Living With Ed Win Environmental Media Association Award

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:05:47 GMT

We at TreeHugger think HGTV's show 'Living with Ed' has great potential to educate about green lifestyles, and we met up with Ed Begly earlier this year for an interview. This week we were pleased to learn that the show won an Environmental Media Association Award for best Reality Primetime Program. Living with Ed, the series that takes viewers into the lives of six-time Emmy nominated actor and environmentalist, Ed Begley, Jr. and his actress wife, Rachelle Carson took home the Environmental Media Association Award (EMA) on October 24th at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Environment Movement Should Change Their Message, Says Author Chris Turner

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:35:24 GMT

This article in the Star reports how author Chris Turner believes that most of the environment movement has been spreading the wrong message - that of doom and gloom of climate change - and feels it is time for us to shift from despair to dreams... For his latest book, The Geography of Hope: A Tour of the World We Need, Chris Turner spent a year touring the world looking for solutions to the planet's environmental crisis. From the article: "I started off feeling the need to be hopeful,' the Calgary author admits. But, `I feel the depth of my hope deepening ..... I'm finding my expectations exceeded regularly." His new book describes many examples of things being done right, ranging from bio-solar homes in Thailand to a house in New Mexico which is made of recycled beer cans, wine bottles, tires and other materials, self-sufficient in electricity, heat, water, waste treatment and food production.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sitcom '30 Rock' To Go Green

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:32:48 GMT

There certainly seems to be a trend for eco-friendly TV shows; we've seen Leonardo di Caprio's new Green Reality TV show, Richard Branson's planned new green show and now "30 Rock" has decided to go green too. According to this article on Buddy TV, NBC's sitcom 30 Rock will be incorporating some environmentally conscious messages as part of their "Green is Universal" initiative. The comedy series, which will start its eco-friendly episode on November 8, follows the creator's - Tina Fey - character or Liz Lemon, a head writer of a TV program who struggles to keep her show running while also trying to have a social life. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Richard Branson Wants Natalie Imbruglia To Host Green Show

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:26:36 GMT

Virgin Records founder Richard Branson is reportedly hoping to rope in singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia as the host of his new eco-friendly TV series. The British airline and media mogul, who made his green pledge last year under pressure from Al Gore and Ted Turner, wants the singer to front a new show on his Virgin 1 channel. In the show she'll visit the homes of celebrities and blast them for not being more environmentally friendly. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Scene Of Poison Scare

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:58:22 GMT

The area which ITV has marked for the new series of UK hit jungle show I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! has been hit by a poison scare, just three weeks before the series goes on air, the Daily Star reports. Dungay Creek in New South Wales runs through the stars' jungle camp - and has been mysteriously contaminated by a toxic insecticide. The Department of Environment and Climate Change officials have advised people to stay away from the water, and banned fishing and swimming. Although the report says the show will be going ahead as planned, the news means that this year's celebs may have to avoid the water, much to the dismay of ITV bosses as it means the water can't be used for the fabled showers (remember Myleene's white bikini?) or scantily clad dips by female contestants. Oh well, let's hope there is plenty of bug-eating, arguments and other such sophisticated and intellectual entertainment to expect from the show and its -celebrities'. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Natalie Portman Treks To Learn About The Endangered Mountain Gorilla

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:36:11 GMT

Actress Natalie Portman will be trekking deep into Rwanda's rainforest to learn about the endangered Mountain Gorilla for a special Animal Planet documentary "Saving a Species: Gorillas on the Brink." Natalie, who has apparently been involved in environmental causes from a young age (watch a video of her early green days here), will be accompanied by animal expert Jack Hanna to Congo's Virunga National Park, which is along with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda one of the last two refuges of this great ape. According to the African Wildlife Foundation(AWF), the primary threat to mountain gorillas comes from forest clearance and degradation as the region's growing human population struggles to eke out a living, with only about 700 of this most endangered species of gorilla remaining. Other threats include human-induced injuries and illness associated with poaching and war, as well as naturally occurring health problems, says the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

How Green is Hollywood?

