ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

April 11th 2008

Vanity Fair Fails To Print Green Issue On Recycled Paper — Again.

Insult to injury

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 4:05 pm

At this point, it’s becoming clear that even a boardroom of oil executives might have better organized this year’s green issue for Vanity Fair. First we had the bizarre cover photo of Madonna holding a globe (why?) and then the interview that asked zero questions related to the environment. Now, we have another great article from Frank Locantore lamenting the fact that Vanity Fair once again decided not to use recycled paper for their green issue. From the post,

“The fact is that while other magazines like Shape, Fast Company, Inc. and Every Day With Rachael Ray have made important achievements in environmentally responsible publishing, Vanity Fair and CN (Condé Nast) have only “talked green” in their articles. Do they make any mention of their environmental practices in the magazine? No. Is there information about their commitment to sustainability on their Web site? No. Are they at least using recycled paper? No, not even a smidgeon.”

Locantore says it’s a classic example of “Do As I Say” and in a time when access to high quality recycled paper stock in no longer a hurdle, we couldn’t agree more. Vanity Fair has every opportunity to make each issue a “green” issue, but is only looking at the circulation numbers and less at the big picture.

Sure, writing about the topics in the first place is wonderful — but using that excuse to justify doing nothing yourself is so 2006.

To read the rest of Frank’s great piece, click here.

April 9th 2008

Water: Now More Fashionable!

Filed under: art, fashion, featured charity, magazines — kelli @ 2:10 pm

Here at Ecorazzi, we love us some Sigg. We’ve sung the praises of the versatile aluminum bottles before, but this just might be the most exciting Sigg news to date.

In conjunction with their third-annual Green Issue, Elle magazine has partnered with global warming activist Laurie David to launch a series of 14 limited-edition Sigg bottles. Each one-of-a-kind bottle has been fashioned by some of the world’s most creative designers, and feature the designer’s characteristic styles that we love - Anna Sui’s signature Dolly Girl and Kenneth Cole’s freehand text designs, as well as others from Zac Posen, Savannah and Sienna Miller’s line Twenty 8 Twelve, and Diane von Furstenberg, , just to name a few.

You can view all 14 designs now at elle.com, but you’d better keep an eye on your favorites! The bottles will be auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting StopGlobalWarming.org, starting April 14 at 7:00 p.m., so you’ll have a chance to get your fashionable little hands on one of these designer bottles yourself!

Kelli Shields is the Major Gifts Associate at the Center for Biological Diversity.

April 7th 2008

Deja Vu: Madonna Is The Cover Girl For ELLE’s Green Issue

Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 11:41 am

It’s happened again.

Somehow, the creative forces of two major magazine publications have managed to put Madonna on the cover of two green-themed issues. At least she’s not mimicking Atlas like in the Vanity Fair issue.

A portion of ELLE’s interview is now online — but it’s not looking good for anyone interested in what Madonna’s plans for the environment are. If you’re interested in what she’s wearing though, by all means, jump here.

April 1st 2008

Positively Green Is Positively The Coolest Next Eco Magazine

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 3:52 pm

As you know, I’ve been having “issues” lately with all of the cover girls of green-themed mags hitting stands around Earth Day. If something is going to represent with a special edition eco-theme, it should truly rock it out on every page. Of course, as some have mentioned, that might be hard to do for some of the more mainstream mags — which is why it’s encouraging to know that there are several green publications out there where every issue is dedicated to what’s happening to make the earth a better place.

Enter Positively Green. It’s not launching until this summer, but based on the preview this could be the subscription that a lot of my lady friends have been looking for. The layout is fresh and appealing — something absolutely necessary when attempting to push the green lifestyle. And this may come as a shock to some, but the actual production of the magazine is eco-friendly. From the release,

“How does a green girl live without her very own green magazine just for girls?  She doesn’t have to. Positively Green is just the magazine you’ve been looking for; with eco-gossip, fashion and beauty, health and green issues, the coolest green products, the best green travel destinations as well as simple green solutions and tips on cooking green.  The magazine will launch in August but pre-subscribers can sign up at a discount AND with every one year subscription, Positively Green will donate $2 to the eco-charity of your choice so you can save the planet while you’re learning how to save the planet. And don’t worry about finding someone like Jennifer Lopez on our cover - we only promote truly green girls.  Rachelle Begley, co-star of Living with Ed will be on our premiere issue. To subscribe and see a small 32 page preview (the actual magazine will be 120 pages printed on recycled paper and we offset our carbon footprint from shipping, etc) jump here.”

Charity and eco-friendly — now that’s a magazine worth picking up.

March 31st 2008

Madonna’s Vanity Fair Interview Some Malawi, Zero Green

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 11:53 am

Is Vanity Fair taking a page out of our book? Should the term “green” be used broadly to also include humanitarian work? It’s worth asking — since it’s something we do all the time here for a site that follows “green gossip” — but it’s definitely a change of course for a magazine that prided itself on its annual ‘all-about-the-environment’ issue.

Which is something I was wondering when Madonna was chosen as the cover girl for this year’s green theme. She’s just not the choice many of us would expect. To that end, I was hoping that this would be Madonna’s opportunity to truly speak out on the issue, reveal her work to reduce her impact on the planet, inspire others to take action, chat up Malawi and her efforts there. Instead, the latter is given a couple paragraphs — sans even a mention of her foundation Raising Malawi. We’re then whisked into talking about her latest album, potential movie projects and, of course, Kabbalah.

