Greening Paris on Clear Channel Radio

18 December, 2012

Q&A on Wine And Climate Change - Coppola on Donner


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These questions were submitted by reader Sara Coppola to Paige Donner, Founding Editor of the Green Blog Network Local Food And Wine and Producer-Director of the documentary work-in-progress, Wine And Climate Change:



Q: Sara Coppola:  Paige, you're embarking on a new important and insightful project: the “Wine & Climate Change” Documentary; a project that stems from your great interest and involvement in environmental causes and your previous research on issues concerning global agricultural security.
When did you first start to get involved with environmental projects and how?



A: Paige Donner:  My enthusiasm for protecting the environment stems from having grown up on a Pacific Island and in California, alternatively. My brother and I would spend part of the year with my father in California where we would camp, hike, go on vineyard treks in Napa and Santa Barbara where my grandmother lived...and then with my mother in Guam and Hawai'i where we were raised like earth-bound dolphins - when we weren't SCUBA diving we were surfing or swimming or water-skiing. 


Also, I was homeschooled from grades 6-9 so I was able to pursue tailored coursework about the environment and natural landscapes that might not have been available to kids learning from regular school curriculum at that time in the mid-70s.


Then, early on in my career as a journalist, I worked with a morning news producer at KTVU-Oakland. She allowed me to develop and pitch a series of 2-minute segments that we called "Earth News." It never really got off the ground, but it was good training. That was the early 90s. It wasn't until the digital revolution that I was free to report on environmental issues as I wished. So in the 2000s I began writing a column called Greening Hollywood, which married my years spent as an entertainment reporter with my passion for environmental issues.


Q: Sara Coppola: How was the idea of this project born?


A: Paige Donner : I feel I am most naturally expressive as a filmmaker. Since journalism is my professional background and the career I have pursued for 20 years now, a documentary about this compelling subject matter makes perfect sense.


This project in particular is based on the article assignment I did for the International Herald Tribune (the global edition of the N.Y. Times) which published in November 2011.  I pitched an article about this subject to my assigning editor at IHT and he helped me to refine the angle and the approach. This documentary builds upon that one-page article and allows greater in-depth analyses and examination of Wine And Climate Change as well as allowing for the incorporation of up-to-date and newly released climate science reports.



Q: Sara Coppola:  How do you think this documentary will contribute to the vineyards´ environmental problems due to climate change?


A: Paige Donner:  In fact I feel this documentary will contribute to vineyards' coping successfully with challenges that predicted climate change and climate variability in this century are forecasted to manifest.


When we are caught by surprise or unawares, that's when the most damage can take place. When we are prepared, we can adapt beforehand and put in place certain measures to ward off significant impacts.

An example would be Hurricane Sandy (that recently hit NY and the U.S. East Coast). The greater advance warning, the more safety measures can be taken to preserve and protect.

Another example is the case of Phylloxera, a disease that ravaged Europe's vineyards at the beginning of the last century. Had the vineyard owners and managers been forewarned before this disease was imported from America, they may well have been able to take measures to protect against the devastation of their vineyards.

We may have some justification in drawing similar parallels now, though climate change is not a disease but rather a disruption and departure from known climate patterns.

It's also crucial to point out that one of the main points made by some climate scientists is that if and when vineyards are unalterably changed due to climate fluctuation, our other agricultural crops will also be severely impacted. So this documentary is as much about the future of wine vis a vis climate change as it is about the future of global food security.



Q: Sara Coppola: What tangible and realistic steps do you think the global community could undertake to slow down climate change?


A: Paige Donner:  That is a huge question. And it's one I will be tackling in the documentary. It is one of the questions I will be putting to some of the world's leading climate scientists and environmental leaders. Of course, one of the studies I will be examining more closely in the documentary is the newly released report titled, Too Late For 2ÂșC, which more or less states that we are already past the point of no return.




Q: Sara Coppola: Are you carful to (sic) environmental issues in your daily life (e.g. grocery, shopping etc.)? What suggestions can you give to people willing to pursue more conscious shopping habit? (sic)


A: Paige Donner: I've made personal commitments to live a sustainable life all around, practiced on a daily basis. I keep my personal consumption within reason. I use alternative energy sources whenever available. I'm also a fan of electric vehicles. I'm an advocate of local food production/consumption. As for shopping, I personally appreciate the creativity displayed in upcycled fashion and accessories. A Cradle 2 Cradle approach to design and manufacture is something that resonates with me. 


