Earlier this year, Ecorazzi reported that Leno had started a segment on his show called the Green Car Challenge, where celebrities take turns racing around a homemade track in a specially prepared Ford Focus-based battery car. While racing, the famous contestants face a variety of challenges, including cut-outs of Al Gore and Ed Begley Jr.

About his inspiration to start the challenge, Leno told Starpulse.com:

“Whenever I would drive a green car, like an electric car, when I drove it to the show, the female guests would go, ‘What is that? Does that not use gas?’ And a lot of times, without sounding sexist, the guys are interested in cars, the women could care less. But this is something where the women will go, ‘Hey, how does that work?’ And they’re really interested.”

So how does Sheryl Crow do? You’ll have to watch the video below to find out!

- Sheryl Crow discussing Stamp Out Violence Against Women and Girls of the Congo – a campaign started by Los Angeles-based fashion brand OmniPeace. OmniPeace donates 25% of its profits towards efforts to end extreme poverty in Africa by 2025. Learn more at OmniPeace.com.

If you’ve ever wanted to take part in those auctions for personal celebrity items, but just can’t find the will to open your wallet in the process — take heart! The British equivalent of Freecycle called MySkip is holding a “24-Hour Celebrity Throwaway” next week! Famous folk like Sheryl Crow, Boy George, Ricky Gervais, Cuba Gooding Jr. and more will all be donating things they no longer have a use for. In Boy George’s case, this probably means personal freedom.

“MySkip’s work is a positive initiative using advanced technology to transform the way we view everyday waste,” said Dr. Gary Kendall, Director of Climate Change Programs at SustainAbility. “We encourage people and businesses to look at reuse as an alternative to recycling because by extending the life of products we will not only help reduce the size of our landfills but minimise other environmental issues such as dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.”

To learn more about MySkip — or participate in the giveaway, jump here for more details.

For the third year in a row, Ecorazzi will descend upon the red carpet for the 6th Annual Global Green Pre-Oscar Party this coming Thursday. The event, as usual, will be a celebrity magnet — drawing such famous names as Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Penelope Cruz, Marisa Tomei, Kate Bosworth, Rosario Dawson, and others. Slated to perform are Sheryl Crow, Gavin Rossdale and BlackCowboy. This year’s bash will benefit “Green Schools” — with an emphasis on improving student health and performance, saving money, creating green jobs, and advancing smart climate solutions. Last year the nonprofit received more than $420,000 for its initiatives, such as the high-profile “Rebuilding New Orleans” green-building project.

Global Green USA President Matt Petersen recently told the site GreenRightNow that the organization “started doing this before An Inconvenient Truth came out. And we’ve worked hard to tie our efforts to real substantive projects and advocacy initiatives to change policy. The combination of substance along with reaching out to pop culture has its appeal – certainly in this town. People realize they have an obligation as people in the public eye to shine a light on the issues.”

Interested in attending? General admission starts at $125 and soars to $2,500 for patron level. Jump here to get more ticket information and details.

Photo: 2007 Pre-Oscar Party: Matt Petersen, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penelope Cruz, Sebastian Copeland | Credit: Globla Green USA

David Arquette

Of course, as suspected, there were plenty of famous faces in attendance, including Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Tobey Maguire, Josh Groban, Amanda Peet, Nick Lachey, Kevin Connelly, Lukas Haas, Jason Bateman and many more.

The event showcased street artist Shepard Fairey’s new work, which will raise awareness for Feeding America and help them continue to provide food assistance to more than 25 million low-income people.

So a big thanks to Davey Boy for doing well and keepin’ all them bellies full!

Via: looktothestars.org

Some of the biggest names in music are donating their names and talent to support (RED)WIRE – a new digital magazine aimed at helping fight the spread of AIDS in Africa.

If that RED names sounds a little familiar, it’s because (RED)WIRE is an offshoot of the activist organization RED founded by U2 frontman Bono last year. Not only will the magazine be digital (thus SUPER green), but all proceeds will benefit HIV-infected people in Africa.

For only 5 dollars a year you can subscribe to (RED)WIRE and receive a new issue every Wednesday, featuring an exclusive song from a major musician, a song from a new performer and a multimedia presentation about how the organization is helping Africans in need. SIGN ME UP!

Oh and you better believe the music is gonna rock, because about a bazillion stars are getting involved like: U2, Coldplay, the Dixie Chicks, John Legend, REM, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, the Police, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Elton John and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys.

To find out more and get YOUR subscription, visit RedWire.com!

Sheryl Crow is gonna looovvvveeeee this!  On Tuesday Madeleine Pickens, the wife of the Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, announced she would be creating a refuge for wild horses to help protect the often exploited species. Ecorazzi reported earlier that the government had plans to “control” the herds and “protect” the Western range by killing off thousands of wild horses. WTF??

To help stop the killing, Madeleine has proposed buying about one million acres to serve as a refuge for the horses now in government holding facilities. Tom Gorey, spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management said the office welcomed the offer and agreed to hand over the horses once the land was purchased. 

Besides purchasing land, Pickens will be starting a foundation to raise money for the cause and claims that at her facility no animal will ever be turned down. “It’s such a beautiful sight to see,” Ms. Pickens said. “This is our national heritage, and it needs to be preserved.”

Oh man, what a great story, huh? We love to see those with means helping those without! Keep rocking hard, Ms. Pickens! We think you’re swell! 

via: nytimes.com

Today in the U.S. we join hands and raise a glass to the man with the plan: Christopher Columbus. While I must admit that it seems rather odd to celebrate the violent removal of a native people from their homeland, the government has declared it a holiday and so I will not be receiving my mail this afternoon.

But as we all must know by now, the government doesn’t ALWAYS consider ethics when legislating. In fact, Sheryl Crow recently rescued a wild mustang after finding out that the government has plans to wipe out a large percentage of the mustang population.

Crow says: “There’s legislation going on right now about exterminating these great wild mustangs… (They’re) truly one of the great representatives of our native culture here in America. Wild mustangs are really true to the heritage of this country; they help us to remember who we were.. (and) the government is trying to have them run off cliffs and things.”

It’s true, people — the mustangs need our help! If you’d like to get involved or help sponsor a wild mustang, visit WildHorseRescue.org!

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 quick tip: the fastest way to get eye-rolls and groans from your fellow grocery shoppers is to stand in line with a cart full of food and no reusable bag in site. In fact, if I perchance think a fellow line dweller is cute and I see her opting for the world-killing plastic alternative, she will lose an immediate 3… possibly 4 points on the dreamy scale. And I think it’s safe to say that Sheryl Crow feels the same way.

Crow has teamed up with Whole Foods and designed A Better Bag – a signature reusable bag created in support of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Simple Steps program. The tote features a charcoal sketch of a tree with words written by Crow and is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles with each bag representing approximately four 20-ounce plastic bottles.

Sheryl has been an environmental advocate for years and says: “I am a big believer in doing what you can, even if it’s something as small as reducing the amount of plastic we each use daily that ends up in landfills, whether it is plastic bags, water bottles or product packaging. I’m so happy to be working with Whole Foods Market on this project.”

So head on down to your local Whole Foods, grab a vegan muffin and get yourself a Sheryl Crow designed reusable bag. Because saving the planet is just frigin sexy!

[Update: The bag will be available October 15th]