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:03:36 GMT

Earlier this month, there was a report in the Telegraph on eco-trendy Hollywood still being a major polluter. The story highlights the business's high energy consumption, despite doing its best to flaunt its green credentials, which range from A-list actors driving hybrid cars to red carpets made from recycled plastic bottles. According to campaigners however, it is all style and no substance as the entertainment industry remains one of the biggest polluters in Southern California. According to a two-year study by the University of California, special effect explosions, vehicles and diesel generators make the film and television production second only to the oil industry in terms of polluting emissions as well as being incredibly resource and energy consuming. Then there's also the waste produced from out-of-use sets.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Kate Humble Supports Endangered Mediterranean Sea Turtles

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:11:18 GMT

Earlier this year, British TV broadcaster Kate Humble teamed up with the Travel Foundation and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) to urge UK tour operator representatives to encourage turtle-friendly tourist behaviour at Mediterranean holiday destinations. The two charities launch a short animated film called Turtles in Trouble, narrated by the BBC Springwatch presenter, which explains how UK tour operator practice can make a positive difference to the conservation of endangered loggerhead and green turtles during the summer holiday season at destinations in Greece, Crete and Turkey. The light-hearted animation appears to have a very serious message - tour operators have a key role to play in the protection of endangered Mediterranean marine turtle populations. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:01:04 GMT

Chris Paine's movie "Who Killed the Electric Car" is one of the latest DVD releases in a wave of documentaries on environmental issues, following "the 11th hour" and Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth". The film, which has been described in the New York Times as a murder mystery and a call to arms, makes use of the voices of Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson, who were both electric car drivers themselves. Paine's film (read some quotes by Paine on Treehugger) investigates the events leading to the quiet destruction of thousands of new, radically efficient electric vehicles. Through interviews and narrative, the film paints a picture of an industrial culture whose aversion to change and reliance on oil may be deeper then its ability to embrace ready solutions. Chris Paine's documentary feature film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 and has won many nominations and awards, including being nominated by the Writer's Guild for Best Documentary of 2006, nominations from The Broadcast Critics Awards and The Environmental Media Awards for Best Documentary of 2006. Its critical acclaim, subject and good reviews have certainly tantalised our 'green curiosity' and we would be very interested to find out what you thought of it if you've seen the film... or find out here how to get hold of a copy of your own.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Fashionable Exotic Skins Threaten Species

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:12:46 GMT

This article in the Telegraph reports that the fashion for snake skins is leading to a decline in several species of large reptiles. Snakeskins used in shoes and accessories were a big feature of London Fashion week, with Jimmy Choo and other top designers incorporating it into their work. Animal skins have been recently used in shoes and accessories by fashion labels including Jimmy Choo, Donna Karan, Mulberry, Gucci, Prada, Roberto Cavalli and Yves Saint Laurent. Celebrities such as Kylie Minogue, who was recently spotted with a python skin Zagliani handbag, Eva Longoria and Sienna Miller, often seen in her favourite Devi Kroell snakeskin boots, have also been fuelling this trend, which is not only cruel and unregulated but is according to campaigners also speeding up the extinction of certain species.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Mel Gibson Supports Rubber Recycling

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:39:18 GMT

Mel Gibson is not our favorite celebrity [hard to think of a celeb we liked less. -Ed.], but his latest venture gets our thumbs up. He has been roped in to back Green Rubber Global, a rubber recycling company which aims to use environmentally friendly technology to change old tyres into recycled rubber which can be re-used. If they're not being recycled, old rubber tyres are often incinerated, emitting large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, or end up in land-fill - neither of which are particularly sustainable solutions. Mel Gibson is claimed to be a minor investor in Green Rubber, but he is also expected to unveil plans to list the company on the London stock-market alongside the group chief executive and Malaysia's 16th richest man, Vinod Sekhar. We have seen how recycled rubber can be used for all sorts of things ranging from anything like bags and yoga mats to pavers and flooring, which further reduces the need for PVC, cement, hardwood flooring and other raw materials. It looks like Mad Max's days of burning rubber may be numbered...... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TreeHugger Welcomes Iris Coates

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:11:25 GMT

Iris Coates-Knoop - conservationist and freelance writer. I have worked in the environmental field for over 7 years carrying out various positions ranging from working in sea turtle conservation, on an organic farm, marine mammal rescue and responsible travel. I have completed an Environmental Studies degree at the Open University and did a feature writing course at the London School of Journalism. I regularly write about ethical travel related dilemmas.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Iris Coates, UK