ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

May 8th 2008

Hip-Hop Star Common No Longer A Vegetarian

Filed under: animals, food & drink, music — parrish @ 10:08 pm

Well guys it looks like we’ve lost another one. Supervegan.com just alerted me about some “fishy” news regarding hip-hop star Common.

Common recently told The University Daily Kansan, “Yeah, I eat fish, man. I needed some protein. I’ve been eating fish for like two years now, two and a half years. It’s great too. I’m glad to be eating it. It was tough being a vegan. I salute all vegans and vegetarians”

Red Rover, Red Rover bring Common back over. Ya’ll this is bad news on the veg front!! In case you’re a little late to the party, Common has done some really awesome things for the animal rights movement which makes his fall off the boat, so to speak, an even bigger downer. But wait — is Common still a vegetarian if he eats fish? I kinda say no, but what do you think? Chime in Ecorazzi readers and tell us if you think you can still call yourself a vegetarian if you nosh on that stuff from the sea. 

Oh and check out this video that was filmed back when Common was still veggie. It brings tears to my little vegan eyes.

May 2nd 2008

Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio Helps Raise Money For Share Our Strengths

Filed under: campaigns, events, food & drink, television — parrish @ 1:44 pm

I know it’s strange that I’m vegan and my very, very favorite show in the history of the world is Top Chef, but what are you gonna do? True, I squirm a little every time someone says veal demi glace or uses foie gras, but my love of cooking and the chefs creativity keeps me glued each and every week. In fact, (and I’m a little embarrassed to admit this) Top Chef is the only show in my 25 years of living that I’ve watched every single episode of for all four seasons. So you can imagine how starstruck I was when I heard that head judge Tom Colicchio took part in Taste of the Nation Atalanta to help raise money for Share Our Strengths.

Share Our Strengths is an organization that weaves together community groups, activists and food programs to reduce the hunger amongst children in need and provide them with nutritious meals.

The event was held at the Georgia Aquarium and featured gourmet food from 50 of Atlanta’s best restaurants. There was also a live auction that offered a top prize of dinner for 11 at the winner’s home. Rumor has it the bidding got so high that midway through the chefs changed the number from 11 to 14 and Ted Turner, honorary chairperson for the event, offered to match the top bid. By the end, the dinner ended up going for 17,000 dollars which went straight to Share Our Strengths.

Now I know that the evening was full of foods that many of us would consider “not very green”, and yeah, I wish the mainstream culinary world would recognize vegetarian cooking a little more, but the point is that a group of chefs donated their time to help raise money for a bunch of people who really need it. And we can’t forget that animal rights includes all animals…including humans. So comment if you will with threats of vegetarian treason, but like the contestants on Top Chef who stand by their dish, this guy stands by his post.

May 2nd 2008

Sting Holds Annual Benefit To Help Save The Rainforest

Filed under: campaigns, events, events: nyc, food & drink, green and famous, music, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 12:37 pm

I’ll tell you this: Sting loves him some rainforest. In fact, for almost two decades Sting has been an eco-champion for the environment, and will celebrate his 20 years with Some Kinda Legacy — a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall to raise money for the Rainforest Foundation.

The Rainforest Foundation was started in the late 80’s by Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler as an environmental crusade to protect the rainforest. However, like all longstanding organizations the foundation has grown and now Sting considers it, “a human rights organization more than anything else.”

In the last two decades the annual Rainforest Foundation benefits have raised 25.8 million dollars and this year they’re goal is to make at least 2 million dollars more. After the performance The Plaza Hotel will host a local and organic dinner along with a live auction to help take in even more dough.

The concert takes place on May 8th at 7pm and feature performances by Sting (duh), James Taylor, Billy Joel, Brian Wilson, and many other legendary musicians. Tickets are $175 to $400 and you can purchase them at CarnegieHall.org. So get your seat and help save the rainforest yo!!

thanks: bloomberg.com

May 1st 2008

Gwyneth Paltrow No Longer Into The Macrobiotic Lifestyle

Filed under: food & drink — michael @ 1:08 pm

I really don’t enjoy macrobiotic foods. Don’t get me wrong, there are some excellent dishes out there based on the diet than are tasty — but for a few of my friends that follow it strictly, it just seems  a bit rough. If you’re keen to lose some weight, get back on the healthy side of life, and quickly change body shape — then it might be for you. I’ll stick to regular exercise and a varied diet rich in organic fruits and veggies.

Now ask Gwyneth Paltrow about the issue and you might received a mixed answer. On one hand, she lived the macrobiotic lifestyle for four years. When she became pregnant, it was shown the door in favor of friend food like “Fish and Chips”. Today, she’s still enjoying eating whatever she likes, much to the chagrin of her personal trainer. From the article,

“The Oscar-winning beauty stopped eating a solely macrobiotic diet after becoming pregnant, and now feasts many foods that are bad for her. While drinking a pint of Guinness, she told British talk show host Jonathan Ross in an interview, which will air on UK TV tomorrow: ‘I love anything fried, fish and chips, and Branston pickle and I love red wine.’”

Interested in learn more about the Macrobiotic way? Check out the Wikipedia entry here.

May 1st 2008

Ryan Gosling Tells KFC To Improve The Lives Of Chickens

Filed under: animals, campaigns, food & drink, green and famous, healthy living, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 11:39 am

Whether you’re a tofu-eating, grain munching vegan like me, or a meat-eating, dairy drinking non-vegan like…well…just about everyone else, I think — if given the choice — most people would like to see animals treated humanely before they die.

