Eco Designer Leanne Marshall Wins Project Runway

You wouldn’t know it from watching the show (they haven’t said a word!) but Project Runway’s newly crowned winner, Leanne Marshall, is an eco-fashion designer, using mostly sustainable fabrics throughout her collection.  In fact, the Portland, Oregon native used eco-friendly fabrics for half of the creations in her final runway show.

As winner, Leanne received a $100,000 cash prize, a new Saturn hybrid, a spread in Elle Magazine, a year’s professional representation and plenty of industry exposure.

Ecorazzi reports that this isn’t the first time Project Runway has featured green fashion.  Earlier this year, Natalie Portman – actress and designer of a line of eco-friendly shoes – judged a special competition where designers had to use all eco-materials.

Congratulations to Leanne, and we hope to see lots of sustainable designs from her in the future!

Link [Ecorazzi]

Vegetarian Paul McCartney’s Image Used by McDonald’s to Sell Hamburgers

Famed vegetarian, musician Paul McCartney, is less than pleased with McDonald’s after the meat-pushing fast food chain used his image in their Liverpool location.  Okay, so ‘less than pleased’ isn’t quite accurate: more like really, really pissed.  McCartney is a longtime vegetarian who has appeared in a slew of PETA ads and has worked for decades to educate people about the cruelty that food animals suffer.  So, naturally, he’s asking his fans to boycott McDonald’s.

From Ecorazzi:

A McDonald’s spokeswoman says the picture was to “acknowledge the outstanding contribution the Beatles made to both local and global culture”. But Paul’s spokesman Geoff Baker wants to know, “What sort of morons do McDonald’s think Beatles fans are? It’s ridiculous and insulting to use images to peddle hamburgers. Fans should boycott McDonald’s – and not just in Liverpool.”

What, did McDonald’s really think that was going to slide – especially in Paul’s hometown? Of course he’s mad.  Beatles fans might be all kinds of crazy, but most of them probably aren’t going to run out to McDonald’s and start buying hamburgers just because his photo is in the window.  Or are they? Hey, weirdo with the house full of Paul McCartney cardboard cutouts – I’m talking to you.

Link [Ecorazzi]

Who’s Who in Green: Michael d’Estries

How do you get people inspired to act on behalf of the environment in this superficial, celebrity-obsessed world? Highlight when celebs do good things for the planet, of course – which is exactly what Michael d’Estries set out to do when co-founding Ecorazzi.com, one of the web’s most popular green blogs.

Michael was first inspired to become active in the green movement when he moved to Ithaca, New York in 2004. The city’s passion and drive for environmentalism motivated him to look deeper into green issues, but Michael was frustrated by the lack of good info online. That’s what spurred him to become one of the best-known and most prolific writers and editors in the green blogosphere.

In 2006, Michael founded Ecorazzi along with Rebecca Carter. The popular site is now the go-to source for all things celebrity-related in the green world, as they highlight all of the things that famous folks are doing to highlight and educate on environmental issues. They also catch stars in the act of committing eco-sins, like consuming vast quantities of water in their homes or driving gas-guzzling SUVs. Ecorazzi, the only website of its kind, was named 2007’s Blog of the Year by VegNews, and was also named among the Top 50 Eco Blogs by the Times Online.

One of the coolest things about Ecorazzi is how connected they are across the globe. With correspondents in places like New York, LA, Seattle, Miami and the UK, they’re able to cover events in-person wherever they happen, whether it’s a celebrity gala in Manhattan or an animal rescue fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion. Plus, we’ll be seeing a lot more Ecorazzi web videos in the future!

Check out the Ecorazzi video below of Tracy Metro covering the green carpet at the 12th annual Global Green Millenium Awards.

Michael is also founder and co-editor of Groovy Green, as well as Worst Cook Ever. He lends his editing talents to Ecotality Life as well, and is a frequent guest on Josh Dorfman’s satellite radio program, The Lazy Environmentalist.

In an interview with Brand Republic, Michael discussed Ecorazzi’s success and where he predicts the environmental movement is headed.

Thanks to social aggregators like Digg and StumbleUpon, d’Estries says the sites’ content “catches the eyes of people who would never have gone [there]. People can offer fresh perspectives… We’re not just preaching to the choir.”

D’Estries is thrilled with the current level of environmental awareness and mainstream-media dialogue, including special green issues, but predicts, “Like all good trends, it will eventually calm down and just become a part of life.

“Just every month will deal with sustainability, no one will even notice,” he adds. “That’s the best thing I can hope for.”

