Happy 4th Everyone! I hope everyone is celebrating a very green holiday. We've added several new talented writers this week to give you the latest and greatest on everything green.

Introducing:

Gavin Hudson: He joins us from Seattle, and has worked for the Jane Goodall Institute on their Roots & Shoots program, among other things. He'll be covering the activism beat here at GO.

Christan Wasniewki: She's starting a non-profit called International Poverty Solutions, Inc., which will focus on incubating and/or financing businesses aimed at alleviating international poverty and environmental degradation. Christian will be covering the very complicated world of eco-finance.

Christal White: She is the eco-concierge at the 70 Park Avenue Hotel (a green one!) in Manhattan, and also blogs at I'm Organic's Organiblog. She'll be focusing on eco-travel for us.

Alex Ho: He is based in San Mateo, California, and blogs about green tech at Generation Exe. Alex will do green tech coverage for us, also.

Jason Leggett: He is a Civil Engineer in Huntsville, Alabama, and blogs at Reasic and Celsias. Jason will be covering climate science.

Without further ado, here are my favorite posts from this past week.

Cocoa and Conflict: A Look at Côte d'Ivoire

Chocolate, along with coffee and tea, is one of the most popular Fair Trade certified products available. Côte d'Ivoire is the largest producer of cocoa in the world, and the abundance of this popular ingredient has played a major role in the country's political crisis. A diplomatic source in Abidjan made the comparison that cocoa in Côte d'Ivoire "is the same as timberor diamonds were in Liberia."

After maintaining a stable and affluent country for decades, Côte d'Ivoire fell to a rebellion in 2002 which split the country in two. This led to many human rights violations, with harassment, child soldiers and executions reported on both the rebels and government. The fighting has claimed "thousands of civilian lives and led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people" with over 40% of the population now in poverty. There already exists an arms embargo ban on rough diamonds because of their contribution to the conflict. However, cocoa is still available to on the international market, with an estimated $118 million already used to fund the conflict on both sides.

London Mayor Wants to Crush American Ambassador for Refusing to Pay

The most recent episode in the ongoing dispute over the London congestion charge, once again pits the Mayor against the American Embassy. A congestion charge of £8, around $16, is levied on private vehicles entering a central zone of the vast capital city of Great Britain during working hours from Monday through Friday. The American Embassy, among others, is located in the central zone but refuses to pay the charge for its fleet of vehicles. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is incensed, and he is not one to mince his words.

Referring to the wayward Embassy during a radio talk show last Thursday, he said: “If it was up to me, I would’ve seized their cars and crushed them, but it’s not legal for me to do that. I would've been quite happy to crush the car with the American ambassador in it, quite frankly.

Green Film Review: The Next Industrial Revolution

"When we follow nature's rules, growth is good. The question before us is not growth versus no growth, It is: what would good growth look like? And this is a question of intent, of design. What if we grow health instead of sickness, home ownership instead of indigence, education instead of ignorance?"

In a one hour film narrated by Susan Sarandon about the designer duo William McDonough and Michael Braungart (MBDC), we get a refresher course on Cradle to Cradle design theory. We review waste=food, the role of biological and technical nutrients in production, and why being less bad is no good. The MBDC design tenets result in buildings with net energy returns and products so safe they are edible.

Weekly DIY: Rain Barrels

I've been wanting to put in a couple of rain barrels at my house this year. We put in some garden plants this weekend, and they are going to need to be watered. Rain barrels are great because they help conserve water and cut down the amount of potable water that needs to be used. Rain barrels are commercially available for around $100 (or more). These are more "decorative" (if you find a piece of plastic molded with a wood barrel pattern decorative), but with a drill, some silicone sealant, and a couple of basic parts, you can build a rain barrel of your own.

It is important to remember that this is not drinking water that you are collecting. Without further treatment, there are too many possible problems, from dust and dirt to chemicals (from roof materials) to microorganisms that may colonize an available water supply. There are rainwater catchment systems that are designed for potable water use. These are more involved, and need to have other elements in the system beyond what is being discussed here.

