Last Wednesday, we celebrated with Adrian Grenier and his family at , Hollywood’s last-standing Victorian house built in 1903 that has been restored into a restaurant and lounge. The fam, along with cast and crew from Entourage, got together after an industry premiere of his documentary , which airs on HBO June 3rd at 10:30.
The film is about Adrian’s quest to find his estranged father when he was 22.
He took a camera and a couple of friends, went on the road interviewing family and strangers across states on his way to “bum-rush” his dad’s place. It took him two weeks to film and seven years to edit this very personal and raw footage about Adrian’s exploration of identity.
And don’t we LOVE Adrian’s identity… he took the time to talk about how the family unit can be strengthened as they make responsible and fun decisions together that serve the environment.
Adrian told us about how he celebrated by having an intimate candle-lit dinner amongst friends. “When you take yourself out of all the stimulation produced by electricity, you really have an opportunity to participate on a fundamental, family level.”
His contemporary understanding of the family unit and environmental living has led to a few deals (one from the ) for a TV series, tentatively titled The Green Life.
Green experts in different fields will go out and help single home families, small businesses, college dorms, and film/tv sets green their living spaces. Director , who is helping him build the production, said “We’ve unpacked the homemaker…anywhere that you spend more than 12 hours a day, like a tv set or your office can be considered home.”
If home is where the green heart is – Adrian, you’re welcome at our place anytime!
Always listen to your mother, Gavin Fox of Vega4 told us as we interviewed the band at this year s Earthfest concert in Boston. This coming from the band who s lead singer, Johnny McDaid, climbed the metal scaffolding on the JumboTron to close out their amazing opening set!
This up-and-coming foursome are fantastically funny, mildly irreverent, and humble gentlemen as well. Did I mention they re also very environmentally conscious blokes?
During our interview, Johnny McDaid told us about his plans to work closely with his record label, SonyBMG, to reduce packaging waste with their record.
We also learned that the video contest for the song Life is Beautiful on is coming to a close today. Yes, that s right folks TODAY.
The members of Vega4 are asking all of you with a camera to get out there and film an earth conscious music video for their latest single, Life is Beautiful.
The lucky winner of this contest will win two free tickes to the concert later this summer. If Live Earth is half as fun as Earthfest, I m so there!
-- end META --> Wow, that was fast. Memorial Day seemed to just fly by this year! But before we pack up our picnic, we ve got one last fish to fry: , my friends.
We ve been talking about Earthfest quite a bit lately , and for good reason. The line-up was AMAZING: The John Butler Trio, Vega4, Mat Kierney, Guster, KT Tunstall and Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. The weather couldn t have been nicer too.
You could smell the environmental awareness in the air and Boston s is spring simply cannot be beat!
A few of us from ecorazzi (Nina and I) and our friends (Gabe, Frank, and Julia) got the chance to spend the afternoon at Earthfest on Saturday.
Nina and Frank captured some amazing photographs, Gabe shot some amazing video, Julia interviewed some super cool eco-friendly people, and after hearing The John Butler Trio s ghostly-instrumental jam, , I was immediately their biggest fan.
Backstage, we got to watch a number of bands giving live radio interviews, and we were able to catch up with Vega4, Adam Gardner from Guster, and Lauren Sullivan, Director and Co-Founder of . We have some amazing video of our day, and that ll be coming at you all very soon.
Stay tuned!
Saturday was a gloriously sunny day in Boston and a perfect one for celebrating our planet. KT Tunstall, among many other talented artists such as Vega4, Grace Potter, John Butler Trio, Mat Kearney, Tim Finn and Guster, rocked out by the esplanade in Boston s Hatch Shell for WBOS 14th Annual Earthfest.
With over 100,000 attendees, the artists showed their various commitments to environmental issues by sharing their thoughts and eco-tips in-between playing their hit songs. KT Tunstall remarked: We just need to use less stuff. Only buy what you need.
She also dedicated her song Under the Weather to the earth and shouted out into the crowd: Show it some respect!
In a backstage interview, Tunstall also expressed appreciation for Earthfest s deliberate efforts to be an environmentally friendly event, which included a recycling squad, biodegradable plates, and utensils in the VIP tent, and eco-tips posted all over the esplanade, which were sponsored by Whole Foods. She said: This festival really sets a precedent.
