Morgan Freeman and Glenn Close were honored this weekend at the SeaChange Summer Party hosted by Oceana, the largest international organization focused 100% on ocean conservation. Oceana’s various boards include actors Pierce Brosnan, Kelsey Grammer, Sam Waterston as well as co-founder Ted Danson.

Danson co-hosted the event which was held at the Villa di Sogni, a private residence in Laguna Beach.

Before the event, Valarie Whiting, Oceana Board Member and SeaChange Co-Chair, said, “We are thrilled that Ms. Close and Mr. Freeman will be this year’s honorees. We’re confident that the involvement of Ms. Close and Mr. Freeman will guarantee a second major SeaChange success, generating significant funding enabling Oceana to continue its crucial work toward restoring and protecting the world’s oceans.”

CTN News was there to cover the event. Above photo by CTN.

As many other green sites are noting today, New York City’s newest park is celebrating its grand opening today. But this isn’t your normal piece of green set aside for public use — the High Line Park is actually set in the sky on top of the bones of an abandoned old rail line. What was once thought an impossible task has become a reality as the old rail line, when fully completely transformed, will end up being a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park; running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Right now, Section 1, which runs from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street, is available to the public.

Naturally, many green-conscious celebrities flocked to help support the project over the past five years including Edward Norton Steve Carell, Kevin Bacon, Harvey Keitel, Glenn Close and designer Diane von Furstenberg.

If you’re in NYC, consider stopping by the park for the grand opening and taking in some of the beautiful designs courtesy of landscape architects James Corner Field Operations and architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

For a map of the project — including access points, jump here. Inhabitat has some fantastic images as well of the project over the years. The official site can be found here.

Unlike the previous scenic montages we’ve viewed, Home actually takes a hard look at human impact on the planet — all the while doing it with visuals that are stunning. Celebrity narration abounds, with Glenn Close voicing the English version and Salma Hayek the Spanish. Check out the gorgeous trailer below:

We told you yesterday that Glenn Close was spending Arbor Day at Sternberg Park in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn  to help plant more than 200 new trees as part of the initiative’s first-ever Arbor Day Tree-mendous Challenge. And we didn’t lie! 

Close and Fox reporter Reid Lamberty took a break from their busy world-changing schedule to pose for a candid just for Ecorazzi! Admit it — you totally wish you’d had been there! 

To spice it up a bit, Glenn Close will be spending the day at Sternberg Park in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn to help plant more than 200 new trees as part of the initiative’s first-ever Arbor Day Tree-mendous Challenge.

The event is part of MillionTreesNYC Month, presented by BNP Paribas, which raises public awareness for MillionTreesNYC – a joint initiative between the City and New York Restoration Project (NYRP) through which one million new trees will be planted and cared for throughout the five boroughs by 2017. That’s a lot of trees! 

Close will join NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein, NYRP Executive Director Drew Becher, BNP Paribas North America CEO Everett Schenk and over 500 5th graders to help make this Arbor Day the best one ever! 

To learn more about the New York Restoration Project, visit NYRP.org! 

Happy Arbor Day!! 

Amidst the economic downturn, it’s great to get good news that at last one online business we’ve profiled in the past is doing well. FetchDog.com — an online shopping and social networking site started by Glenn Close and her husband David Shaw — just finished another round of $4 million in financing. Company execs expect the site to pull in $100 million in revenue in five years — an incredibly revealing figure on the strength of the pet-supply market during hard times.

Of course, what we dig about FetchDog is their commitment to philanthropic efforts. The business donates a portion of its sales to dog-related charities, some of which are highlighted by celebrities and other dog lovers whom Close interviews for her “Lively Licks” blog. From the article,

Close’s subjects have included Lauren Bacall, who recommended Animal Care & Control of New York City, and Bill Campbell, an Iraqi war veteran with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder who received a service dog through a program called Dog Tags.

“I get all excited about what my tiny contribution can be,” said Close, a big believer in dogs’ ability to add to quality of life, during an interview at the company’s offices.

We’re also excited to hear that the company will begin selling their own products — with an eye towards making some environmentally-friendly. To learn more, check out FetchDog here!

And so — because nobody puts baby in the corner — PETA is asking celebrity Armani wearers like Glenn Close and Heidi Klum to boycott the designer until he makes good on his promise. While it hasn’t been released if Klum and Close will indeed help PETA with their mission, there IS one star who’s getting involved.

As Ecorazzi previously reported, Gillian Anderson is super pissed with Armani’s choice and recently rolled up her fur-free sleeves to narrate a video of undercover footage from rabbit fur farms in China and France—countries designer Giorgio Armani is known to purchase from. So watch the video and join PETA, Gillian, Ecorazzi and many others who have all pledged to go fur-free!

This week, PETA’s keeping up the momentum with pleas to Heidi Klum to use her star power and refuse to wear Armani after she, like Close, sported a design from the company at the Emmy’s. A letter has also been sent to Kristin Chenoweth of Pushing Daisies fame, another Emmy Armani-Wearer.

Do you think that these stars will pledge to go Armani-free until the company itself goes fur-free? Your guess is as good as mine. But one thing’s for sure: if you’re famous and you’re wearing Armani, you’re gonna get a letter from PETA. When PETA’s not happy, nobody’s happy!

Shortly after the announcement, PETA’s Senior Vice President Dan Mathews met with Armani’s senior design team who confirmed that the company basically had no plans to ever stop using fur. Now whether you’re fan of PETA or not (I go back and forth), one thing you can always bank on is their ability to get plain, old medieval on your ass. In fact, PETA has already launched a full-force attack against the designer and has called for a celebrity boycott.

In a recent letter to Glenn Close – she wore Armani to the Emmy’s last week — Mathews wrote: We ask that you please use your considerable influence with Mr. Armani to urge him to keep his word and leave fur out of future collections. We also ask that you consider wearing fashions from some of the wonderful fur-free designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney.”

Will Glenn Close use her star power to help PETA finally get Armani to go fur-free? Ante up and place your bets now!

[UPDATE! Looks like Pamela Anderson has sent a letter to Cate Blanchett urging her to stop backing Armani as well. The Aussie actress was at the Armani unveiling of his fall collection in Milan. "Cate, as you are such a huge part of Armani's publicity machine, would you please urge him to keep his promise and leave fur out of his future collections?" Anderson wrote.]

Some other famous faces in attendance were John McEnroe, Bette Middler, Larry David, Mary Richardson Kennedy, Glenn Close, David Shaw, B52’s Fred Schneider, Susan Lucci, and many more. Patty Symth known by most for the 80’s hit “Goodbye to You”, gave an iconic performance to the 500 plus guests after the organic dinner was served. The evening ended after Patty Symth McEnroe & John McEnroe were presented with an award gift by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To learn more about Riverkeeper check out their official site here. 

Post written and photographed by: Melissa Rosenberg to purchase photos from last nights event please email: mellyrose@gmail.com