If you are thinking about going vegetarian, here is a list of things that should help you to actually do it,… and to stick to it once you’ve started.

Read more of this story »

Kilmer was recently quoted as saying: “What I do for a living is listen. If I run, I’m going to be the next governor.” Kilmer is registered as a Democrat, and donated to Ralph Nader’s and Bill Richardson’s campaigns for president in 2008.

Kilmer voted for Barack Obama though, and eagerly attended the new president’s inauguration ceremonies, comparing it to attending the Gettysburg Address. He also told the Boston Globe that actors when elections.

Better Than Arnold as an Environmental Governor?

Back when rumors began circulating about Kilmer’s potential run, we previewed his environmental credentials/views on Red, Green, and Blue. You can read our write-up by clicking here. One of the great tidbits we found was a quote from Kilmer about California’s famous governor: “I did get some lobbyists once saying that I’d make a good governor. Reagan wasn’t much of an actor and look how that worked out for him. And then there’s Arnold… I think you should be able to pronounce the name of the state.”

Another interesting environmental tidbit about Kilmer: he will be starring in two upcoming movies that have global warming tie-ins. One will be called The Steam Experiment. According to information on the Internet Movie Database, “In the film, Val Kilmer plays a former university professor who overheats his hostages to prove that humans will devolve into chaos under the pressures of global warming. He tells a detective that their location will be revealed if his hypothesis is printed as the local paper’s front-page headline.”

Photo Credit: Original unmodified image from shiherlis on Flickr under a Creative Commons license

The Environmental Media Awards have been presented since 1991 and launched the concept of the “green carpet”. The awards go to TV shows, movies and musicians that use their entertainment role to promote environmental concerns. The awards, which were presented this year on November 13, also promote an eco-friendly awards gala and organic food.

With environmentalism becoming the norm, the Environmental Media Awards have gone mainstream with stars like Nicole Richie, Rosario Dawson and Amy Smart (wearing an eco-friendly black gown) walking the green carpet.

Awards winners after the jump.

Read more of this story »

Read more of this story »

While lurking around the food tent, I found myself engaged in a friendly conversation about just how wonderful the whole event was with a dude in this exact same shirt. I raved about the shirt and he told me where he got it, but I don’t write it down, so . . .

Later when Dave Matthews came on stage, there came my buddy with the great T-shirt with the powerful message ‘Stop Wars’ - it was Tim Reynolds! First, I felt stupid for not recognizing him, then I was glad because while I try not to be star struck, I’m a huge fan of Mr. Reynolds (obviously knowing his music better than his face!) and who knows what idiotic thing I might have come up with.

Other than their amazing musical talent, I admire most of the musicians that day for their effort to help raise awareness about the realities and challenges facing small and family farmers. Using great music to activate a crowd is a beautiful thing.

So, it goes along these same lines that using wonderfully designed rags to shout important progressive messages is another great form of creative activism.

Clothing Of The American Mind (COTAM) is a brilliant organization who brought that Farm Aid moment together for me so beautifully.

Read more of this story »

To learn more about climate change or to find out how much good or harm you’re doing to the planet, go to http://www.nature.org/janitor — you can use The Nature Conservancy’s carbon calculator to discover your impact, help the planet and feel good about yourself!

I know some people who buy that magazine with pure shallow intent, just to be like, “oh god, my grandmother could be in this…” Not me of course. But my grandmother, dear ole’ Gladys, is the hottest 91 year old on the planet.

It’s been an interesting week, especially for Sheryl Crow, whom has clashed with politics and…The View. The night before Earth Day, Crow was attending the White House Correspondents Dinner and decided to chat up Karl Rove on global warming. This was a bad idea. Unfortunately, Rove acted how we would expect, stomped his foot like a spoiled school boy and his face turned the shade of a tomato on the verge of combustion. I'll let Crow explain the rest in her own words:

We asked Mr. Rove if he would consider taking a fresh look at the science of global warming. Much to our dismay, he immediately got combative. And it went downhill from there.