Green Style Spotlight: Little Green Radicals

Parents want the best for their kids, so buying items with organic cotton is the minimum for most. As environmentalists of all different shades of green, being proud and outspoken about what you believe in becomes second nature. In a matter of weeks, babies show their own unique personalities, and their surroundings (clothing included) should reflect that.

London-based brand Hug, well known for their womens wear, recently re-released their unique children's line called Little Green Radicals. Available for babies and toddlers, all items are made from organic, certified Fair Trade, and sweatshop-free cotton in Egypt and India. Also noted on the brand's website: all prints "have been produced using the most ecological water based inks available."

Greening the Golden Years: Bay Area Senior Housing Goes Solar

Today’s guest is Ryan Chao, Executive Director of Satellite Housing, a San Francisco Bay Area not-for-profit corporation, providing affordable housing for low-income seniors, families and individuals with special needs. He is responsible for property management, resident services, financial management and affordable housing development activities for the organization.

The Nutrients We Need are Plant-Based

In my 15+ years of animal and vegetarian/vegan advocacy, I have answered countless questions – some smart, some thoughtful, some antagonistic, some ridiculous, and some over and over and over. Some people seem to think that by virtue of being vegan you hold degrees in nutrition, philosophy, anthropology, animal husbandry, ecology, and the culinary arts and often proceed to cross-examine you on each of these topics. Every vegan or vegetarian has been on the receiving end of someone trying to find a flaw with your lifestyle choice, and it can be exhausting at times.

Luckily for me, I love communicating - through talking (just ask my husband), writing (is anybody reading this?), and other means - and I never get tired of expressing the joy that comes from living a life that reflects compassion, kindness, and non-violence toward others. I am amazed, however, at the questions that arise in people once they encounter a “vegan.” Questions are great; don't get me wrong. But, it's as if people don't start thinking about health, nutrition, and animal rights until someone says the word "vegan” or even “vegetarian."

Tip o' the Day: Paper or Paper with Post-Consumer Materials?

Paper, paper, paper. It's everywhere. Even though it is easily recycled, a lot of paper evades the recycling bin and winds up in the landfills.

Everyday items — toilet paper, facial tissue, napkins, paper towels, and even books and magazines — can be made from recycled paper and can include post-consumer materials.

Weekend Grub: Honey Iced Espresso

Ingredients:

Two shots of espresso (regular coffee will work in a pinch): just make it strong. Use one of the many Fair Trade, organic and shade-grown coffees available. This is a triple whammy that ensures farmers were paid a fair wage, no nasty chemicals are tainting your drink or the environment, and many animals are able to relax in the coffee trees.

1-2 tablespoons of honey to taste. To find some great local honey check out your local farmer's market. And ask if the honey is organic as the problem of disappearing bees doesn't seem to be effecting the organic bee farms though the reason why is still a mystery.

Ice.

2 cups local milk or soy milk (adds a nice hint of nutty flavor).

Brew espresso shots. Put the honey in the hot espresso and stir well to fully dissolve before pouring coffee and honey mixture over ice. Add milk and enjoy a delicious and healthy treat!

June has been an excellent month for our ever expanding blog team at Green Options. We've added several new writers to the mix including Elizabeth Redmond on "Eco-Effective Decisions," Heidi Strebel will be covering the green scene in Europe, Robin Schidlowski will cover the Bay Area beat and most recently Colleen Patrick-Goudreau bringing tips for tasty green cooking.

As we enter July, Green Options will continue to bring you the latest on everything Green. Check out my favorite posts from the past week.

Tip o' the Day: Office Walking Club
Rebecca Carter's last post — you will be missed!

Do you work in an office park? Sit in a cubicle all day long? These "parks" are often filled with offices, and not much else. If you want to go out to lunch instead of eating in the deli downstairs, you probably need to get in your car & drive. Or do you?

