ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

May 8th 2008

Gossip Girl Cast Member Goes Green Thanks To Motherhood

Filed under: film-tv, green and famous, television, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 9:45 pm

Which one doesn’t fit: boys kissing girls, girls kissing boys, boys kissing boys, girls kissing girls, eco-friendly parental figure kissing Mother Earth? While the last choice might have stood out more than Lindsay Lohan in a stolen fur coat, it was actually a trick question! They all have one thing in common…GOSSIP GIRL!!!

True, the first thing you think of when you hear Gossip Girl is probably a bunch rich, horny, young people doing scandalous deeds against the balmy backdrop of a perfect NYC. However, like all actors, when the camera turns off they’re all just a bunch of normal people doing regular old things. And nowadays being regular means GOING GREEN!!!

Industry vet and Gossip Girl regular Kelly Rutherford recently told US magazine that she’s officially gone green. That’s right, Kelly and her husband are building an eco-house complete with denim insulation, earth-friendly lighting, and all the other bells and whistles you might expect in eco-architechture. And what inspired the change? None other than her brand new 18-month-old baby. Kelly said, “You think: Wow, they come in so pure, you want to keep it that way.”

Kelly isn’t the first celeb to develop green baby inspiration. In fact, in the past few months Ecorazzi has told you all about the maternal environmental awakenings of stars like Julia Roberts and Melissa Joan Hart. But you don’t need a bun in the oven to get serious about the environment. Just throw on that organic cotton shirt, hop in your solar powered car and head down to the local used bookstore and pick up one of the many inspirational green books now available.  I mean if the Gossip Girls are doing it, it must be cool. Right?

May 8th 2008

Cameron Diaz Urges Support For Pangea Day

Filed under: green and famous — michael @ 11:14 am

Check out the video below of Cameron Diaz urging participation in Pangea Day — a four-hour film festival of “user-generated films and TED-style short talks from scientists, filmmakers, and global visionaries.” The event will air internationally May 10th on television and online. For more information on how to take part, jump here.

via Treehugger

(Thanks Linton!)

May 8th 2008

As Rainforest Foundation Prepares To Rock, New Info Arises On Criticism

Filed under: green and famous — michael @ 9:15 am

The funny thing about gossip is that it can sometimes be just that. The information we receive is like a loaded gun — and in a time of fast-paced news and instant reporting — it can very easily go off. Yesterday’s piece I wrote on Sting’s Rainforest Foundation being less than giving came from the NY Post; which supplemented their reporting with stats and comments by a “donations watchdog” named Charity Navigator.

Now, of all the news organizations in the world, FOX is calling that story BS, saying the writer’s (Isabel Vincent) intentions were nothing but a smear campaign. From the article,

“The gist of the Post story — which was designed to embarrass Sting and Styler on the eve of the biannual Rainforest concert and fundraising dinner — was that the $2.7 million in gross receipts collected by the U.S. fund from the last concert and dinner should have gone directly to distribution. This doesn’t even make sense. It would kill any long term objectives of the foundation. The concerts, Styler points out, are not like ‘Live Aid,’ a one-time event, or the 9/11 Concert for New York. In those instances, the money is collected and immediately distributed.”

The Post aside, I still have questions over the information reported by Charity Navigator. Most pertinent, the $10 million in assets, $5 million in cash reported to the IRS by the Rainforest Foundation. I’ll admit to being completely clueless on how such a worldwide foundation operates, but as someone from the outside looking in, those numbers seem incredibly high.

Please read the entire FOX News article here (Who knows the next time I’ll actually say that again?)

May 7th 2008

Radiohead Supports Tibet At Opening Concert Of World Tour

Filed under: campaigns, events, green and famous, music, politics — parrish @ 12:09 pm

I think it’s safe to say that Radiohead isn’t afraid of making a little noise.  That is, of course, with their music, but also with their political and environmental agenda too. Ecorazzi has reported on numerous occasions about Radiohead’s constant role in environmental change, and now it looks like the guys are speaking up once again.