Q: Sara Coppola: Thank you.


A: Paige Donner: My pleasure. Thank you for your interest. 





11 December, 2012

Have A Wild Dynamic Organic Christmas! Holiday Picks - Bubbles, Roses & Geraniums, Smoothment

by Paige Donner
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Dynamic Organic Bubbles
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The holidays just aren't the holidays without a bottle of bubbly!...

Bio-dynamic Champagne is still something of a rarity. I'm talking Champagne Champagne - the real thing, not the fakes and wannabes from regions other than Champagne, France.

Champagne Fleury was the first House in Champagne to convert their vineyards to bio-dynamic viticulture. That was in 1989 and the visionary was Jean-Pierre Fleury.

Fleury Champagne produces about 200,000 bottles of Champagne per year - half is sold domestically and half goes to export. The family owned vineyards are located in the Côte des Bar area of Champagne, France - about 45 k. south of Troyes. 

The taste? Clean, fresh, authentic and dynamically organic!

Roses & Geraniums 

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Delicate and soothing - the newest fragrance combo from NYR (that's Neal's Yard Remedies, natch) is scented as gently as it is formulated. Made with shea and cocoa butters, enhanced with avocado oil, this shower gel and accompanying body lotion make perfect stocking stuffers for that sweet, delicate someone. Scent is from prescious rose otto and geranium flowers. 

Smoothment -  [To Start The Year Off Right!]
Supersmoothie
Timed for launch before the holidays, the 3-Pack of organic smoothie blends is an ideal gift or stocking stuffer for anyone that enjoys delicious gourmet food, or whom may be looking for healthy superfoods to boost a health commitment in the New Year. 

3 Flavors - Antioxidants, Omega-3, Protein  
Our Fave: The rich, chocolaty Protein Smoothie Mixer features three of the most nutrient-dense superfoods in the world (hemp, cacao and maca) and a delicious low-glycemic natural sweetener from Peru (lucuma). This kosher blended powder is a nourishing source of protein and omegas, as well as antioxidants found in the feel-good cacao. Blend this gluten-free Smoothie Mixer with a banana, peanut butter, non-milk of your choice and honey.

Join the Smoothment! Smoothies are an ideal tool to reach a higher level of nutrition and diversity in your diet. That's why Navitas Naturals created the Smoothment – an interactive program that features easy, delicious smoothie recipes. The Smoothment inspires people to add a superfood smoothie into their daily routine in place of a meal or snack.
Exclusively: online at williamssonoma.com.

07 December, 2012

LIFE OF PI by Ang Lee - Paris Screening

Premiere screening of Ang Lee's new film LIFE OF PI on Wednesday, December 5th at the Piscine Pailleron swimming pool, a listed building in Paris.

The immersive experience brought the audience close to Pi's incredible survival story, as they watched the film, in stunning 3D, from life boats. The event was organized in collaboration with the City of Paris.




Images courtesy Twentieth Century Fox


@GreeningParis

29 November, 2012

happy holidays!... and a Wine Tip

A quick note to wish you a Happy Holiday Season... And may I offer a Gift Giving suggestion?
A Contribution to Wine & Climate Change  http://www.indiegogo.com/wineandclimatechange

** UPDATE - Bonus HOLIDAY GIFT PERK ADDED - Wine Vacation For Two Giveaway  Details HERE  


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gets you PERKS  - both large and small -  that make great Holiday Gifts.



Wishing you Joy and Peace this holiday season- 


P.S. Please feel free to share the link with your friends -  http://www.indiegogo.com/wineandclimatechange 

@GreenBlogNetwork


04 November, 2012

Greening Beauty Gift Giving In The Age of Organic

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The challenge of holiday gift giving is a. to be unique and b. to be not so unique that your gifts go unappreciated.

For the ladies (and men!) on your list this holiday season 2012, organic beauty products are some of the best choices because they not only fulfill everyday needs and are useful products that most of us ritually use, they are also the healthier version of those personal care products we tend to use every day.