With many fresh new ideas and projects in the works, Michael’s star will undoubtedly continue to rise in the years to come – we’re sure that his green score is going to go through the roof!

Michael d’Estries’ Green Score: 11,187

Jessica Simpson Gets PETA Smackdown for ‘Real Girls Eat Meat’ T-Shirt

Jessica Simpson is an easy target: she knowingly marketed herself as a dumbass. Therefore, the gloves are off when she does breathtakingly stupid things like wear a t-shirt that says ‘Real Girls Eat Meat’. With sagging album sales and straight-to-DVD films, Jessica doesn’t have much room to alienate people, and yet she walked out in public like that where she knew paparazzi would be waiting. For the most part, vegetarians aren’t likely to be offended, since she’s hardly worth the publicity it would give her. PETA, however, can never resist an opportunity to bash a celeb that promotes the slaughter of animals.

Ecorazzi has it:

On Saturday Ecorazzi told you that Jessica Simpson was seen at the LAX airport wearing a shirt that read “Real Girls Eat Meat.” In the post I predicted that “you just know PETA’s gonna spit when they see this.” Well PETA is spitting alright…spitting a whole bunch of plant-based venom.

PETA released a statement saying: ”Jessica Simpson’s meaty wardrobe malfunction makes us thankful that no one is looking to her for food advice. Chicken of the sea anyone? The woman who thought that Buffalo ‘Wings’ came from buffalos would benefit from some good veggie brain food.” Ouch!

All the brain food in the world can’t save this slag. She’s hopeless. Maybe the controversy will get her a tiny section of the cover of a tabloid, though, and that’s probably what she wants.

Link [Ecorazzi]
Photo credit: Just Jared

Holy Oprah! Talk Show Host Goes Vegan

Wow. Just wow. OPRAH, worshipped by millions of American women (and some men, too), has joined Team Vegan. This is huge, y’all. Could veganism get a better spokesmodel? Could anything get a better spokesmodel? I mean, she features a product on her ‘favorite things’ show and packs of rabid Oprah fans raid stores devouring every trace of it.

Ecorazzi’s got the scoop:

After the first day of being vegan she wrote: “So this first day wasn’t hard at all. For breakfast, I had steel-cut oatmeal with fresh blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts and a splash of soy milk and some agave nectar. For lunch, chunky mushroom soup with wild rice and pecans. As a snack, a handful of roasted almonds. And for dinner, a baked potato drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper with a salad of shredded lettuce, cranberries, pine nuts and tiny orange slices with a vinegar and oil dressing.” Delicious!

Now granted as of right now Oprah plans on only doing this for 21 days as part of a cleanse, but I only planned on being vegan for a week and that was 7 years ago. And good news — so far it looks like Oprah has been pretty impressed. She revealed: “Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up—sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. “What’s left?” I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes”

Damn, is this fantastic for animals everywhere. We can only hope that her crazed fans follow suit and at least give it a try. If nothing else, this elevates veganism into the public consciousness in a positive light.

We’ll just have to see if it holds, and undoubtedly vegans worldwide will be watching as well. Woe to Oprah if she tries to pull any veganwashing. Have you ever met a militant vegan? They’re fucking nuts!

Link [Ecorazzi]
Photo credit: Flickr user Willowtree2005

Woody Harrelson’s First Foray into Environmentalism was Saving Ants

Actor Woody Harrelson gets made fun of a lot in the media for being a hippie. And apparently, it all started when he was just a wee boy: he would put himself in a position to get beat up by other kids by defending a pile of ants.

From Ecorazzi:

“It got me into fights. But every day, I would run out just after class and stand there and stop anyone from stepping on the ant bed. I’d stay put until everyone had passed by and then I’d finally go home. I guess you could call that my first activism.” The actor sums it up: “With a name like Woody, I suppose my path was probably already established. It was inevitable that I’d be doing something like this. But people didn’t really give the environmental movement much importance back then. Now it’s a pretty hip thing to be green. But me, I’ve always been kind of a Hollywood hippie.”

Good for Woody. He went from a nerdy ant protecting kid to a crazed serial killer and porn king. No, but seriously, Woody Harrelson is one of those celebrities who really walk the walk. He lives in a solar powered sustainable community in Hawaii, runs his car on biodiesel and is heavily involved in a wide range of environmental and animal rights causes. You can read more about Harrelson’s activism at SFGate.