In his attempt to dismiss us, Mr. Rove turned to head toward his table, but as soon as he did so, Sheryl reached out to touch his arm. Karl swung around and spat, "Don't touch me." How hardened and removed from reality must a person be to refuse to be touched by Sheryl Crow? Unfazed, Sheryl abruptly responded, "You can't speak to us like that, you work for us." Karl then quipped, "I don't work for you, I work for the American people." To which Sheryl promptly reminded him, "We are the American people.

If that doesn’t make you stand up and cheer, I’m not sure what else will. In the second incident of the week, Crow urged college students to conserve toilet paper to one single square. The girls of ‘The View’ apparently didn’t get the sarcasm. Rosie O’Donnel actually managed to say something genuinely funny, along the lines of ‘one square, Sheryl have you seen my ass?’ I think we would rather not. Good stuff.

Our own Rebecca Carter, also of Ecorazzi posted a very funny video with Lewis Black mocking green celebrities on the Daily Show. It’s definitely worth watching and perhaps even poignant: “So there you have it, advice on saving the planet Earth from a bunch of people who couldn’t even save Planet Hollywood.”

Angelina Jolie lobbied in Washington yesterday for the world’s orphans and children at risk. She spoke on behalf of Global Action for Children, a non-partisan group seeking funding for orphaned children all over the world.

"The numbers associated with this problem are staggering," Jolie said in a statement. "It is overwhelming and the scale of the problem seems to give many an excuse for inaction.

"In many ways it is better to think of these children one by one, each deserving of our care and attention, each being of equal value and each being a test of whether justice — or injustice — will prevail," she said.

At Green Fest this past week Green Options had the opportunity to drink excellent beer from the Great Lakes Brewery with green celeb and musician Michael Kang of The String Cheese Incident. We all made a toast to "the farmers."

Also – my big bro, fellow blogger Michael d’Estries of Ecorazzi will be speaking at the Toronto Green Fest. Brings a tear to my eye Mike, I’m so proud! ; )

According to Instyle, Courtney Love has cleaned up in more ways than one: now she uses recycled toilet paper and green power at home. Parker Posey totes Trader Joe’s reusable shopping bag and Alicia Silverstone brings a little dolce vita into her life by drying her clothes on her laundry line, "The sun does all the work and it makes me feel like I live in Italy. I love it!"

Laura Dean says, “We painted every room in our house with Bioshield [solvent-free] paints, which smell amazing. And the whole family wears Green Toe shoes by Simple. They are made from recycled materials and are most comfy.” Check out the Simple Shoes site, they actually have some cool stuff from sandels to bags. Jeniffer Aniston is also sporting a new Prius, and bombshell Charlize Theron is a fan of Endstar [makers of parkas, tents and sleeping bags] “The stuff is durable – and made out of Return Textile fabric, which is partely created from recycled bottles.”

I think of Will Ferrell and all I can picture is Anchorman and his character Ron Burgundy. (“Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, I love scotch.”) Now, however, a different picture is coming to light, one of Ferrell as an environmentalist and stern supporter of National Resource Defense Council. According to Ecorazzi, Ferrell’s also making plans to build a single, eco-friendly home near his current residency. Well done Will, well done. Check him out tonight in his new flick, Blades of Glory.

Ah yes, and now the clincher story for this week: the ‘green team’ celebrity TV special that will be airing in May.

According to the New York Observer,

The EcoZone Project television specials, beginning on Earth Day, April 22, (and airing on Fox on May 22), will turn celebrity homes inside-out, making them green. The show’s first few eco-celebrity homes will be in Los Angeles; for the actor Ron Livingston, they are using reclaimed wood from Gregory Peck’s house.

I understand the lure of celebrities, but I don’t underestimate their financial state. It appears highly inappropriate to give them a hand up when so many other people (say you, or me, or those people) could benefit from it. Why not bring green to the communities, not just inside the pearly gates of Hollywood?

