So, that’s what I’m researching right now…”

Michelle then goes on to say that nothing is really established in terms of any health-concerns on the topic. While it’s true that hybrid batteries do emit some EMF, studies have found that its certainly nothing different from other sources of EMF (say, your CRT monitor) that we experience on a day-to-day basis. 

But Michelle is quick to add: ”Before you go and buy your mother-f**king hybrid, check yo s**t.” 

Uh huh. 

via X17

May 22nd 2008

Vespa Scooters “Get Smart” With Product Placement

Filed under: contests, film-tv, green and famous, movies, products, transport — parrish @ 1:29 pm

Piaggio Group’s Vespa scooter brand is going product placement crazy as they participate in a cross-promotional arrangement with Subway and the upcoming film Get Smart. In Get Smart Steve Carell hightails it around in a Vespa LX 150 scooter.

Paolo Timoni, president/CEO of New York-based Piaggio Group Americas, says: “The LX 150 is the meat of our product range. It’s perfect for city riding but it can also ride on-highway. In the movie, it is used as an alternative form of transportation–the main actor uses it to go from place A to place B.”

Ok, blah, blah, blah! Enough with the cross-promotional, product range, corporate marketing mumbo jumbo. Here are facts kids: a Vespa is awesome, not because Steve Carell drives it (although Steve IS incredibly cool), or because they’re teaming up with a skeezy sandwich chain that makes mediocre processed food. No, Vespas are cool because they get between 70 and 90 miles per gallon and that makes Mama Earth a whole lot happier.

The scooter company has been wise about marketing the eco-coolness of their product and launched Vespanomics two yeas ago to educate the public on their fuel-efficient and traffic-jam-relieving qualities.

So I say go see Get Smart because Steve Carell’s a genius, and go buy a Vespa because it’s way better than a car, but maybe go somewhere besides Subway for lunch because lets be honest…

If you want to find out how you can win a free Vespa and some other cool products, visit VespaUSA.com

May 17th 2008

Razzi Snap: Lukas Haas Has A Fine Super-MPG Scooter

Filed under: animals, cars-houses, green and famous, politics, transport — michael @ 9:09 am

With gas prices crossing the $4/gallon mark in LA, what’s a guy to do to save a little cash? Grab the ‘ole scooter and head down to the latest hot spot, that’s what. On Friday night, actor Lukas Haas (and clubbing bud to Leonardo DiCaprio) was spotted by the gang at Bauer Griffin jumping on his scooter outside the Crown Bar in L.A. [Photos...]

Have you ever thought: “Damn, I wish my car would look more like a Chia-Pet?” Of course you have.

Could Polar Bears being listed as ‘threatened’ push oil to over $200/barrel? I doubt it, but that’s what one of John McCain’s advisers believes.

CNN Money takes an early look at the Planet Green network, calling it “tacky-yet-shrewd”. [Read more...]

Shame on Chicago for repealing the ban on foie gras. Mayor Richard M. Daley called the original ban the “silliest ordinance the council had ever passed.” Perhaps this guy would like a tube shoved down his throat and up to 4 pounds of grain and fat pumped into his stomach two or three times every day. Sick move, insensitive comment. [Read more...]

May 9th 2008

Ecorazzi’s Anna Griffin Interviews The Electric Chelsea Sexton

Filed under: cars-houses, ecorazzi exclusive, transport — michael @ 1:28 pm

As promised, here is the video interview of Ecorazzi’s Anna Griffin and electric-car star Chelsea Sexton at the Elle Eco Spa Bus tour. For additional details on the event, read our full article here.

May 9th 2008

Razzi Snap: Jessica Alba Shows Off Her Green Nursery

Filed under: babies and bumps, cars-houses, healthy living, interviews, transport — michael @ 11:06 am

We’ve pretty much reached the saturation point in covering Jessica Alba’s green nursery plans. But just to cap it all off (and kudos to the media for promoting her eco-ambitions), Celebrity Baby Blog have posted a full scan from US Weekly of Alba’s completed baby room. They also have a nice list of almost everything inside and where to buy it. Her baby girl is due late May/early June. [Check it here...]

Al Gore is once again under attack with claims that he’s pushing forward an “alarmist agenda” after he spoke on NPR’s Fresh Air. In the interview, Gore included the recent devastating Myanmar Cyclone in a list of current natural events that may be linked to Global Warming. The way media outlets like FOX and others have spun it, however, it sounds like he singled out only Myanmar as proof of climate change. You be the judge — have a listen to the radio clip here. [Part in question happens about the 27:20 mark]

Attention Celebrities! The next-generation Toyota Prius will be unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January of next year. It’s expected to be a bit larger, but have lower emissions than the previous model and a few more MPGs. With a barrel of oil now trading above $125, this can’t come soon enough. [Read more...]

Actress Laura Dern recently hired Green Life Guru, a Los Angeles–based environmental-services company, to evaluate the eco-fitness of her house. She was advised on solar paneling and water filtration — but realized greening the home-front just wasn’t enough. Now, she and a bunch of other parents are working with the company to help eliminate chemical-ridden carpeting and pesticides at their children’s school and introduce composting and recycling programs. Groovy. [via TIME]

May 6th 2008

Dwight Shrute Selling His Nissan Xterra For A Hybrid

Filed under: cars-houses, film-tv, television, transport — michael @ 11:49 am

On last week’s The Office, Dwight Shrute offered to buy Andy Bernard’s 2001 Nissan Xterra for about $1,500 less than what he was asking. Using pressure tactics, Andy gave in on the spot. Dwight then pulled a classic move and “flipped” Andy’s car up on Ebay for more than what he was initially selling it for. Hilariously, this is also now happening in real life.

The very same Nissan that appeared in the episode is now up for sale on eBay. The owner, who works as a hairstylist for The Office series, is auctioning off the vehicle so that she can trade up to a hybrid. She/He’s also including some goodies like a cast-signed script from the episode the car starred in, actual sides used during filming, and a prop handled by Dwight. This could be anything from pepper spray to a taser.

Interested in grabbing a piece of Office history? With gas prices headed north and the price of this Xterra also climbing (currently at $15,300), you might do better to pick up a t-shirt or something. But, if you feel the urge to support the Shrute Beet Farm, jump here.

May 5th 2008

The Green Quote: Christina Ricci Is Embarrassed Of Her Car

Filed under: cars-houses, transport — michael @ 3:15 pm

“Well, I live in Los Angeles so that’s a lot of driving right there. I had a sports car once - a Porsche 911. It was pretty awesome. I loved that car, but now I have a regular sedan. “I’m actually ashamed to tell you what car I have now, to be honest. (a Mercedes S-class sedan) I got into a long lease before I saw the Al Gore movie [An Inconvenient Truth] so now I’m embarrassed. But my lease has to be up before I can buy a proper environmental car.”

–Actress Christina Ricci in a recent interview with with the Times Online.