On Monday, Radiohead kicked off their world tour by decorating the the Cruzan Amphitheater stage in Florida with Tibetan flags to show their support for the people of Tibet. This comes shortly after Ecorazzi got a surge of comments when we wrote a post detailing Richard Gere’s suggestion that America should protest against China by boycotting the Olympic Games in Beijing.

If you think Tibet is groovy visit FreeTibet.org and learn more!

May 7th 2008

The Green Quote: Laura Bailey On Stella McCartney Fashion Line

Filed under: fashion, green and famous, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 10:08 am

“I love Stella McCartney’s braided t-bar sandals. As a vegetarian I love that they’re leather-free. Style-wise, I think they’re glam but low-key and beachy enough to wear every day on holiday.”

-Model Laura Bailey discussing fashion on telegraph.co.uk.

May 7th 2008

Lindsay Lohan Accused Of Stealing $11,000 Fur Coat!

Filed under: animals, fashion, green and famous, not green — parrish @ 9:51 am

Looks like Lindsay Lohan is knee deep in coat controversy after an $11,000 fur coat (gross) went missing from a New York City hotspot earlier this year.

Here’s the deal: Masha Markova (aka Cruella de Vil) owned this super posh, super cruel, $11,000 dollar blond mink coat. So Masha decided to wear it to a friend’s birthday party — because fur is soooooooo cool (written with the utmost sarcasm) — but when she went to retrieve her pelt of glory it had mysteriously vanished. Turns out Lindsay Lohan just happened to be at the same party and also just happened to be photographed later that evening wearing an $11,000 blond mink coat. Oops!

Anyway, Masha saw the pictures, was totally pissed and wanted bloody revenge, so she called her lawyer and threatened to take legal action. Long story short — all of a sudden the club called Markova and was all like, ” Oops sorry. Umm we have your coat if you want it back”, and returned it to her smelling of booze and cigarettes and with a tear in the lining, but offering no further explanation. So NOW Markova is REALLY pissed and is demanding Lohan pay her a $10,000…get this..”rental fee” for “borrowing” the coat.

Wait! First off, what the hell is Lindsay doing wearing fur anyway when just a couple months ago Ecorazzi spotted Lohan with an anti-fur button? Fur’s not a very flip-floppy issue, you’re either for it or against it. And yes it’s wrong to steal or “borrow” or “rent” without permission, but who spends $11,000 bucks on a fur coat and then charges a $10,000 rental fee? I’m sorry poor little miss thing lost her precious coat, but only a little sorry because she sounds like a tool and if you can’t already tell by my blatant editorial eye rolls…I THINK FUR SUCKS! In conclusion, it’s unfortunate that Lindsay’s back in fur, but hey, maybe she was trying to confiscate it for PETA. Anyone?

May 6th 2008

Tom Cruise Was The Original Voice Of Captain Planet

And several other celebrity planeteers you probably didn't recognize

Filed under: film-tv, green and famous, television — michael @ 4:56 pm

It’s safe to say that Ted Turner’s original eco-cartoon Captain Planet was way ahead of its time. If it was released today, it might be criticized as something to take advantage of current awareness, but because it arrived in a decade of relative indifference towards environmentalism, it’s a great reflection of Turner’s green values and willingness to educate others on the topic.

Anyways, we’ve had a lot of fun over the past few months speculating whether or not a live-action version of this cartoon will ever see the light of day. We remain steadfast that something is/was in the works — especially since the information came from Ted Turner himself. Whether or not anything actually ever comes from it is another matter entirely.

But all rumors aside, there are some fun “Did You Know?” Captain Planet facts that we would love to share. First off, and most bizarre, is the fact that Tom Cruise was the original voice of the blue-skinned superhero. In fact, as early as December 1989, Time Magazine lists the Days Of Thunder star as the lead for the “cable-TV cartoon”. Apparently, Cruise pulled out and actor David Coburn then picked up the reins. Perhaps this makes sense, as Cruise reportedly spent $1 million alone in 2006 to fuel his hungry fleet of cars, motorcycles, planes, and other gas-guzzlers.