Link [Ecorazzi]+ [SFGate]
Photo credit: How to Go Further: A Guide to Simple Organic Living

Whaaa? Naomi Campbell Honored for Renewable Energy Activism

April Fool’s Day is long over, so there doesn’t seem to be a good explanation for this. Have we somehow entered an alternate reality in which Paris Hilton is the Secretary of State, Britney Spears has become head of the Midwest Conservative Moms Association and Colin Farrell is a priest? Ecorazzi reports that temperamental British model Naomi Campbell, who’s best known for hurling objects at her assistants, has been given an award for supposed achievements in renewable energy activism.

Ecorazzi has it:

Apparently, a fresh new organization that’s literally nowhere to be found online beyond their website, organized the gala at the United Nations last Friday. Called the International Renewable Energy Organization (IREO), their Diamond Awards for Renewable Energy event was meant as an introduction to the new org and an opportunity to honor those making strides in alternative energy.

Leonardo DiCaprio was listed as an attendee on the invite, but apparently he caught wind of the shady intentions of the honors and jumped ship. Other celebrities like Heidi Klum and Patrick Dempsey did manage to show, but we’re not sure exactly why. Joining Campbell in the honors was Petra Nemcová – but at least this is one famous fashion model that has actually helped address the issue of renewables.

The only thing we can remember Campbell doing is picking up trash as part of her community service (for assaulting an assistant), making plans to develop a casino and hotel on a coastal sanctuary for turtles in Kenya, and wearing animal fur and skins for nearly every photo opportunity. What a brilliant choice!

Seems like IREO is just fishing for publicity by inviting any celebrities that might be likely to show up. Not a great way to start an organization, especially if they want to be taken seriously.

Link [Ecorazzi]

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Isabella Rossellini in a Green Porno? Yep, But it’s Not What You Think

If you’ve got fetishes for voluptuous Italian actresses and – um – animal sex, Isabella Rossellini’s latest project is right up your very weird alley. The renowned beauty has teamed up with the Sundance Channel to produce a series of short films entitled ‘Green Porno’, and sadly for most of her fans it doesn’t involve anything most normal people would find sexy.

Ecorazzi has it:

In Green Porno Rossellini dresses in a series of different costumes and impersonates various small creatures getting their groove on. I know it’s a lot to take in so let’s talk through it for a sec. So picture Rossellini…ok got it? Now picture Rossellini flapping her “wings” in…say a bee costume. Now picture Rossellini flapping her “wings” in a bee costume and mating with a cardboard cut out of another bee while her son and his friends play background male bees in the “hive”. No, I’m serious!

Rossellini isn’t just the star – she conceived, scripted and directed the films as well. She said that she’s always had a big interest in animals and thinks that since people are interested in sex, they’ll be interested in the sex lives of bugs. The films are so tame, according to her, that she feels it’s perfectly okay for her son and his friends to star as some of the bees.

Well, she was in Blue Velvet. Costumed animal sex in a series of films entitled ‘Green Porno’ seems like it could very well have come from the mind of David Lynch, so, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.

Link [Ecorazzi] + [CNN]

Photo credit: Sundance Channel

Following Celebrity Gossip Isn’t a Dirty Secret if You’re Getting it from Ecorazzi.com

I have a dirty little secret (yeah, another one). After hearing a comment by my beloved Tina Fey about the humor on Dlisted.com, I visited and have been hooked ever since. The hilarious and unabashedly offensive commentary can be a refreshing, albeit lowbrow distraction from the gloom and doom of the news that I take in on a daily basis. I must say, though, considering that the posts focus on meaningless celebrity goings-on rather than anything I could call an important issue, it’s not something I can really be proud of reading despite the fantastically funny writing (sorry Michael K).

Ecorazzi.com offers a fabulous alternative for anyone into snarky celebrity news. It focuses on the good habits of celebs rather than their possible STDs, hookups and lawsuits. Read about what celebrities are doing for the environment from driving hybrids to coming out with their own eco-friendly fashion lines, and possibly feel inspired to follow their good habits yourself.

Michael D’Estries, founder of Ecorazzi and an EarthFirst contributor, explains the motivation for running the site:

Celebrity gossip and news is a hot industry in today’s social market. People the world-over are fascinated with their favorite stars: what they are doing, wearing, and driving…and especially who they’re dating. We often overlook, however, how some people are using their fame as a vehicle to highlight and educate on issues important to them.

Ecorazzi exists to help celebrities further their good messages – and to offer the general public a way to follow their favorite celebs and perhaps learn something at the same time. We cover environmental, humanitarian, and animal rights issues as they relate to those in the spotlight. In the spirit of fair play, we’re quick to point how who’s slacking and who’s deserving of recognition.

