Joining the likes of of Emma Watson, actress Selena Gomez is prepping a new fashion line for young girls that will debut late next year. The UNICEF Ambassador, who recently spent time in Ghana to help raise cash for children in poverty, plans to make the line as eco-friendly as possible. “I want the pieces that can be easy to dress up or down, and the fabrics being eco-friendly and organic are super important,” she said. “Also, the tags will all have some of my inspirational quotes on them. I’m just looking to send a good message.”

The collection, to be called Dream Out Loud, will be created in partnership with designer Tom Melillo and fashion businesswoman Sandra Campos. It will include dresses, floral tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, and accessories like hats and scarves. Hooray for more green fashion for tweens!

Check out photos of Selena at the 6th Annual Hollywood Style Awards below!

In the past, Ecorazzi reported that Gomez has spoken out about environmental initiatives, got hooked on books for charity, and even lent her fame to help dogs and cats in Puerto Rico. Now, as the youngest UNICEF Ambassador in history, Selena is getting serious about raising some major dough.

In early September, the Disney star spent time in Ghana, West Africa where she witnessed poverty on a whole new level. Gomez hopes to raise $1 million for the foundation by the end of this year – a $400,000 increase from last year.

Out of 195 countries, Ghana is ranked 30 for the highest mortality rates of children under the age of 5. “Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes,” said Gomez. “I stand withUNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero.

Will Selena be able to raise the cash? We sure hope so! If you’d like to get involved with UNICEF’s efforts visit UNICEF.org.

Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers recently teamed up to record Send It On — an eco pop song that is part of Disney’s “Friends for Change: Project Green” initiative.

The Project Green campaign encourages kids to think about the planet and take action to help lower their carbon footprint. So far more than 350,000 kids have taken the green pledge to recycle, reuse, unplug, bicycle etc.

100% of the proceeds from iTunes’ sales (it’s currently number 5 on the iTunes chart) will benefit environmental causes through its Worldwide Conservation Fund.

While I’m jazzed as hell to see young hollywood getting involved with the green scene, it all just seems so damn precious! Watch the video below and tell us what YOU think? Effective activism or just another greenwashing stunt? Chime in and share your thoughts!

With all those celebs getting hooked on various substances, it’s nice to see some of them are getting hooked on books! 

What Book Got You Hooked is an initiative of First Book — a charity whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. 

From now until Sept. 30th, you’ll can log on to BooksForKids.org and “vote for the state to receive 50,00 new books for children in need” by sharing a memory of the first book that made reading fun for you. You’ll also have the opportunity to make a $10 donation that would provide four brand new books for a children in need.

Stars like Selena Gomez, Morgan Freeman, John Krasinski, David Duchovny and many more have already joined the campaign and shared some of their favorite reads! 

To find out more about this project, visit BooksForKids.org!

“What’s really bad about me is I leave the lights on everywhere I go,” she recently told the Mother Nature Network, adding that she’s trying to improve the habit with self-reminders via post-it notes. 

Wait a tick! Wasting paper to remind yourself to be more environmentally-aware? I’m not so sure about that method, Selena! 

The casts of Disney shows are also involved in the Friends for Change environmental campaign. And Gomez shared some on-set green techniques. “We have double-sided scripts and we recycle them. We don’t use [plastic] water bottles,” Gomez reports. “We’re doing our best — we’re trying. Every little thing counts.”

What do YOU think is the most important thing young people can do to go green? Chime in a share your thoughts! 

photo credit: prphotos.com

Selena Gomez has teamed up with her Wizards costar Jake T. Austin and DoSomething.org to help make a difference for the homeless dogs and cats of Puerto Rico.

The 16-year-old actress filmed a short “Dog-umentary” last weekend on the beach to draw attention to the unfortunate lives of homeless pups living in the area. According to JustJaredJr., Selena has rallied her friends — band Forever The Sickest Kids, Taylor Swift, Corbin Bleu and Rita Rocks star Nicole Sullivan — and teamed up with Charity Buzz to benefit Island Dog, Inc.

She had this to say on her MySpace page:

“Hey. I just wanted to let everyone know the new Charity Auction has launched. It runs until March 31st so be sure to check it out and get your parents permission to make a bid. Thank you all so much for being a part of this Charity Auction. Also whether you bid on something or not everyone can help. Go to www.islanddog.org to see all the different ways you can help the dogs and cats of Puerto Rico.”

Check out the short below:

“I am extremely excited to be this year’s Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson,” said Gomez. “I want to help encourage other kids to make a difference in the world and show them that Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is such a great, fun way to get involved.”

To get involved, hop on over to the UNICEF website, order a Halloween-themed collection box (free!), and then bounce around the neighborhood collecting money for kids in need. Sure, it’s not the same as getting candy, but just think of the joy you’ll be bringing to other kids less fortunate.

“Unless we protect the environment, half the world’s amphibians will become extinct,” Selena says. “What happens to frogs today, can affect people in the future.”

The PSA is a result of a partnership between Disney, Amphibian Ark, Conservation International, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To become more involved visit Year of the Frog to get involved in amphibian conservation.

Oh, and Selena we love you, but we can tell you’re reading…

- Selena Gomez talking to People.com about her political aspirations and dreams of a more informed youth.

Actress Selena Gomez stopped by the Farmers Market on Ventura Blvd in Los Angeles, California yesterday with her family. The 16-year-old will next star in the upcoming television series Princess Protection Program.

Photo credit: Jordan/INF Photo