Marie Veronique Organics falls squarely into this product category of Good For Your Skin and Good For The Planet, Too. Marie Nadeau is a former chemistry teacher based in Berkeley, California who decided to create a simple skin care product line-beauty regime with the help of her physicist daughter, Dr. Jay Nadeau.  As a mature woman going into this business venture, Marie’s emphasis was on anti-aging through the use of intelligent sunscreens and skincare ...”the most important being safe and effective sunscreens made with intelligent ingredients.”

Just what are “intelligent ingredients” you may be wondering?  Well, for the MVOrganics Moisturizing Face Screen / Everyday Sheer Coverage which protects against UVA rays with its non-nano zinc oxide, think red raspberry for healing and moisturizing, sea buckthorn and emu oils for their anti-premature aging reinforcements all topped off with a rich dose of anti-oxidants. 

The sheer tinted coverage comes in SPF30 and SPF20 (with green tea and coffee berry extract) and both are hits over at the EWG. Tip: only those with porcelain skin tones can get away with wearing the Everyday Sheer Coverage SPF30; the SPF20 is good for most other skin tones. In fact, the product offers such complete skin tone even-ing coverage that when it was first marketed as simply a sunscreen, ladies started wearing it out in the evening as a light foundation and loving the matte effect it gives to the facial skin.

Not to miss - and this goes for you guys, as well - are the MVOrganics Anti-Aging mist and Anti-Aging Oil+. The mist is slightly fragrant with hints of geranium essence while the Anti-aging Oil that you gently massage into your neck, chest and face while the skin is still moist contains over 20 different kinds of oils like kiwi seed oil, meadowfoam oil and tamanu oil which results in a soothing essence reminiscent of that last great Swedish massage you had.

Packaging for the products is recyclable and the ingredients are all bio-degradable. “We don’t use toxins, petroleum-based products, nanoparticles, or anything else that’s potentially harmful,” states the founder, Marie Veronique. Check their website for prices and more product information.

15 October, 2012

L'Essence Des Notes Perfume - Paris

by Paige Donner
Some of the freshest scents coming from Paris, France these days are from an artisan "parfumeur" dedicated not just to the clean purity of scents, but also to the clean purity of a perfume's composition. The woman behind the brand is Huong Mangin, a French woman whose family originated from Vietnam. Her perfumes are created in Grasse, the historic "perfume capital" of France, and, arguably, the world.

During the recent Rives de la Beaute' held in Paris this Autumn, much discussion surrounded the topic of "Scent as Art." To elaborate, the discussion's central point is about creating museums of scent, whereby a perfume can be held up, enshrined and admired as the piece of art, and historical reference point, that it is.

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While she was designing her perfumes, Huong Mangin, General Manager of Fragrance et Beaute 

Eco.Luxury.Style Magazine - The Documentary Film Issue - Autumn 2012

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21 September, 2012

Hollande Sets Ambitious CO2 Emissions Reductions Goals For France And EU

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Paris - Francois Hollande, France's President, last Friday (Sept. 14, 2012), announced that under his watch, environmental issues will be placed at the top of the national, and even international, political agenda. His announcement was issued during La Conférence Environnementale, an annual environmental conference held in Paris.

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His most ambitious statement issued is his recommendation to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 and 60% by 2040 at the European Union level. Current EU targets are 20% reduction of 1990 levels by 2020.

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Hollande stated that he would like to see more global dialogue on environmental issues, citing the lack of a renewed agreement on climate goals reached internationally so far makes this an urgent and important matter. The Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of this year so climate talks are expected to once again take priority at the upcoming November Doha COP 18 conference. According to the Paris-based International Energy Agency, CO2 emissions rose by 3.2% last year to 31.6 billion tons, spurred by increases from China.

More initiatives he announced/ launched:

  • New tenders for solar and offshore wind power by end of 2012.
  • Closing of Fessenheim's Nuclear Power Plant by end of 2016.  
  • Rejected applications for shale gas exploration.
  • Cut France's nuclear power from 75% to 50% by 2025.

 

@GreenBlogNetwork

@GreeningParis

06 September, 2012

We Love Lovea!

by Paige Donner

Pomegranate and rice oil? To bring out the shine and preserve the rich color in your color-treated hair? Yes and it's brand new by the French beauty line, Lovea, who specially formulates a complete organic line for us Natural Beauties.

La Grenade - Leave-In Hair Shine Conditioner

Tannins, polyphenols and vitamin C, all nutrients found abundantly in a simple little red pomegranate, work to enhance the health and shine of your colored hair. Spray it on damp or dry, style, leave it in (Yes, don't rinse!) and your hair will have healthy shiny bounce all day long. 