What a week we’ve had in green gossip, from the Oscars with our dear celebrities drenched in green, to Al Gore being thrown under the bus, to Indian celebrities dressed in scallion skirts. In terms of the Oscars, I know you’ve heard — it was an eco-friendly, tree-hugging love fest. The king of the festivities, Al Gore, became the bull’s eye by morning. The Tennessee Center for Policy Research (Publisher's FYI: The TCPR is a "rightwing attack hack") decided to release Gore’s utility bills, that proved to be rather vast, in hopes of knocking him off his throne.

According to the article,

The Gores used about 191,000 kilowatt hours in 2006, according to bills reviewed by The Associated Press. The typical Nashville household uses about 15,600 kilowatt-hours per year. The group said that Gore used nearly 221,000 kilowatt hours last year and that his average monthly electric bill was $1,359. Johnson said his group got its figures from Nashville Electric Service. But company spokeswoman Laurie Parker said the utility never got a request from the policy center and never gave it any information.

So perhaps the Tenessee Center decided to exaggerate slightly in the name of politics, but in the end, there’s a clear message: Al, turn off the lights! Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said: "Sometimes when people don't like the message, in this case that global warming is real, it's convenient to attack the messenger." Indeed it is.

In other news, Prince Charles isn’t happy about Happy Meals. He has long been an advocate of a balanced diet, especially in children to support healthy habits in the future.

The article states,

The prince, who owns the organic food company Duchy Originals, told an expert nutritionist what he thought of the famous fast food chain during a visit to the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Speaking to Nadine Tayara, he said, "Have you gotten anywhere with McDonald's, have you tried getting it banned? That's the key.

Is organic fast food next — or is this the end of fast? Next week is sure to be an interesting one – will Al Gore run for President, will ‘do you want fries with that,’ be banned from the UK? And about those scallion skirts, check out Ecorrazi for a photo!

Editor's note: We're happy to welcome Noelle d'Estries to our growing group of writers. Noelle will be covering the green (and not-so-green) celebrity beat for us. And, yes, she's related to Michael — his sister. We'll take all the d'Estries we can get…!

Global Green USA, the environmental organization fighting the challenges of climate change, weapons of mass destruction and providing clean water for the millions without, also knows how to party. I know what you’re thinking: this is just another ploy for celebrities to celebrate themselves. Not so, counters Global Green USA president-CEO Matt Petersen, "A party cannot stop global warming, but it can be a great tool." And a lot of fun as well!

Global Green hosted the Pre-Oscar Bash, February 21^st at the Avalon Club in Los Angeles to promote more environmentally friendly lifestyles. Many celebs, including Penelope Cruz, Orlando Bloom, James Blunt and his supermodel girlfriend, Petra Nemcova walked down the green carpet. According to USA Today, flirtation between Blunt and Nemcova reached a green level when asked who was more eco-savvy. Blunt demurred, "I think we have an equal interest"; Nemcova just giggled and countered, "Competition is good." Finally, the environment has sex appeal!

Orlando Bloom was also on the scene, showing up in his a plug-in hybrid car and buzzing on his new eco-friendly home in London. “It's as green as I can make it. It's got solar panels on the roof, energy efficient light bulbs - newer technology basically that is environmentally friendly.” Judging by Orlando’s hair at the event it also appears he may be placing his fingers in energy efficient light sockets.

Orlando has been joining the pack of green celebs, led by Leonardo DiCaprio a huge promoter of Global Green and Brad Pitt (who recently received a beautiful EcoGreen Fireplace). A lot of celebs are stepping forward to make a difference, or at least putting their name on the list for the new Tesla Roaster.

This all-electric sportscar has already been ordered by over 330 celebrities, including George Clooney. According to Tesla vice president Darryl Siry, it’s ‘faster than most Porsches’ from 0-60. Fortunately, it looks better too.