Jessica Biel has announced that she will be joining Isabel Lucas and Lupe Fiasco in scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro this January to help raise awareness for clean water. The expedition is the brainchild of singer and producer Kenna; whose own father suffered from waterborne diseases as a child in Ethiopia.

Back in April, it was Biel’s boyfriend, singer Justin Timberlake, who first announced the project in an interview with GQ. “I’ve been training four times a week to get my VO2 [oxygen consumption] levels up to expand my lungs,” Timberlake said. “We’ll climb for a week straight, carrying 30 pounds on our backs. It’s going to be intense.” Unless something has changed, we assume he’s still connected with the effort — but representatives for the campaign are reportedly not confirming anything one way or another.

Said Biel in a statement announcing her participation, “This is a basic human necessity that needs to be addressed now. I’m proud to help any way I can in order to raise awareness toward the life-threatening clean water crisis happening not only in Africa but around the world.”

Apparently, more celebrities are set to be announced in the coming weeks. You can check out the slick official site for the “Summit on the Summit” campaign — and get involved –  by clicking here.

We’ve been dwelling on Justin Timberlake’s new eco-friendly Mirimichi Golf Course, but for good reason: the planning and implementation of the various green aspects continues to impress.

Since the grand opening over the weekend, even more has been revealed regarding the extent of the 28-year-old singer’s mission to create a site where “golf and nature exist in harmony.” For instance, only 85 of the 300 acres are ever mowed — leaving the rest to transition over to “native grasses”. Also, if you’re on the staff, prepare to love weeding — by hand. To limit the use of chemicals, a large portion of the weeds that do grow are pulled out using manual labor.

And speaking of chemicals — as Mirimichi is the first in the nation to be designated as a certified Audubon International Classic Sanctuary – its use of synthetic fertilizers is strictly limited. Surrounding each water feature is an invisible 25-foot barrier where Audubon rules ban the use of chemical fertilizers or herbicides. Where they are needed, the course uses organic or slow-release products to cut down on runoff throughout the property.

According to a Memphis paper, Mirimichi will use a mix of 80 percent native plants and 20 percent exotics. “Natives are great plants because they are used to our climate,” said head horticulturist Russell DeMotsis. “They survive when it snows in late spring and during the heat and drought in the summer.” Plans are also underway to build greenhouses to propagate the native species and provide educational opportunities for those interested in the wildlife and horticulture at Mirmichi.

Incredible, right? We’ve said it before, but congrats to Timberlake again for trailblazing a more sustainable golf course. We hope others take notice and steal a few ideas for their own links.

:: Mirimichi Golf Course Official Website

For those that keep clicking the remote when golf is on television, feel free to do the same with this post. However, if you have a love for the sport and are looking to try out something new, Justin Timberlake’s Mirimichi golf course is now accepting tee time reservations.

The eco-friendly course — the first in the nation to be designated as a certified Audubon International Classic Sanctuary — officially opens on July 25th. You can reserve your time now and avoid the rush by hitting up the new website here. Says Timberlake on the site,

“As part of the renovation of the course, I started asking questions about whether you can turn a golf course into an eco-friendly place. It turns out you can. The clubhouse will be Platinum LEED certified when it is complete and that is an extremely grueling process but very rewarding. While we have several initiatives that make Mirimichi eco-friendly, one of the greatest in my opinion is that while we use 80 percent of the energy we produce, we return 20 percent to the Tennessee Energy Grid.”

Jump here for more.

According to the UK Guardian, the project was conceived by Kenna, who was born in Ethiopia. “My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases,” he explained to Elle magazine. “I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out.”

Leading up to the climb next fall, Timberlake, Fiasco, and Kenna will fundraise for the initiatives — and start training for the grueling 17,000 ft climb. “I’ve been training four times a week to get my VO2 [oxygen consumption] levels up to expand my lungs,” Timberlake told GQ. “We’ll climb for a week straight, carrying 30 pounds on our backs. It’s going to be intense.”