How the spray in color-enhancing conditioner works: the tannins from the pomegranate afix to the keratin of the hair shaft, thus preserving color. The organic rice oil intensely nourishes the hair follicles resulting in healthy, shiny, lustrous hair. And the two combined together make a formidable foe against UV rays which also helps to preserve the soft silky shine of your hair color. It's light enough, too, to use every day. Couple it with the Pomegranate Shampoo, fortified with aloe vera, to boost your beautiful results.

Dead Sea Salt Scrub

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Also new from Lovea Bio is their Dead Sea sourced salt scrub. Crystals of rock salt from this mythic

27 August, 2012

Visit Sunny Chernobyl - book by Andrew Blackwell

Environmental reporter Andrew Blackwell was inspired to write Visit Sunny Chernobyl after realizing he hadn't had much personal contact with Eco Disaster Sites. Before writing the book, he did a sort of Eco Disaster World Tour as research.

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His book is an exploration in contradictions. Such as how is it that a radioactive site like Chernobyl becomes a defacto wildlife refuge/ nature habitat? Read more in this insightful, humorous and also penetrating look at how our Eco Disaster Sites have greater breadth in their identity than simply locations of extreme environmental degradation.

@GreenBlogNetwork

12 July, 2012

22 June, 2012

A-List Celebrities With Green Businesses

by Eliza Morgan

Not all celebrities are about Hollywood glamour, fast cars, and making money only. In fact, some of the most successful celebrities are about quite the opposite: saving the environment. Celebrities who have been in the business for some time are now opting to use their influence to create environmental programs and business solutions. Here is a sampling of some of the world’s most famous people today, working to create a better world for tomorrow through business:


Kevin Costner was the perfect personal defender in Bodyguard, and now he is defending the planet as well. His environmental protection business Ocean Therapy Solutions has spent over fifteen years designing a new centrifuge that can clean up about 2,000 barrels of oil out of seawater every day. After the BP oil spill, the company used Ocean Therapy Solutions to clean much of the coastal spill.


While Cameron may be known for her goofy roles in some of the most beloved modern
comedies, this funny girl sees nothing to joke about when it comes to environmental
preservation. She has recently launched a new show on MTV, Trippin, where she heads around the world to experience first-hand some of the most dire environmental needs.

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09 June, 2012

Cleantech Connect Creates World of Connections


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by Paige Donner

As an exhibitor at this year’s TechConnect Summit, Pixelligent Technologies has found that participating in this annual event has its payoffs. Craig Bandes, CEO of Pixelligent and a presenter at TechConnect Ventures for multiple years, says that, “We started looking for conferences that were focusing on nanotechnology about 3 years ago and TechConnect was the largest gathering of potential partners and vendors that we could find in North America.  We have presented in the Innovation Showcase for the past 2 years and will present again this year.  TechConnect has proven to be our most productive conference of the year.”

28 May, 2012

Cannes Report: Eva Longoria & Denise Rich Hosted Charity Event

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EVA LONGORIA & DENISE RICH HOSTED
CANNES CHARITY EVENT SPONSORED BY FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, THE-SPHERE.COM & RAFFLES MEMBERS CLUB
An Elegant & Star-Studded Evening Benefiting the Eva Longoria Foundation & Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation

Luxury also means having the opportunity to contribute to helping those in need, as has Eva Longoria for many years. We totally share her values and we do everything in our power to support her.”David Manoukian – Founder of The-Sphere.com.

WHERE:         The Lady Joy – Rich’s personal yacht

 Celebrity attendees included: Eva Longoria, Denise Rich, Diddy, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Cavalli, Michelle Rodriguez, Goga Ashkenazi, Fawaz Gruosi, Cassie, Amaury Nolasco, Tara Reid and many more.

21 May, 2012

Sustainable Building Apprenticeship Program For Women


10-Week Women’s Earthbag Dome Building Apprenticeship in Canada 

Lillooet, British Columbia, July 28-October 6, 2012


Kleiwerks International’s Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is hosting a 10-week, hands-on natural building apprenticeship that brings together a group of women apprentices with an experienced team of earthbag builders and native St’at’imc community members. Their project is to construct a Healing & Cultural Arts Centre near Lillooet, BC. This training immersion provides participants with the opportunity to learn construction while building a dome from start to finish, develop leadership skills through facilitating local groups, work side-by-side with a community that is creating culturally appropriate local solutions, and document the story to share with wider audiences.