Divine Trade
Divine Chocolate is a delicious Fair Trade brand that has established a competitive presence not just in Fair Trade chocolate, but in the entire chocolate market in the UK and, now, in the US. The mission of Divine is to "improve the livelihood of smallholder cocoa producers in West Africa by establishing their own dynamic branded proposition in the UK and US chocolate markets." Divine is unique in that it is a chocolate company that seeks to put more ownership in the cocoa farmers' hands.

Eco-Effective Decisions: May I Have a Side of Food with My Plastics
Americans alone use and dispose of enough paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times. Lets break this down, mathematically first (then we can physically break down the paper and plastics). If the circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,901.55 miles (a bit longer than measured at the poles), and there are 365 days in the year, then we dispose of 20,467.027 miles of disposable paper and plastic to go ware each day! That is about enough distance to stretch from the coast of Gabon (the westernmost country in Africa on the equator) all the way around the world to the eastern mouth of the Amazon in South America, every day!!!

Lighter Footstep: 5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water
Bottled water is healthy water — right?

That's what the marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio.

In reality, bottled water is just water. That fact isn't stopping people from buying a lot of it. Estimates variously place worldwide bottled water sales at between $50 and $100 billion each year, with the market expanding at the startling annual rate of 7 percent.

The Green Options Interview: Jeff Lazar, JLF/Lone Meadow
The hospitality industry is booming, but still has a long way to go in being green. Amy spoke with Jeff Lazar, owner of JLF, a leading supplier for custom seating in the hospitality industry, about his new collection of environmentally friendly seating, Lone Meadow and the challenges of being one of the few sustainable designers in this field.

The Ferrari Of The Future Drives Through Greener Pastures
Is there a more iconic sports car than a blood red Ferrari? Sure, the Corvette is up there, but to me the Ferrari has always been the epitome of "zoom zoom". It's encouraging, therefore, to hear today that over the next decade, the Ferrari brand will become much more environmentally friendly.

While the company stopped short of announcing an all-electric model, such additions as regenerative breaking, advanced turbocharged engines, massive weight reductions and biofuels are all on the table. Plans are in place to reduce the weight of every car over its predecessor by 300kg. Engines will be downsized, and future Ferraris will be able to use E80 bioethanol fuel. Average CO2 emissions across the product line will be reduced from 400g/km to 250.

Greening the Golden Years: Finally, Some Optimism in a Sea of Pessimism
"Something earth-changing is afoot among civil society, a significant social movement is eluding the radar of mainstream culture." That's the uplifting and optimistic prelude to comments made by environmentalist and author Paul Hawken in his new book Blessed Unrest, and in an article for Orion Magazine. I was inspired by his thoughts, and wanted to share them
Vegan BBQ, Burgers, and Backyard Bites: Fabulous and Flavorful Favorites
In my work as a vegan educator, advocate, and cooking instructor, one of my goals is to take "vegan food" out of the box. There tends to be a notion that “vegan food” exists in a food group separate from “normal food” or reserved only for those who label themselves “vegan.” But the fact is that even non-vegans eat “vegan” food every day — they just don’t call it “vegan.” Plant-based cuisine is simply made up of the foods we already eat and love: vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, beans, seeds, mushrooms, herbs, and spices. When we recognize that “vegan” food is already part of our meals, we take the mystery out of the label.

Plant foods contain all the flavors, textures, and colors that satisfy our palates and our senses. In fact, it is flavor, texture, and familiarity we crave whenever we eat, and all of these elements are found in the rich array of plant foods available to us. The Holy Triumvirate of meat, dairy, and eggs has become so dominant in our daily diets that they have replaced what was once the foundation of the human diet: plant foods. Even when we do eat vegetables, we tend to drown them in fat-laden cheeses, oily butters, and heavy cream sauces – forgetting that the vegetables themselves contain all the flavor we crave.