It s fantastic. This is the way all festivals should be.
Tunstall s new album will be coming out in September and it s one I am dying to hear.
I ll buy it for the sole purpose that KT s tour bus runs on bio-diesel. Plus rumor has it, it s a fabulous album. You gotta love green rocker chicks!
Browne stressed the importance of “the environment and the things that we all share together in our lives” to create music and art, in general. He is a collector of Gibson’s line of guitars that are made out of responsibly harvested woods, and has played them at benefits put on by the Gibson Foundation, which also supports the and the .
Cars that run on alternative fuels are also big on the environmental agenda for Browne. He used to ride around in a Chevy Chevelle muscle car that is powered by propane fuel. “Propane produces a tenth of the emissions than regular gas; but it’s still a fossil fuel, so I stopped (driving them)” He now drives a hybrid and can’t wait for the day that an electric car can get him out to his farm that is 125 miles outside of LA.
In collaboration with , Environmental Motors committed to planting 25 trees if anyone test drove their cars and to planting 100 trees upon purchase of an electric vehicle. Other green sponsors at the event included Whole Foods, Steaz, Veev Vodka, Aquarius Water and Cell-nique Super Green Drink.
Truly a motivator and influencer of a balanced political and environmentally conscious world through his music and presence, we’re glad that Jackson Browne continues to rock the planet.
Ecorazzi recently had the chance to talk with Adam Gardner of the band Guster and co-founder of Reverb with his wife Lauren Sullivan.
You can see and some other incredible bands at this year s in Boston on Saturday, May 26. There s no excuse - it s free - and sounds incredible!
Adam Lauren live in a small condo in downtown Portland, Maine.
The location allows them to walk most everywhere - that is, when Guster or Reverb aren t on tour. In fact, Lauren Adam even got others in the building to agree to composting. But they are doing more than just greening their personal lives - they are helping the entire music industry get on the bandwagon.
It s not that the music industry and musicians haven t wanted to be environmentally friendly, There is a lot of intention there, said Gardner, There is just a lack of resources and knowledge. That’s where Reverb can come in and help. Reverb will sit down with an artist and lay out all of their options.
He explains that it s not all or nothing and tells the musicians, What do you want to do? You wanna do some, you wanna do all? You wanna order a la carte from the menu?
Or you can do a combo meal, what would you like?
And as time goes on, it is becoming easier for musicians to go green. Guster used to have to fight with their label to get eco-friendly packaging for their music.
Now, Adam tells us, it s a different story, We’ve been on this label for a bunch of years now and every time we put out a record I remember having that conversation. What are we doing about the paper, can we use soy inks? Well you can, but it will cost more .
Now, again, when this record came out last year, I was all ready to get in my fighting position with my product manager about eco-friendly paper and he was all ready to get into it to. We were in our crouching positions ready to fight and then he said, Well, let me find out the cost differences again. Then he came back and said, You know what?
, all paper will be eco-friendly. In fact, Warner Music Group even made Guster s entire back catalog carbon neutral.
I commented to Adam that what I like about Reverb is that they are actually greening musicians their tours - biodiesel buses, energy efficiency, education - as well as using offsets to make the remainder carbon neutral, which are controversial, I said, depending on who you talk to.
That got him fired up
Read on to find out what Adam Gardner thinks of carbon offsets, how Reverb is making going green sexier, who s huffing on exhaust pipes, and which Guster band member is crazy for composting.
You can say that has had a pretty busy past couple of years. From launching two new books to appearing on television and radio shows to co-guest editor of Elle Magazine s 2007 annual Green issue. He even recently gave the commencement address at Berkeley University in California.
Indeed, Seo s expertise on modern green living has created a perfect storm of opportunities for the 30 year old.
Ecorazzi recently talked with Seo about his latest projects, his involvement with Hollywood s green and famous, and why Paris Hilton may have saved millions of seals.
E: You re everywhere lately!
How does it feel to have made it into the public spotlight?
DS: Oh gosh, what an unusual thing to think about. It has never really been my goal to be a known person; it has always been my goal to continue to teach people how to live a greener, more stylish life.
