Since its launch back in June, the New York City High Line “Park in the Sky” has become a huge success — with weekend crowds averaging about 20,000 visitors per day. And this is only the first stage of a project expected to cover just over 1.5 miles.

The Sundance Channel has a series of shorts online called “High Line Stories” with notable people discussing the history of the project and how became a new green attraction. We showed one narrated by Ethan Hawke last month and now have another featuring Kevin Bacon. The actor keeps it cool in a black suit and white v-neck tee while shot walking in slow-motion around some undeveloped sections of the High Line. He explains how he became involved with the initiative — and why it’s such a great idea. Check it out below:

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.

Bacon also touches on his environmental ways — talking up walking, public transportation, tap water, and the green groove of his band, The Bacon Brothers. Here’s a highlight:

“I walk at least 40 blocks every day and use public transportation,” says Bacon. “When I go to Philly, I don’t drive. Why would I want to get into a car and sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic when I can take the train to downtown Philly? There’s a fantastic book called “You Are Here,” by Thomas Kostigen, that I wrote the foreword for, and he walks you through some of the consequences of our daily actions. I tread lightly talking about this because sometimes it can backfire. On the other hand, I feel that maybe I can do my part in some small way to show by example that it’s not that hard to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle. One of the things we do with the Bacon Brothers is encourage people to fill their water bottles up with tap water or from the fountain. Tap water is not bad for you. The Bacon Brothers even sell aluminum water bottles, not that you have to use ours. I’m horrified at the amount of plastic bottles that get thrown away every day.”

Want one of those water bottles? Check ‘em out here. For the rest of the article, jump!

Photo credit: PR Photos

Doing good work makes you feel good, makes you feel as if you have some control over your life and your future. I have this joke motto: someone asks me, ‘How are you doing?’ and my answer is ‘I’m doing what I can with what I’ve got.’ That can work for everyone.”

- Kevin Bacon discussing his organization SixDegrees.org, in Ingrid Newkirk’s new book, One Can Make a Difference. Make sure you check out the site and go buy the book. Let’s change the world, people!

Celebrities appearing in the PSA’s include: Amy Adams, Tatyana Ali, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Selma Blair, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jaime Foxx, Jonah Hill, Dustin Hoffman, Djimon Hounsou, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Seth Rogan, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

I’ll shut up. You just watch. (Look for solid laughs from Jonah Hill…)

For you foodies out there you that missed one of the most tasteful fundraising events of the season that supported NYC’s City Harvest, let me tell you about the evening that took place at Splash Light Studios on Hudson Street.

City Harvest, a non-profit that delivers food to hungry New Yorkers, raised enormous awareness last night during an extremely chic event called Focus: An auction of the finest photography, with special food tastings prepared by many well known chefs from restaurants like Le Bernardin, Victor’s Cafe, and South Gate to name a few. The lobster from Eric Ripert Le Bernardin was out of this world!

There were also special musical performances by the Kevin Bacon’s band, the Bacon Brothers, and the Cringe Band, led by John Cusimano, Rachael Ray’s husband. Both groups put on spectacular performances that had the room rocking.

The event had a silent auction of some of the finest photography donated by some of the world’s most famous photographers; along with jewelry from Judith Ripka which raised much needed funds to help feed the city’s needy. Other sponsors of the evening were FUJIFILM, Interview Magazine, Gotham Magazine, Diageo, and super sweet chocolates from CoCo Delice and Marti Chocolatt.

Rachael Ray, one of the bidders of the live auction, bought a Rolling Stones picture of Mick Jagger singing Jumping Jack Flash which sold for $10K. Rachael, who also sits on City Harvest’s board of directors, reminded the nearly 800 guests how we need to help support this important, 25 year old organization and make sure the region’s needy are not forgotten.

On an eco-friendly point, by the end of 2009 City Harvest will convert their trucks to be hybrid — which should help reduce emissions by 40 percent. City Harvest also uses pedi-cabs to transport food around Manhattan.

The event was produced by Bradford Rand, CEO of Go Green Expo in association with Timothy White, a world renowned photographer who also sits on the board of City Harvest.

For all of your NYers out there who work for big corporate companies or even small companies and have food catered and have lots of left overs, remind your management to contact City Harvest for food pick-ups!

Photo Credit:  Melissa Rosenberg

“I carried Travis for nine months, providing him with a safe and healthy place to grow inside me, and then I gave birth and fed him my breast milk. Then, when I had to give him over to the world—to food that comes from unknown places and toys that come from irresponsible manufacturers—it really hit me: I felt responsible not only for my child but for the planet.”

Now the mother of two children with her actor husband, Kevin Bacon, Kyra’s passion for protecting her young has led to her involvement with the Environmental Defense Fund and the National Resources Defense Council. She uses her celebrity status and voice to educate others about taking environmentally conscious actions.

Kyra has a lot of faith in maternal instinct and believes that it is the love of family which holds the power to save our planet.

“Mothers believe we are responsible for our children from the womb to the grave. We are connected by the longing to protect them after they leave our bodies, so the impetus for making this planet safe for them lies with us. Mark my words: It’s the soccer moms who will change the world.”

Have you been to a child’s soccer game recently? Those moms can become quite a force to be reckoned with!

via oprah.com

This past Saturday, Environment California held an event at the home of Paul and Deborah Haggis (80% solar-powered!) to discuss how California can lead the country in addressing global warming and jump-starting a clean energy revolution. Dana Delany, Morgan Fairchild, Peter Horton, Paul Gilmartin, Marshall Herskovitz, Sharon Lawrence, Bobby Moresco, Amy Smart and Alicia Silverstone were among the 100+ in attendance. Event sponsors sponsors and host committee included Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Redford, Lynda & Stewart Resnick, Betty & Stanley Sheinbaum, Lily Tomlin, Ed Begley Jr., Lawrence Bender, Esai Morales, Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon, and Jeremy Sisto.

Wendie Malick emcee’d the program, and speakers included U.S. Representative Jerry McNerney (11th District — a former wind-energy executive who defeated Rep. Pombo in 2006), Cal EPA’s Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, Environment America Executive Director Margie Alt and Environment California Legislative Director Dan Jacobson. Environment California is calling on the Schwarzenegger administration to make global warming polluters pay for every ton of pollution and to create a $1-billion-a-year Global Warming Solutions Fund. Environment America, a federation of state environment groups, is working in 25+ states on similar solutions and also urging Congress to push forward on setting science-based global warming pollution standards.

In addition to contributing to the group, attendees noshed on organic brunch by Akasha Richmond of Akasha restaurant, checked out the new all-electric Tesla Roadster, signed postcards by Governor Schwarzenegger, and left with a recycled canvas Ecobag filled with more info on the organization and ways to take action.

Want to find out more and get involved? www.environmentcalifornia.org and www.enviromentamerica.org

Pictured: Kimberly Larson and Wendie Malick. Photo credit: torphoto.com

And now The Bacon Brothers will be performing at the Global Green Expo this coming weekend at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Also on hand will be Jeff Corwin, Deidre Imus, Ted Danson, and Ed Begley Jr. The expo — like many happening this week — will feature the latest “eco-friendly products, programs, services, and information from hundreds of exhibitors and nonprofit organizations.”

But back to Kevin — a big time supporter of environmental initiatives and charity campaigns — his SixDegrees.org foundation has been a great success, raising over $2 million so far. Last year, he also actively participated in the Live Earth concerts and pushed hard for NYC’s High Line initiative.

To find out more about The Bacon Bothers, jump here.

I’ve included Ron Livingston’s short on solar energy below — but check out James Blunt and Sam Waterson after the fold. The full list of currently released videos, can be found here.