So if you’re secretly into hearing about what celebs are up to and can’t be seen flipping through a tabloid in the grocery store checkout line, head over to Ecorazzi.com and get your fix, guilt-free.

Link [Ecorazzi] + [Dlisted]

Eco Celebrity Babies: Setting a Good Example with Earth-Friendly Choices

Okay, so the celebrity baby stalking trend is kind of disturbing. Following what adult celebrities do is one thing – it’s human nature, I guess, to follow the example of people in the spotlight, especially those revered as being prettier, richer and more talented than the rest of us. However, their children didn’t ask to be in the public eye and the focus on them, particularly by people who are a little obsessive about it, is just plain creepy.

It’s not all bad, though. Celebs that live a green lifestyle and advocate eco-friendly products and practices in rearing their children set a good example for gossip hounds. Since so many people want to do what they do, seeing them take part in things that are good for the earth is refreshing and positive.

Celebrity gossip sites like Ecorazzi and Celebrity Baby Blog have been highlighting some of the things famous parents are doing to make their children’s lives more earth-friendly. Some of them include a huge increase in the endorsement (or at least acknowledgment) of breastfeeding, babywearing, organic food, cloth diapering, natural toys and choosing organic clothing. Many green baby boutiques have recently gotten a boost from photos taken of celebrities using their goods. It can only be a good thing for the world, as parents mimic the choices of their rich and famous counterparts.

Link [Ecorazzi] + [CBB]

Photo credit: The Little Seed

‘Green’ Celebs Sting & Trudi Admit They’re Not Doing So Great on the Carbon Footprint Front

Environmental experts recently rated Sting’s band, The Police, as the ‘dirtiest in the world’ based on the amount of pollution they generated on their most recent world tour. Yet, Sting and his wife, Trudi Styler, are vocal advocates of awareness about climate change and CO2 emissions. Hypocrites much? Yep, and they admit it, which is the refreshing part. While some celebrities would try to explain it all away, this couple says they know they’re a part of the problem.

Ecorazzi has it:

“Miss Styler tried to shift a little of the blame on to her musician husband, who is 56. ‘When it comes to the carbon footprint, Sting puts his hand up immediately and says ‘I’m a musician and I have a huge carbon-footprint’, she said. She then asked: ‘Are we being hypocritical?’ before seeming to answer the question herself. ‘He has a 750-person crew to bring around the world and it is a difficult challenge. I would like to think that we both work pretty hard for the rights of indigenous people and for the rights of conservation of the Amazon rainforest, but we do need to get around. It’s a difficult one.’”

Styler herself often flies around in private jets and helicopters, and is known for one incident in which she flew a private chef 100 miles just to make her a bowl of pasta.

Michael at Ecorazzi made a good point when he noted that Sting and Trudi would be better off sticking to charitable contributions than preaching about sustainability, since saying one thing and doing another isn’t going to get them any brownie points. My question is, why not cut back? No doubt, with the amount of money these two have, they could afford to make some big changes. While it’s great that they’re willing to admit to their flaws, the pasta incident alone shows they have a long way to go before they could ever be considered ‘green’ role models.

Link [Ecorazzi]

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Gut Buster of the Week: Lindsey Graham Says John McCain Has Done More Than Al Gore for the Environment

 

Michael said it best over at Ecorazzi when he said “Let loose the dogs of absurdity!” upon hearing that Lindsey Graham said that John McCain has done more for the environment than Al Gore. Here’s the exact quote:

“Climate change is the road less traveled but he’s traveled it even more than Al Gore,” Graham said. “Al Gore has talked about it and deserves great recognition but he was around here a long time and never introduced a bill.”

John McCain was given a zero by the League of Conservation Voters, is stupidly pro-war, and is known to be an all around douche nozzle. Al Gore, on the other hand, is our god. He is put above and before all in our pantheon of world savers. As Ecorazzi points out that ThinkProgress points out, Gore was wielding his power in Congress back in the 70s before McCain even ran for office, holding hearings on climate change. He successfully fought off Manbearpig, is raising almost a third of a billion dollars for a global warming ad campaign, and is generally the most recognized ‘”green” person on the planet. I forgive Tipper for her assault on porn and free speech back in the day, but other than that Gore is The Man. The good The Man, not the bad The Man keeping us all down. You know?

Bottom line: John McCain is no friend of the environment, Lindsey Graham is a lying and corrupt blowhard, and the GOP is going to lose by 20 points in November. It’s Obama time baby!

Link [Think Progress] via [Ecorazzi]

Photo: Flickr user Yogi