Weekend Grub: Grilling with Chimney Starters
Summer is here, and for many, that means time to start cooking outdoors. For some, bottled gas (propane, most commonly) is a preferable choice for a number of reasons, while many others prefer to cook over charcoal. I'm not going to get into a long debate about which is the best. It's something like the 'paper-or-plastic' debate. Given some of the issues around the extraction and processing of propane, as well as it's non-renewability compared to wood charcoal, I think that it's possible to make the case either way.

Has Vanity Fair Tainted its Well-Intentioned Africa Issue?
Vanity Fair’s July issue is devoted to raising awareness in Africa. Guest edited by Bono, the magazine has 20 different covers featuring celebrities and cultural figures like Brad Pitt, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Oprah and President Bush involved in a game of telephone.

The magazine has been debated because it naturally raises the question of whether the use of celebrities in social campaigns raises awareness or trivializes the issue. Some see it as a positive step – some awareness is better than nothing while others are less optimistic. I personally tend to fall into the former camp. Bono has clearly made the business decision of using celebrities to sell the magazine, but he has also equally given attention to both creating awareness about issues afflicting Africa like AIDs and civil war while celebrating and focusing on progress.

PETA is now using a "sex sells" teqniuque for their new campaign, “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur.” Using deliciously seductive models to bear all for animal rights is an excellent ploy. You’ll see Playboy model Holly Madison, star of The Girls Next Door, shed her bunny ears for PETA. I think the campaign is great, but I like a more believable character. Playmates are naked; it’s their job to be naked… it will be a convincing ad when the likes of Hilary Clinton bears all for animal rights. Maybe not.

On the other side, Jennifer Lopez has a definite reason to fear fur. It’s been reported she received threatening letters from a particular violent group. The sender promises “…to kill her in public, just like the slaughtered animals whose fur she wears.” Time to fake it J-lo. Everyone does it.

The Jolie-Pitt super couple once again proved their generosity this week by donating $1million dollars to Darfur relief groups. From the article:

"The donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation will go to three agencies playing key roles in Darfur and neighbouring Chad: the UN refugee agency; the International Rescue Committee and the international non-governmental organization, SOS Children's Villages," UNHCR said in a press release issued on Thursday.

All three agencies are active in providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to the more than 2 million people displaced within Darfur and the 240,000 refugees from Darfur living in camps in eastern Chad.

In New York, George Rupp, president of the International Rescue Committee, said, "This donation will make a real difference in the lives of thousands of vulnerable people. We are grateful to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for remembering them."

Brad Pitt is also in the news for launching the construction of the first eco-home in the 9th ward. Global Green announced that the Home Depot Foundation is a major contributor to the project, valued at between $7 million and $9 million.

“Pitt spent $100,000 last summer to fund a design competition for an energy-efficient cluster of five houses, 18 apartments and a community center slated to be built in the Holy Cross neighborhood near the Mississippi River levee. On the first anniversary of Katrina, architects Andrew Kotchen and Matthew Berman of New York City were chosen to plan the development.”

Celebrities are once again proving their social worth, from bearing it all to giving away their paychecks.

Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Leonardo DiCaprio made it to People’s 100 Most Beautiful list, in the section for “More than Just Look Good, They do Good.” Julia Roberts got top spot for most beautiful environmentalist, “Getting the nation’s 500,000 school buses to switch from fossil fuels to cleaner-burning biodiesel fules, which are refined from vegetable oils.” Leo while oh so hot, is also at the top spot for global warming, “I hope more people will get involved in the fight to protect this planet for future generations.”

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! ; )

I have to admit, there's nothing like a delicious and nutritious organic meal. I feel superhuman after, as if my brain works better and my body royally thanks me with a surreal glow. However, the first few bites of a McDonald's cheeseburger is beyond mouthwatering and utterly satisfying.

Sure I may feel ill the second I've finished, but whether you're hung-over after a night of organic red wine, or simply want the toy in the Happy Meal – a little McyD’s never hurt.