I’ve been working as an environmentalist ever since I was the age of 12. On my 12th birthday (the same day as Earth Day!), I started an environmental group with a few friends and $23.
When I was 18, I was leading the country’s largest eco-group for young people. It wasn’t until I got a chance to write a book for Random House about my experiences in running an activist group, did the whole green lifestyle idea organically come into my life. My first home, in Washington DC, was all decorated using recycled and found objects.
I sourced organic and artisan food before there was a Whole Foods. I threw parties using inventive and resourceful ideas.
It was just over time, I thought other people might like to know some of the useful tips, ideas and solutions I’ve tested and come up with over the years.
My own home and life is a big laboratory to test new projects, recipes, and techniques and then I present the best of the best to people through out books, TV shows, website, magazine columns and public events. In reality, it’s pretty cool to reach so many people and get feedback from folks saying, ‘I’m going to paint my house this way!’ That’s really the best reward.
Click more below for the full interview!
He also happens to be notoriously press-shy. Razzi was there on the red carpet to try and catch him but like the fish that got away, he slipped by with a sparkle and a swish. Let me just say, the air around this man is electric!
Then he smiled like a Cheshire Cat for my camera.
Even though the of the Festival is over, I m happy to hear encouragement when I tell folks, I write for an environmental blog. After all, we re not in it for the opening night gala glory.
We re in it for the long haul. And it s good to let guys like Adrian and Leo know that we care more about what they do for this world than who they re dating. (Unless you re me.
Because I do care about that, too, a little.)
There wasn t a dry eye in the Disney Hall of Music last night when American Idol turned their spotlight on extreme poverty. Bleeding heart celebs including Bono, Ben Stiller, and Gwyneth Paltrow made appearances on the show in an effort to raise money for poverty stricken areas in both Africa and America.
Between montages of Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest in Africa, and jaw dropping performances by Annie Lennox, Kelly Clarkson, and the African Children s Choir, the modern day telethon was a huge success. is sure to raise $50 million plus for extreme poverty. The number of course, is incredible, but I also applaud the show for getting these issues to the masses in a way only pop media can.
Ellen Degeneres, who co-hosted the event, did an incredible job getting Americans to dig deep into their pockets. The comedian was visibly emotional throughout the evening and ended up donating $100,000 out of her own pocket!
At the after party, the recently voted off Sanjaya and I chatted about celebrity influence.
Says Sanjaya, I think it s ridiculous when people of power don t give back. In the future he hopes to raise awareness on poverty issues in India and China. On going green, Sanjaya mentioned that he was looking into getting a hybrid, but his busy life has left him little chance to get a drivers license the kid completely won my heart when he told me, It makes me cry when people cut down trees.
The opened last night with a short-film program dedicated to global warming. SOS (Save Our Selves), the campaign behind the concerts, sponsored seven eco-themed films. The Festival was founded by Robert DeNiro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff to revitalize Lower Manhattan after 9-11, and I think it s great to see that the Festival is forward-thinking with the global warming movement.
Ecorazzi got a spot on the red carpet for the much-anticipated Opening Gala.
Bobby DeNiro, in his trademark fashion, breezed right by the press, looking amazing! (I love him). Also snubbing interviews were Adrian Grenier, Chris Cooper, Jimmy Fallon (cute!
), Petra Nemcova, Christie Brinkley, Josh Lucas, Freddy Rodriguez, Diego Luna, Damon Dash, a dashing Tom Brokaw and the magnificent Martin Scorsese. (Obviously I have a crush on most of these people.)
Green beauty chatted up the press, explaining that even though thinking about the global warming crisis can be overwhelming, she tries to help by making little changes in her life.
Edie Falco, most stumping for , also made her presence known as a supporter of the SOS program.
I think that if [global warming awareness] could actually take over the way the way that trucker hats did two years ago, then that would be great! Trendy is only as valuable as the thing that becomes trendy.
If something as beneficial as this could become trendy somehow, then we d be in good shape. Well put, Jesse. P.
S. You re cute.
Jon Bon Jovi arrived in amidst a flurry of excitement, and while he declined to talk to the press on the red carpet, he performed three songs at the end of the film program.
He shared his thoughts on stage: I m up here as a father, a husband, and as a citizen of this country and the world. 