 

Ideal participants are women who have follow-up projects, intend to share what they learn, want to work in the natural building trades and be part of the growing natural building movement. “This apprenticeship is a unique opportunity for participants to delve into earthbag construction while building the envisioned creative cultural community commons with the people of T’it’qet and Lillooet who are engaged in proactively creating a vibrant future by combining traditional St’at’imc culture and values with refined sustainable and ecological solutions,” says Susannah Tedesco, local Program Coordinator.

 

Today’s building industry uses half of our planet’s resources, yet healthy, time-tested, affordable and soulful construction alternatives exist. These alternatives are based on reclaiming and refining the use of local and recycled materials. Coupled with indigenous knowledge and Permaculture design systems, natural building plays a profound role in creating a way of life that is good for people and the planet. 

 

Instructors Fox McBride and Chloe Wolsey are teaming up for the first time, combining their extensive and global earthbag dome construction backgrounds. WASI Delegate Christine Jack is a Nlaka’pamux First Nations leader who resides in St’atimc Territory near Lillooet, BC. Guest Instructors, The Mudgirls are a network of natural builders from BC. WASI Coordinator, Susannah Tedesco, is devoted to rural grassroots initiatives that empower communities to create viable local living solutions. 

 

Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is an alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world.

 

For details or to apply visit: http://www.kleiwerks.org/wasi-canada-earthbagdome-apprenticeship-2012/. There are 12 seats available. The fee is $3,600, including tuition, meals, lodging and field trips.

Photos:   

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15 May, 2012

Tech Connect World Summit 2012 - Invitation and Discount Code

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Receive 10% off when you register using the code 12GBN10
See Attached Invitation


TCW_CT_DevelopingPartners_GreenBlogNetworkMay.pdf Download this file

29 April, 2012

Premiere of Harmony at Sundance London Inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales


GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST SET TO SHINE IN WORLD PREMIERE
OF HARMONY, INSPIRED BY HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES

Filmed at King Pacific Lodge, environmental film debuts at inaugural
Sundance London Film and Music festival

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NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, April 26, 2012 – Inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles), Harmony, A New Way of Looking at Our World will make its world premiere on April 28th during the inaugural Sundance London Film and Music Festival. Harmony grows out of three decades of work by Prince Charles to find innovative solutions to the global environmental crisis, with the goal of creating a more sustainable, spiritual and harmonious relationship with the planet.
The project, which filmed at King Pacific Lodge, a Rosewood Resort, features environmentalists, entrepreneurs, farmers, as well as business and government leaders who are working collectively to restore the balance between man and nature. While at King Pacific Lodge, producers captured spectacular images of the pristine wilderness along British Columbia’s coastline, and learned more about the lodge’s efforts as a leader in modern conservation and sustainable tourism.
As a floating luxury wilderness lodge operating in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, King Pacific Lodge works hard to seamlessly blend sustainable philosophies and unparalleled luxury travel experiences, believing that fish counts are as important as thread counts. For more than a decade, the lodge has been at the forefront of creating a new model for sustainable tourism, one that embraces a triple bottom-line business philosophy equally concerned for social equity, environmental conservation, and creating both memorable and benevolent travel experiences for guests.
King Pacific Lodge has made great strides in demonstrating this commitment; first by being the initial private tourism operator to forge a working partnership in 2001 with the Gitga’at First Nation in Hartley Bay, thereby recognizing their rights and title to their traditional territory, and by being the first resort in North America to offset its own carbon footprint as well as that of its guests. Additionally, CondĂ© Nast Traveler has rated the lodge as the number one resort in Canada for four consecutive years.
Harmony is produced and directed by Julie Bergman Sender and Stuart Sender, whose work has received Oscar nominations and a Director’s Guild nomination for best documentary feature. To view the trailer for Harmony, A New Way of Looking at Our World, visit www.TheHarmonyMovie.com.



Recycle, Reuse, Rejoice!