They must put some crazy chemicals in their buns, even Angelina Jolie has trouble passing one up. At her Marie Claire photo shoot Angelina was served a luscious organic orgy of a meal, in respect for her environmental awareness – and she didn’t touch it. She sent her assistant across the street for a Big Mac. With all respect to our green ways, I suppose we can give her a break. I oddly respect her for that.

Live Earth ticket prices were released on Ticketmaster, prices range from a mere $53 to an astounding $348, for what appears to be the biggest-party-ever held this July 7th.

"Live Earth will use the global reach of music to engage people on a mass scale to combat our climate crisis. Live Earth will bring together more than 150 of the world's top musicians for 24-hours of music from 7 concerts across all 7 continents. Live Earth will bring together an audience of more than 2 billion at the concerts and through television, radio, film, and the Internet…led by Vice President Al Gore. Kevin Wall, Worldwide Executive Producer of Live 8, is producing Live Earth."

Check out the list rocking out in London:

BEASTIE BOYS, BLACK EYED PEAS, BLOC PARTY, CORINNE BAILEY RAE, DAMIEN RICE, DAVID GRAY, DURAN DURAN, FOO FIGHTERS, GENESIS, JAMES BLUNT, JOHN LEGEND, KEANE, MADONNA, PAOLO NUTINI, RAZORLIGHT, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SNOW PATROL.

Queen Elizabeth II is ordering an environmental, first-ever audit of carbon emissions from her three official residences. According to the article: Green measures already taken by the palace include converting all vehicles of state used by the Queen - plus a London taxi driven by her husband Prince Philip - to run on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). However, this is the first time an official environmental audit has taken place. The results will not be made public.

Orlando Bloom is featured on the cover of Elle's May “green issue” and he had some very refreshing things to say in his interview, aside from women and films. On speaking of his environmental activism, Bloom humbly replies, “I’m really not an expert on environmental matters,” Bloom says. “But I’m very passionate about the environment. And the more I learn about it, the more I realize that there are little things that everyone can do.’ For example, this week governor Arnold Schwarzenegger suggests we bring sexy into Green. "We have to make it mainstream. We have to make it sexy. We have to make it attractive so that everyone wants to participate," I think we all can do that.

"I love taking public transportation when I can and being with people because that's what I do, that's my job. When actors become famous, they become more solitary. But when you start losing touch with people, you lose touch with life." That my friends, is a wonderful statement from celebrity Hilary Swank, and after the devastating flop of The Reaping, she will be hopping on the bus in no time.

That’s cruel, I know, but she’s actually a pretty sweet girl. Swank was pulled over in Malibu this week on the PCH (anyone who has driven on that beautiful span of roadway knows its hard not accelerate). However, Swank got out of the ticket, not because of her celebrity status or a peak of busting cleavage (come on ladies, you’ve done it), but because she was a Good Samaritan. Apparently, the cop saw Swank help a lady with her groceries earlier that day (that lady happened to be the judge of Malibu). Well done, Hilary, well done.

Ecorazzi picked up an inspiring story on Martin Sheen; check out this picture.

Martin Sheen “crossed the line” yesterday when he and 39 other protesters traveled onto a Nevada Nuclear Testing Site near Las Vegas. The group was rallying for nuclear disarmament and peace. Nevada sheriff’s deputies were quick to hand out citations for the trespassing and held the group; including Sheen, for an undisclosed amount of time. Reports say there were 75-150 people present for the protest.

You have to check out this article from the green-friendly site LIME.com. They surveyed readers on ‘celebrities known for their support of healthy, green, and wellness causes, and about those in the public eye who've garnered headlines for their less than healthy lifestyles’:

Oprah is the "Queen of Healthy Living," as she tops the list (at 47%) on the question of which celebs have most helped Americans re-evaluate their own views on the importance of living a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. Lance Armstrong comes in at a healthy second with 37%, and Ozzy Osbourne (8%) and Tyra Banks (8%) are tied at the bottom of the list.