Well at least Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling sure would, and has joined the list of celebrity do-gooders that include Bryan Adams, Pamela Anderson and Ron Jeremy urging KFC to improve the conditions in their poultry slaughterhouses. KFC is notorious for the horrific manner in which they treat their chickens and their stubbornness to make any humane changes recommended by scientists and animal activists alike. 

Gosling recently composed a letter on behalf of People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals to John Bitove, who oversees KFC Canada, asking him to stop the ongoing (and unnecessary) abuse of the chickens supplied to his restaurants.

Gosling writes,  ”The time is ripe to do the right thing. By adopting the basic recommendations made by PETA and scientific experts (including raising birds in a more natural manner and employing less cruel slaughter methods), you could dramatically improve the lives and deaths of chickens raised and killed for KFC Canada.”

If you’d like to find out more about the horrific conditions KFC forces their chickens to endure, visit KentuckyFriedCruelty.com and by all means boycott KFC!!

thanks: starpulse.com

April 30th 2008

Will Carrie Underwood Go Vegan?

Filed under: animals, food & drink, green and famous, healthy living, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 9:54 am

Vegans everywhere might just have themselves a reason to say YEE-HAW!!

Singer Carrie Underwood– whom Ecorazzi has continuously praised for her vegetarianism and charitable nature – recently made comments about her desire to give up dairy. Is Carrie trying to make the vegan plunge?

Underwood confessed her “inability” to give up the misfit food group, stating, “Cheese is ruining my life! I’m trying to talk myself into being lactose-intolerant. I mean, it’s basically moldy milk, and it doesn’t smell that great. But it’s so good! Oh, jeez, I’m thinking about it now.”

Now I know she’d have to give up a little more than just cheese to be a true vegan, but every little step counts, right?  Perhaps Carrie will soon be getting her vegan card and joinging the likes of Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Alicia Silverstone. Only time will tell. Stay tuned!

Ps. If you’re fighting the cheese blues, read Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover. I haven’t eaten dairy since. No joke!

via: starpulse.com

April 29th 2008

Jake Gyllenhaal To Open New Organic Restaurant

Filed under: food & drink — michael @ 10:23 am

Joining the likes of Richard Gere and Sandra Bullock, actor Jake Gyllenhaal is getting ready to open an organic restaurant in LA. The 27-year-old is hooking up with childhood pal chef Chris Fischer to make the experience high-class and all-natural. From the article,

“Friends claim that Gyllenhaal, who has appeared on Mario Batali’s US cookery show Molto Mario, has always vowed to open a restaurant before he turns 30. A source told Life&Style: “Cooking is [Jake’s] big hobby and his passion.” The actor is said to be planning a cycling holiday in Tuscany with girlfriend Reese Witherspoon to help develop ideas for the menu.”

A Tuscany-inspired menu? Awesome. Thought I have a feeling most will be venturing to this new scene for less the menu and more the side dish of eye candy.

via digital spy

April 28th 2008

Pamela Anderson And The Hot Dog Conspiracy

Filed under: animals, food & drink, green and famous, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 11:30 am

Sometimes, while walking down the street enjoying some scrumptious vegan soft serve, I wonder if people might get the wrong idea and think, “Damn, that boy loves him some dairy.” So I can only imagine all the confusion celebrities go through when dealing with the paparazzi.

Last week, photos were taken of long-time vegetarian, Pamela Anderson, gobbling down a big old “hot dog” (there’s a joke in there somewhere) at her son Brandon’s baseball game in Malibu, California.

Of course the media was quick to use those pictures as proof that Pam had given up her veggie ways, but Anderston told PlanetGossip.eonline.com, “It’s like Hotdoggate… Clearly, it’s a veggie dog (in the pictures). They’ve been serving veggie dogs and veggie burgers at my kids’ baseball games for years now.”

In the past Ecorazzi has reported on Pamela’s involvement with PETA and her desire to help stop the seal hunt in Canada, so basically I don’t really see Pam going back to meat anytime soon. 

To find out more about your favorite veggie celebs visit FamousVeggie.com.

April 25th 2008

The Green Quote: Jennifer Garner Grows Her Own Food

Filed under: food & drink, green and famous, healthy living, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 8:01 am

“Yes! We planted a garden last spring. Half the stuff dies, half the stuff lives, but I’m happy with it. We had huge eggplants! And there’s nothing like fresh tomatoes. And the herbs? Heaven! I grow all different kinds of basil and thyme. I always have rosemary and Italian parsley.”

         - Jennifer Garner speaking to Self Magazine about growing her own food

April 24th 2008

Americans Choose Oprah Winfrey To Share Their Coffee With

Filed under: campaigns, food & drink — parrish @ 2:36 pm

If you could have your morning cup of coffee with either Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Laura Bush, Bill Gates, Al Gore or Brad Pitt who would you choose?

If you picked Oprah you got it right! Well at least that’s what the majority of America said when asked by the Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Millstone Fair Trade Coffee. In fact, out of the 746 adult coffee drinkers polled, 20 percent picked Oprah while Bill Gates came in second with 16 percent and Laura Bush third with 15 percent. Brad Pitt on the other hand only got a shabby 7 percent. Umm..I think maybe the coffee drinkers had other activities in mind for Brad.

Millstone also found that while 52 percent of people said they were aware of Fair Trade certification, only about half of those (44 percent) were able to really explain it.

How would you do on the Fair Trade test? If you think you’re missing a few genius points, visit TransFairUsa.com and bone up. And when you’re done, hit Millstone Fair Trade Coffee and reward yourself for all that hard work.