But that didn’t necessarily faze the producers of the comic book based on the cartoon. They appear to have paid homage to the star’s Top Gun movie by illustrating three pilots chasing a large dragon formed from smog. Their callsigns? Iceman, Maverick, and Goose.

To this day, we have no idea if any vocal record of Tom Cruise as Captain Planet exists.

Did you know there are a bunch of other celebrities that have lent their voices to the show? Click on the images below to take a look at each one and the awesome roles they played.

May 5th 2008

Celebrity Gardeners Help Celebrate Compost Awareness Week

Filed under: campaigns, green and famous, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 10:22 am

Just because I’m a lean, green, vegan machine doesn’t mean my social group swims in the same pool. In fact, while my friends are always progressing, my nearest and dearest aren’t necessarily the most eco-friendly kids on the block. So when I called my buddy Tyler this morning to wish him a HAPPY COMPOST AWARENESS WEEK, I was met with a long sigh, an obvious eye roll and a snappy comeback– “And what’s next? Trash in a tree month?”

True, we environmental so-and-sos have a lot of special days, weeks and months, but what’s life without a little celebration every now and then, right? And so in the spirit of green holidays, let’s pause for a moment and celebrate the ever-growing, socially responsible, compost revolution!

Compost Awareness week is organized by The Composting Association (CA) and WRAP, with the goal of increasing awareness of compost in the wider community and highlight its many benefits and applications - particularly for use in the garden.

And Julia Roberts isn’t the only celebrity getting her compost groove on. This year celebrity gardeners (yes, celebrity gardeners),Charlie Dimmock and Matt James, are getting involved by offering tips on using peat-free compost containing recycled materials.

Dimmock said: “If you home compost you could cut down the contents of your household bin by nearly a third and if you choose to use peat-free composts containing recycling material s like grass cuttings and prunings, you’ll be helping to keep waste out of landfill where it rots down to potentially create harmful greenhouse gases.”

To learn more about how you can be a compost superstar visit CompostGuide.com

thanks: letsrecycle.com

May 4th 2008

Prince Charles’s New Eco Town May Be Cooler Than Disneyland

Filed under: buildings and construction, cars-houses, green and famous — michael @ 9:19 pm

We cover Prince Charles on the Raz a lot. So much, that sometimes we believe there can’t possibly be another interesting piece of his green career to write about. Of course, the Prince ain’t content to simply sit still, so here we are again with the dish that a new eco-town created by his highness has been given the OK to start construction. From the article,

“Planners have granted permission to build Sherford, a brand new town for 12,000 people, in South Devon that is billed as Britain’s greenest settlement. Work is expected to begin later this year to transform rolling countryside near Plymouth into the experimental new town with 5,500 homes. In Sherford, cars will be banned from some parts and 390ft wind turbines will loom over a 400-acre car park on the outskirts.”

Half the power needs for the new town will come from renewable sources — with all home sporting solar panels. Additionally, most of the materials to build the town will be sourced from a 50-mile radius! The business section — which will provides jobs for about 7,000 people — will be covered in either green roofs or “covered in a thin layer of rubble to attract insects and birds.” Everything about the town will be organized to encourage walking; not to mention all waste including water and sewage will be recycled to cut CO2 emissions. All of this, and Charles intends to give it a traditional English charm — with the theme being modeled on the Wiltshire market town of Marlborough.

How amazing does all of this sound? Charles is banking that this will be the future of urban design, saying he wants to, “build again the types of places we all know strike a chord in our, by now, rather bewildered hearts, however ‘modern’ we are – places that convey an everlasting human story of meaning and belonging”.

He might just pull it off.

Check out the full Daily Mail article here for more info.

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