Sadly, 81% feel Britney Spears is the most in need of a life change. Is shaving your head, entering and exiting rehab, stalking your ex husband and swimming in a dream like state of reality really qualifications for this – because than I really need to evaluate my life. And after all — Halle Berry is shaving off her hair, joining the trend for her upcoming movie ‘Nappy Ever After’.

Oh and Madonna uses environmentally-friendly cloth diapers on her babies. I don’t know, I get it, I understand it… I just don’t know how that works. How do you clean them? I think that’s too far. We need biodegradable diapers. Or diapers that disintegrate instantly after usage occurs. Something like that – let’s all work on that for Madonna's sake.

It appears that every magazine is catching on to spreading the green word, from health magazines to fashion. April’s edition of InStyle Magazine has an entire section devoted to how celebrities take on the challenges of being green.

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?

I feel in the last couple months that celebrities have mutated into mean-green-fighting-machines. This mutation, unlike any fad diet every before, is actually taking charge — people are noticing. One particular piece of news this week is an auction being held in April by the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation reported by Ecorazzi.

The auction is for a lunch date with conservationist and legendary actor Harrison Ford. Here's my deal — I think it is wonderful that celebrities are the models, the gift and the prize… I just hope we aren't auctioning off Brad Pitt's body parts for solar panels. Too far? — perhaps. Unrealistic? — perhaps not.

In other news, Leonardo DiCaprio visited Israel for the first time this past week with Israeli model girlfiend Bar Refaeli. (Is she hotter than ex Giselle — I don't think so) Sure there were walks on the beach, romance and violence with the paparazzi – but Leo had enough time to squeeze in talks with the Israeli government. The star was invited to meet with Israeli Vice Premier and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres within hours of arriving in Tel Aviv.

From the article:

An aide to Peres said: "The meeting was pleasant and interesting. Shimon told Leo about his Peace Valley project - a joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian economic development plan - and Leo spoke about '11th Hour' his documentary on the environment."

Just another day in the life of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Want to receive text msgs about the environment from you favorite celebrity – like, Scissor Sisters, Orlando Bloom, The Killers, Flea, Kate Bosworth, Sienna Miller or Leonardo DiCaprio? Check out Global Cool’s MySpace page and you’ll be texting towards a better planet. Sign up to Global Cool’s Phone Cooler service today and every month we will send you two exclusive videos direct to your cell/mobile from a galaxy of stars. And the best bit is, by signing up, you’ll be helping us save the planet. Global Cool is not only backed by the biggest names in entertainment, it's also backed by the biggest brains in environmental science who know that a billion people x a modest reduction of one tonne of CO2 per person = a billion less tonnes of CO2 = a significant slowdown in global warming.

J.K. Rowling is not only making hard core green cash, she’s contributing to the green movement. I can hardly wait for the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, coming out July 21st. I can feel a little bit better about the monstrous 784 pages because of the alliance she’s made with Rainforest Alliance,

Among the details of agreement:

• The paper used will contain "a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer waste (pcw) fiber."
• Nearly two-thirds of the 16,700 tons of paper will be approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international organization with a mission to "promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests."
• A "deluxe" edition of the new book, which has a first printing of 100,000, will be printed on paper that contains "100 percent post-consumer waste fiber."

Also, Julia Roberts is stepping into the limelight with plans to upgrade her 20 million dollar Malibu home with state-of-the-art green gadgets and technology. She also plans to add recycled tile to her bathroom floor. I'm all for these improvements. While everyone can do their part, regardless of financial state, it's cool to see what 'no budget' can do to produce a stylish and eco-friendly home.

