As we’ve mentioned before, the film features the dramatic reading of letters and documents written by various characters in America’s history, both known and unknown, but the readings are performed by familiar faces like Josh Brolin, Danny Glover, Viggo Mortensen, Morgan Freeman, Rosario Dawson and Marisa Tomei, among many others. The film also features a variety of musical performances including Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Jackson Browne and John Legend.

Damon has taken on the task of reading the Declaration of Independence. How does he plan to make it interesting? “You just read it,” the actor-writer-producer told a panel audience yesterday. “Seriously. It is an incredible document. I think people either forget about it or have been taught it too early in their lives. It’s a document worth reading and rereading every single year because it’s the principles in that document that we should be loyal to and fight for and struggle for, rather than whichever government is in power.”

Damon does so much good work internationally, and it’s terrific to see him come home and gather people to together to tell these important stories.

The film will air on The History Channel later this year so in the meantime check out ThePeopleSpeak.com. It’s hard not be moved by Zinn’s vision of democracy in America brought to life.

Photo: PR Photos

Sarah Palin

A slew of famous performers, including Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow and many others have contributed songs to a compilation album in support of presidential hopeful Barack Obama. The album, Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement will be available exclusively at BarackObama.com until November 2nd and then in stores after the election.

Barack’s website says: “Through their musical contributions, the artists seek to mobilize voters in the final stretch before the November election. Many of the artists involved will also be volunteering their time to promote voter registration. For more information on registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot, go to: www.VoteforChange.com.”

Visit BarackObama.com to get yourself some presidential tunes!

A couple years ago I couldn’t even tell you what month Earth Day was in let alone how I’d be celebrating it. But recently, thanks to all the attention on green living and my gig here at Ecorazzi, Earth Day is like frigin Christmas for me. Anyway, while searching the net for postable postings I found this great list written by Mike Devlin on Canada.com of the Top 10 Most Eco-Friendly songs. Check it out!

1. Bruce Cockburn, “If a Tree Falls” (1988)
Songwriters and environmentalists love Cockburn equally, for his music represents unflinching activism. It’s an ugly job, so give Cockburn credit. Without his many ecological laments — of which “If a Tree Falls” ranks near the tippy-top — our world would be a much colder place.

2. Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi” (1970)
The view from her Hawaii hotel room — a vista that was part pavement, part tropical nirvana — inspired Mitchell to write her most famous song. Hawaiian Islands or Vancouver Island, the theme behind “Big Yellow Taxi” is universal. Sure, parking lots are necessary. But when paradise is paved to accommodate one, we all lose something significant.

3. Cat Stevens, “Where Do the Children Play?” (1970)
Tea For the Tillerman opens with “Where Do the Children Play?,” a dreamy tune upheld by Stevens’ softly sung queries. Stevens smartly hung his concerns over blind industrial progress on the fate of our children. And fans bought it hook, line and sinker.

4. Jackson Browne, “Before the Deluge” (1974)
There are Biblical overtones, to be sure, but “Before the Deluge” — some of the finest California country-rock of Jackson Browne’s career — is about our mistreatment of the environment as much as anything else. Peter Gabriel bridged the same topic on his gem, “Here Comes the Flood,” but Browne’s tale cuts deeper.

5. Tracy Chapman, “The Rape of the World” (1995)
Tracy Chapman was everywhere, musically and emotionally, on New Beginning. During one tune she’s singing about heaven on earth, and the next, how humankind has “clear-cut, dumped on, poisoned and beaten up” Mother Earth. Blind anger isn’t always pretty. However, “The Rape of the World” proves it can be profound.

For the rest of the Top 5, jump to the full list!

What do you think Ecorazzi readers? Any songs you would add?

GreenDaily.com told me that in the U.S. we collectively receive 100 billion pieces of junk mail which requires cutting down 100 million trees and produces global warming emissions equal to those of 3.7 million cars. And out of all that mail, 44 percent gets sent to landfills without even being opened. Want to cut the crap? Well now you can!

Enter Forest Ethics — a conservation group dedicated to winning the war on junk mail with their Do Not Mail campaign. The Do Not Mail campaign is an initiative to convince congress that a national registry should be created giving citizens the right to JUST SAY NO to craptastic mail from those companies we love to hate! Because Forest Ethics knows what’s up, they’ve enlisted the help of some badass green celebrities like Adrian Grenier, Darryl Hannah, Alicia Silverstone, Jackson Browne, Aaron Douglas, Ed Begley, Jr. and Paul Hawken to help support their campaign and make this a national priority.

Adrian Grenier (or as I call him, Adrian GREENier) said, “Junk mail is more than an annoying waste of time, it’s a waste of our environment. Joining ForestEthics’ Do Not Mail campaign is a great, easy way to stop the waste.”

So what hell are you waiting for? Go to the Do Not Mail website right this very second and sign the petition to help rock a mission! Mama Earth is pissed ya’ll and wants this place clean!

[UPDATE] Apparently, Leonardo DiCaprio has just signed on for the campaign as well. Details here.