It’s also a bit risky: each year about 10 people die attempting to climb Kilimanjaro. As of yet, no specific clean water charities have been named as benefiting from the effort.

A myriad of celebrities — including Justin Timberlake, Bill Murray, Huey Lewis, Michael Bolton, and Kevin James — participated in the 3M Celebrity Golf Challenge yesterday. About $29,000 in charity cash was up for grabs to the winner — which ultimately went to Bolton and James on the last putt. True to his Caddyshack character, Bill Murray won over of the crowd with some hilarious quotes. Check out the jump for video and more. [Read more...]

Some of Australia’s biggest stars participated in a telethon yesterday to help raise money for those affected by the horrible brush fires raging there this week. According to E!, “Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman, Mel Gibson, Rachel Griffiths, Orlando Bloom and his model-girlfriend Miranda Kerr, Ellen DeGeneres and a host of musicians like k.d. lang, politicians and sports legends, all of whom sent appeals asking for money on behalf of the Nine Network’s Australia Unites telethon.” Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban personally donated $300,000. [Read more...]

Impressive. Check it out below — and don’t forge to make some time for next Tuesday, November 4th to vote!

Actress Uma Thurman is beating the busy London streets with a new Vespa scooter. “The neighbors call her Vrooma Uma because she is always scooting around the area,” the source said. Thurman recently moved to London after becoming engaged to millionaire Arki Busson. [Read more...]

Nicole Kidman is feeling a bit more “home on the range” after purchasing a cattle farm down in Australia. The actress had to learn how to become a cowgirl and heard cattle for her upcoming epic with Hugh Jackman, Australia. For those worried that Kidman has gone into the meat business, rest assured. “They [the cattle] are basically on the property to keep the grass short.” Good on ya, mate. [Read more...]

Justin Timberlake is putting the finishing touches on the first LEED-certified golf course in the United States. The 27-year-old singer is an avid golfer and his latest business venture, called Miramichi Lakes, takes his love of the sport to a new level.

Timberlake revealed in an interview how he saved the struggling golf course last year from development and decided to open up his own, eco-friendly version. “Originally it was called Woodstock Hills, and it was the first place my dad taught me to hit a ball,” he said. “And last year we found out they were going to auction it off and turn it into a development. So we thought it was such a landmark for the community, we’d scoop it and save it. And we did. We were able to before it was auctioned off.”

“After we had the golf course we said why don’t we refurbish it and make it even nicer for the community. Then I asked questions about what we could possibly do, and we found out we could actually make it a “green course.” So when it’s finished this summer it will be a Platinum LEED certified green course. The first in the United States of America, so that’s pretty exciting that you could take all that land and make it eco-friendly.”

According to an article in the Memphis Daily News, all of the buildings on the 303-acre course will be built to the highest LEED-certified green building standards available — a considerable investment. In addition the location will sport “a renewable energy field and a walking trail with educational placards and seating for the public to learn about responsible energy and natural resource usage.”

Wow. Clint Eastwood could learn a bunch from this. Nice work, Justin. Look for Miramichi Lakes to open this October.

Edit: Timberlake’s Golf Course is opening July 25, 2009.

A source said: “Jessica made Justin this really disgusting meal. He didn’t like it, so when she went out to run some errands he tried to slip the remaining food to Jessica’s Pit Bull Terrier Tina. But as soon as Tina had eaten it, she threw up! When Jessica got back, she asked Justin what he thought of the food and he told her it was delicious. But he finally confessed and she found the congealed food in a pile by Tina’s water bowl.” Oh sick!!

Rumor has it that Justin is planning to ask Jessica for her hand in marriage sometime in the near future. Dude, a little advice: either build up that digestive system or get ready for a lifetime of cooking. Then again they’re both loaded. 20 dollars says they have a live in personal chef by the end of week one. At least I hope they do for the sake of their pets.