I’m not a vegetarian. I happen to love meat; I even dated a guy for his selection of beef until he caught on. Tonight, I was thinking of making juicy pork tenderloin, of course that was before I checked out the gossip for this week over at Ecorazzi. A cute little post, by my brother, Mike d’Estries spoke of the SaveBabe initiative out of Australia. Celebrities, including James Cromwell and Jessica Napier support the project. On the site, they seek individuals, “committing not to eat factory-farmed pork, bacon or ham – or by resolving not to eat these sensitive, intelligent animals at all - you will be lodging your vote against the cruelty of factory-farming. By leaving pork products on supermarket shelves, you will empower our call for change.” After I browsed the website, my taste-buds and heart rejected tonight’s dinner plans. Thanks Mike.

Sir Philip Green is a British billionaire businessman who owns some of the United Kingdom's largest retailers and also happens to be their 4th richest man decided to throw himself and a birthday bash with 100 of his closet celebrity friends, the likes of Simon Cowell and Kate Moss will be in attendance. He’s flying everyone out to the Soneva Fushi Spa, a community offering ‘Intelligent Luxury’ and an eco-experience on this private island in the Maldives, complete with treehouses. It sounds incredible and beautiful, but his latest extravaganza will leave a heavy carbon footprint; each of his guests will generate 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide on their 17,000km round trip. Or he could invite all his friends, drink loads of wine and pretend they're far away. Come on Sir “Green”!

Also, Ecorazzi ran a story this past week about M. Night Shyamalan’s new flick, The Happening. The New York Times article is picking up on a trend in Hollywood villainy.

From the article:

“The Happening” will not be the only big-budget studio film to test a new kind of villainy, in which the real victim is the environment, and, whatever the plot variations, the enemy is all of us. Beginning this summer and for months after, movies as diverse as the “The Simpsons Movie,” “Transformers,” a remake of “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” and James Cameron’s “Avatar” will take on environmental themes.

Everyday people play the real monsters — not being eco-friendly will be the equivalent of the modern day slasher movie. It’s up to you if you choose to play along. Check in for gossip next week and if you have any ideas for dinner tonight — let me know.

I know there are a few of you out there that are loyal fans of American Idol, whether you admit it or not. Sure I went out last night, that wasn’t me on the edge of my seat with the shocked expression on who was not voted off — Sanjaya? Nevertheless, if you really don’t tune in, then you missed the promo for the Idol Give Back two-part special airing on April 24th and 25th. Simon Cowl and Ryan Seacrest traveled to the impoverished areas of Africa, while Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul toured poverty-stricken areas of the U.S. On these two dates, when the audience places a call for their favorite idol, Ford, Coca-Cola and AT&T will make a donation to the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund for each call made.

Ryan Seacrest, said of his trip, “I thought I was prepared for what I would see in Africa, but the level of poverty was beyond anything I could have imagined. You see it, you smell it, you taste it. However, despite the extreme conditions, you feel an incredible sense of hope from the people … especially the children.” Let’s hope American Idol can make more of a difference, besides our entertainment.

In other news, Leonardo DiCaprio is preparing to set in motion his own documentary on global warming. Currently titled, The 11th Hour, the film seeks to complement Al Gore’s, An Inconvenient Truth, providing solutions and hope to the grim reality of climate change. Hooray!

Also, Guster, is releasing their eco-friendly EP in April, “Satellite.” The EP has 8 songs, featuring a remixed Top 10 Triple A radio single of the same name. Beyond being green, there will be also four new songs on the EP. From the article: “The "Satellite" EP is entirely carbon neutral. The band has purchased renewable energy credits from Native American renewable energy company NativeEnergy to offset the manufacturing process. In addition, the packaging has been printed using soy inks on paper certified as sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council.”

And last but not least, Kanye West was craving Indian food the other day. Apparently so badly, he had take-out and the head chef of the restaurant shipped from Wales to the United States. Eco-friendly — I think not. Pricey — absolutely. Kanye spent $3900 on his extravagant meal for seven people. I’m sure the local place would have been just fine. Can you really mess up Indian food?