19 April, 2012

Think Like A Man Thinks Green

In time for Earth Day 2012, Sony Pictures RELEASES FIRST-EVER INDUSTRY PRODUCTION USING COMPLETELY ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING

Culver City, CA (April 19, 2012) - As an industry leader in environmental innovation, Sony Pictures has long experimented with energy-efficient light sources and technologies for use in its productions. But for the Screen Gems feature Think Like a Man, Sony Pictures took its efforts a step further and reached an industry first by using 100 percent energy-efficient (LED) lighting sources on the production.

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“Sony Pictures is committed to making great content with a smaller and smaller energy footprint, and Think Like A Man is a great example of Screen Gems’ continuing tradition of actively reducing the impact and waste of a major feature film production,” says Gary Martin, President, Production Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Conventional lighting for a motion picture requires a significant amount of energy to run and generates a lot of heat on set. This, in turn, must be cooled using air conditioning, requiring additional control equipment. Compared to a conventional incandescent bulb, however, LED lighting can generate over four times the amount of light with the same amount of energy (over four times the lumens per watt), and is also able to maneuver into tighter spaces and be transported more efficiently.

“Lighting is a crucial component in the visual art of filmmaking and brings to life the emotions of a story. LED and other energy-efficient types of lighting, when designed well, can be more efficient, easier to set up, versatile and longer lasting while still providing the visual aesthetic necessary for film production,” says Glenn Gainor, Senior Vice President, Physical Production, Screen Gems.

“Although not perfect, energy-efficient lighting is making great strides. We were excited to incorporate this industry-first in lighting into our production, and look forward to continuing to work with manufacturers to test and improve the technology,” says Mason McConnell, Executive Director of Set Lighting for Sony Pictures.

In addition to many other efforts, Think Like a Man further greened the filming by shooting the entire production in locations near the studio lot, cutting both transportation requirements as well as the need to construct sets. It also used many environmentally-friendly products and processes in the daily administration of the film.

Twitter @GreeningHollywd

15 April, 2012

Birch Tree Trio Slimming Therapy

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To celebrate the imminent arrival of beach season (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway), Weleda, the beauty company that has always been organic - since 1921! - has launched three new products on the market that, when used together as recommended, work to aid the slimming process.

These Birch Tree based products are to be used in tandem with a healthy exercise regime. Celebrity personal fitness coach Julie Ferrez (clients include French First Lady Carla Bruni and French President Nicolas Sarkozy) recommends a super-effective and not-very-time-consuming training circuit that you can do at home with a balance ball on your floor.

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Ferrez, recently dressed all in Victoria's Secrets Pink workout wear ("I only wear U.S. clothes," confessed this adorable and Top French fitness trainer) led a group of assembled journalists interested in getting back in shape before bikini beachwear season strikes again. 

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First exercise: Start by sitting on the balance ball. (Easy enough, eh?!) Then as you walk your legs forward, the ball will sit on your lower back to mid-back. Your legs are now supporting your lower body. From this position, do as many crunches as you can (watch to not lift your chin too high!). Do at least ten. If you can do 30 or more until your muscles fatigue, that's going to give you the best results the fastest. Do several reps of this.

Second exercise: Stand with the ball between your legs. Squat low enough so that your derriere brushes the ball. Stand up. Repeat. Be sure to keep your posture straight so that you don't put pressure on your lower back, but on your glutes and your thighs. If you do "fall" and land on the (soft) ball, no problem. The muscles that you exercise regaining your balance yield an effective workout, too. 

Have fun! Do as many reps as you can. This workout can be done in about 15-20 minutes, either morning, midday or evening.

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Now for the Birch Tree Slimming Trio from Weleda...

Ferrez stands by Weleda's claims that when used together and in the context of a healthy exercise and diet regime, these will help to eliminate toxins, firm skin and rid body of cellulite and what the French call "orange peel skin."

1. Birch Tree Juice - mix 3 Tablespoons of the juice in a 1.5 liter bottle of water and consume this every day. The Birch Tree Juice helps to eliminate toxins and aids with digestion and purification of the liver.

2. Birch Tree Exfoliating Cream: Use 1 - 2 times per week. This exfoliating cream - made with a base of organic sesame oil, coconut oil, beeswax, apricot kernel oil and more good and organic things - is to be used in the shower to smooth and stimulate the skin and also circulation.