Al Gore introduced him by saying that Bon Jovi was the first musician to sign up for the Live Earth U.S.
concert! Bon Jovi sang a really (surprisingly) pretty acoustic version of Livin on a Prayer, and it made me choke up a little.
As the host of the evening, Vice President Gore pointed to the arts as a way to challenge our moral imaginations, beyond the scientific facts: We have the capacity to feel what is true.
We need to call upon the creativity of the artists of SOS and Live Earth.
And the film program? I think that there s no way around being a bit heavy-handed with a theme like global warming.
The films were beautifully shot, but nearly all of them relied on images set to music, interspersed with text giving us all the grim statistics. Sunny Day showed peaceful, serene shots of clothes drying on a line, juxtaposed with loud, crazed industrial shots of clothes dryers whirring. Another film showed peaceful, serene shots of people riding bikes, juxtaposed with loud, crazed industrial shots of cars driving.
Et cetera!
The gem of the evening was a film showing Spinal Tap s efforts to for the London Live Earth concert. The film followed Rob Reiner s character, Marty Debergi, contacting each member of the group.
As singer David St. Hubbins (played by Michael McKean) says, I ve always been against devastation so Count him in! Turns out Rob Reiner has been involved with the for over 20 years!
It was refreshing to see some humor mixed in with earnest efforts to affect positive change
All the while I thought of Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro sitting in the auditorium, and what they must think of the SOS films. I hope eco-films will become more diverse and interesting as the environment becomes as ubiquitous a movie theme as love and war. If anyone can achieve this, I bet !
The Tribeca Film Festival is a sprawling event, with more information than this blogger can possibly convey. To learn about all the events and read up on the films, be sure to visit their .
Have you ever attempted to see how far you could coast your car without using any fuel? Right after Hurricane Katrina struck and gas prices went out of this world, I was playing with every trick to give my standard the most mileage.
The last thing I wanted to do was go near a gas station. Now imagine trying to do that for 8 months. While circling the United States.
And the vehicle you start with will not be the same one you return in. Such was the adventure of Shaun Murphy, his dog Sparky, and his brave crew as they traveled America using nothing but alternative fuels. More than 30 vehicles using 12 different green energy sources were used from a Human Powered automobile to a Hummer that runs on doughnuts to a Tzero electric sports car.
This extraordinary feat will be shown as a new series on The Discovery Channel airing tomorrow (Earth Day) called . It follows Shaun as he travels through 30 states and attempts everything in the book (and some not yet written) to return back to where he started using green energy. I recently talked with Shaun about his trip, the future of alternative energy, and why the Porsche sports car has some stiff new competition.
E: How did the show Cool Fuel come to be?
S: I was making a TV show in Australia at the time and I m a horticulturist I ve always known that you can make fuel from plants since about 20 years ago. And with renewable energy bubbling along, I thought, I m going to try to make it from the middle of the Outback to Sydney Harbor without using any petrol.
So I just cobbled together a bunch of people who were on the fringe of renewable vehicles, we grabbed any alternative fuel vehicle we could find, actually made it to Sydney Harbor and ended up making a television show out of it. People thought it was fantastic. The concept caught the eye of a television friend in the U.
S. and me, himself and a Kiwi decided to get together and do this around America. We wanted to make it this huge challenge and turn it into a bunch of television shows and we came over here and, Holy Hell!
, this is where the boom was happening! Click the link below to read more
This post was contributed by Mollie Magill. .
The gloomy clouds that have been looming over New York City broke just in time for the Riverkeeper benefit gala last night at Chelsea Piers, honoring the Hearst Corporation for the eco-friendly design and construction of its new mid-town tower.
Groups of guests moved outdoors to enjoy the sun setting over the Hudson river as they sipped cocktails and awaited the red carpet arrivals – Christy Turlington Burns and Edward Burns, Edie Falco, Gayle King and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
were amongst the stars who showed up to toast the sustainable addition to Manhattan’s skyline.
The site for the gala couldn t have been more perfectly planned – (the Hearst family is a long-time supporter) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect the Hudson River and safeguard the city’s drinking water supply.
The evening’s highlight was a performance by Lenny Kravitz, who rocked out like the star he is to the crowd of actors, models, magazine moguls, philanthropists and eco-enthusiasts.
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