To me, this interview could have run in any other issue. Perhaps Vanity Fair is running out of ideas when it comes to finding engaging green cover gals/guys — but like others have commented, it may just be a matter of selling as many as possible — and Madonna will get that done perhaps more than others. Still, I can’t help but be disappointed.

Read the full interview with Madonna here.

Photo credit: Steven Meisel

March 28th 2008

Complex Magazine Bombs With Green Issue Cover Girl

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 2:54 pm

What is going on? Have all the respected, earth-friendly celebrity ladies gone on a hiatus from the magazine world? With Vanity Fair choosing Madonna as their symbol of earth-friendly for their annual “green issue and now Complex mag choosing That 70’s Show star Mila Kunis for theirs, we’re seriously wondering.

At least Complex had the balls up front to say they weren’t going to bother asking Kunis anything remotely related to the environment to start with — you know, cause that would just be silly for a “green” issue. Instead, they asked her the juicy questions like, “What would you do with the power of invisibility?”

Man. What about some sexy Alicia Silverstone or Rachel McAdams? Hell, even Paris Hilton owns a hybrid. Or how about some Orlando Bloom, Adrian Grenier, or Brad Pitt for the ladies? So far, this year’s green issue covers are a bust.

via green daily

March 27th 2008

Madonna Is The Cover Girl For Vanity Fair’s Green Issue

Filed under: magazines — michael @ 9:38 pm

We’re just wondering, “Why?”

More to come on this juicy third annual green issue from VF…

via the fashion spot

March 27th 2008

Billboard Magazine Announces Top 10 Greenest Musicians

Filed under: green and famous, honors, magazines, music, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 10:04 am

It seems that nowadays every magazine has a “Green Issue”. And why not? Let’s be honest, green is the new EVERYTHING!!! 

So in the spirit of el verde Billboard Magazine has dedicated their entire March issue to all things green, including a list of the top 10 greenest musicians. Billboard says, “The Top 10 green musician activists from the past year were chosen by overall positive impact on the environment; the extent to which the artist integrates a green approach into all aspects of his/her career; perceived sacrifice of choices; and trailblazing nature/originality of ideas.”

Wanna know the Top 10? Drumroll please!

In order from last to first they are: 10. The Roots 9. Missy Higgins 8. Radiohead 7. Serj Tankian 6. Pearl Jam 5. K.T Tunstall 4. Dave Matthews Band 2. Mana 2. Willie Nelson 1. Jack Johnson

Bands were praised for everything from their choice to eat local and organic to fueling tour buses with biodiesel and raising money for eco-worthy causes. Also included in the issue are stories on the touring industry (from green merch to green venues), green instruments, green festivals and tons more.

Billboard’s Green Issue is on sale now, but if you just can’t wait to get your hands on a copy you can visit their website and get an online preview NOW!!!

thanks: seattlepi.com

March 24th 2008

Harrison Ford Is An Eco-Action Figure

Filed under: interviews, magazines — michael @ 1:48 pm

The April edition of National Geographic Adventure has a great interview with actor Harrison Ford on his environmental crusades. According to the article, since 1991, Ford has been a strategic guide for Conservation International — supporting “biodiversity research, protecting endangered species, and working to persuade corporations with a history of polluting the planet to become stewards of it instead.” Harrison opens up on lost worlds, tourism, and how a friendship with a fox turned him onto environmentalism. Here are some highlights:

On settling down in Jackson, Wyoming:

I went to Sun Valley, but it was too built-up for me. So my wife at the time and I rented a car and drove toward Jackson. I’d only heard about it, and we saw it for the first time from Teton Pass. I was blown away. We knew immediately that we wanted to be there. A number of people involved in CI [Conservation International] live in Jackson, and when I became a landowner there, I felt a sense of stewardship for the Earth that I hadn’t really experienced before.

On going where no others have gone before:

I went down to Venezuela and ended up renting a helicopter and flew with my sons to the tops of the tepuis, these freestanding jungle mesas, “lost worlds” as it were. In fact, it’s almost impossible to access them without one. So we were able to land and spend some time there. We were trapped for about six hours by clouds that came in. Unbelievable. Spectacular environments. Very likely places where no other person had ever set foot before.

How a development and an animal turned him into an eco-warrior:

When I was 12, we moved outside the city to former agricultural land where they built all these tract homes. There was an irrigation ditch, and next to it was this little oasis of nature where a fox lived. I would go out there often and sit by myself. The fox became used to me and would come close—ten, six feet [two meters] away. And I think there’s something about that experience that tilted me toward nature in a different way than a visit to a national park or something would. I was struck by the fact that these houses we were living in, these streets we were driving down, had displaced something. That more than us belonged there.

Check out the full interview over on Adventure!

March 6th 2008

The Green Picture: Tina Fey Gets Her Green On For Parade Magazine

Filed under: magazines, thegreenpicture — michael @ 5:29 pm

Next week’s issue of Parade magazine features Tina Fey on the cover biking it out with some cool boots. Inside she talks about her rise to fame on Saturday Night Live, her new baby (“I had to get back to work. NBC has me under contract; the baby and I only have a verbal agreement.”), and on her generation being tricked into trying to have it all. You can also check out some great shots of the comedian over on Parade’s site.

via just jared

Image credit: Andrew Eccles