ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

November 21st 2008

Bruce Willis Sues Malaysian Company Over Eco-Friendly Rubber Deal

Filed under: business — stephanie @ 12:08 pm

Bruce Willis is suing mad over a Malaysian company’s failure to return $900,000 of the money he invested in an eco-friendly rubber venture. Willis had poured $2 million into a company that was developing a non-toxic and recyclable rubber, and the project was put on hold recently due to the weak global economy.

According to court papers filed in Los Angeles, Willis’ agreement to invest in Green Rubber Global had a clause wherein he could get a full refund of his money within a specified period of time. He exercised that option on March 17th, but only got $1.1 million back.

It sounds like he got suckered, actually – the company had initially told him that Al Gore and Mel Gibson had also invested in the green rubber project, which turned out to be untrue. [Correction: Gibson did invest in the company, as we've written about previously. However, apparently, he did not invest in another firm as was said by company officials called Elastomer Technologies Ltd.] In his complaint, Willis says Green Rubber Global has given him excuse after excuse as to why they can’t pay him yet.

Hopefully he’ll get his money back ASAP. We need people to keep on investing in green projects even through this economic downturn, and stories like this don’t exactly inspire people to part with their hard-earned money.

via The Malaysian Insider

October 28th 2008

Tom Hanks, Joaquin Phoenix Attend Star-Studded Newman Benefit

Filed under: donations, events: bay area — michael @ 1:45 pm

Even after passing away at age 83 last month, Paul Newman continues to raise money for charity and help those in need.

Last night in San Francisco, an A-list crowd gathered to honor the late actor and help bring in the green during an annual benefit for Newman’s charity camp, The Painted Turtle, for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Over 2,500 people showed up, including Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Danny Glover, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Billy Crystal, Sean Penn, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Bruce Willis, Danny DeVito, Bonnie Raitt and Rita Wilson.

In a pre-recorded message just prior to his death on September 26th, Newman talked to the crowd about his camps. “What I was trying to do was acknowledge luck,” Newman said in the clip, which was narrated by Jack Nicholson. “If you acknowledge it, you have to do something about it—something for the less fortunate.”

via USAToday

July 20th 2008

Demi And Ashton Building Homes For Organic Farmers

Filed under: buildings and construction, green and famous — lori @ 11:40 am

Super Cougar Demi Moore and the gorgeous Ashton Kutcher have been to Guatemala to help build houses for Habitat for Humanity — which is supporting indigenous organic farmers. Moore’s daughter with Bruce Willis, Scout, has already been down South working on this project.

Said a source to the British newspaper, the Mail on Sunday, “Demi and Ashton were actually building houses with tin roofs and schlepping (moving) breeze blocks in the midday sun. Ashton’s father is a carpenter so he has some experience.”

Now if only more Hollywood parents would teach service and volunteerism to their children. That way young Hollywood could do community service on their own before it’s mandated by a court.

via: mailonsunday.co.uk