3. Birch Tree Massage Oil: Here is where some self-pampering comes in. After you bathe, apply this oil with deep self-massage (unless, of course, you have a personal masseuse!) by working the oil into the skin. In problem areas (thighs, stomach, underarms) methodically knead the skin, above the muscle, so that the oil deeply penetrates and can aid in circulation and elimination of fat cells. 

Ferrez and Weleda swear that with proper and continued use, you will see a reduction in cellulite over the span of weeks.

Check the Weleda Site for more info. And click on Julie Ferrez to watch her exercise video!

Follow us on Twitter @ GreeningHollywd  and Tumblr!

 

 

 

01 April, 2012

Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide

 

Sustainable Design

A Critical Guide

David Bergman
 
7" x 8.5" / 144 pages / 175 color
$24.95 / paperback

 

The fact that we live in a closed system with limited and dwindling resources is something many of us prefer, or choose, not to think about. But this concept of finite planet should be seen as an opportunity for designers to implement impactful, forward-thinking, and broad-reaching change. In this spirit of “eco-optimism,” Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide navigates the array of issues related to sustainability in clear and helpful terms.

Written for students and professionals, this books presents a concise and well-illustrated overview of the most important techniques available for reducing energy footprints, along with the professional context for their use. In addition to tackling the discipline’s ethical responsibility, each chapter takes on specific considerations such as rainwater harvesting, gray-water recycling, passive heating techniques, green roofs, wind energy, daylighting, indoor air quality, material evaluation, and green building certification programs. Founded in the three Rs of environmentalism—reduce, reuse, and recycle—Sustainable Design encompasses a critical fourth: rethink. 

Chapters:
1. Ecodesign: What and Why 
2. Site Issues 
3. Water Efficiency 
4. Energy Efficiency: Passive Techniques 
5. Energy Efficiency: Active Techniques 
6. Indoor Environmental Quality 
7. Materials 
8. Labels and Ratings: Measuring Ecodesign 
9. The Future of Sustainable Design 

About the author:
David Bergman is a LEED-accredited, New York City-based architect specializing in sustainable design. He teaches at Parsons The New School for Design. 


 

 

30 March, 2012

March 31st 8:30 pm - The Lights Go Off!

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Earth Hour Global Slideshow - Click HERE

More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour last year alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. It also ushered in a new era with members going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty 

Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

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Eco Consulting * Eco Media

 

14 March, 2012

Your Good(-smelling) Deed For Earth Day

Want to get a jump on Earth Day this year? Here's your chance to do something good for the children of Bolivia and Ghana - and smell good doing so!

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For the second year in a row, Armani's Acqua di Gio will give 100 liters of potable water to needy children in Bolivia and Ghana for any perfume sold between March 19 and 25th in the Acqua di Gio line by Alberto Morillas. Here's your chance to try the line's newest fragrance: Essenza.

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All set for perfume at present? Not to worry. Simply by going to the line's FB page, and clicking on "Like," they will sponsor 50liters of potable water for needy children.

11 March, 2012

NU Green – Organic, Co-ed And Just Right For Spring

Green mint leaves; tarragon; white cedar; East Indian white musk… These are the fresh scents in Honore’ des Pres newest scent and it’s just perfect for Spring.

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Designed to be worn by both men and women who each adore organic scents, the Verrine NU Green is shaped like a globe and made out of glass to better preserve the perfume’s scents and its aromatic powers of seduction.

A great little treat to celebrate Springing the clocks Forward this weekend! (In the U.S. anyway… Europe will have to wait just a couple more weeks for its Spring time!)

Available at EcoCentric, 50 ml. 56Euros. Musky, Woody, Fresh Herbal, Green, Spicy.

 

06 March, 2012

BMW ActiveE Electric Vehicle

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BMW will display its first all-electric vehicle, the ActiveE, at the IEEE International Electric Vehicle Conference

The ActiveE is the first one hundred percent electric BMW to be placed in customer hands. With output of 170hp and maximum torque of 184lb-ft from a standstill, the BMW ActiveE accelerates from 0–60mph in under nine seconds. 

Newly developed lithium-ion batteries facilitate a driving range of up to 100 miles on a full charge.

“This presentation shows how BMW has prepared for years to ensure this challenge will eventually become a success story in sustainable mobility,” said Lee Stogner, Chair, IEEE Electric Vehicle Initiative. “Showcasing their new technology and being a part of the inaugural IEVC is a great way to show the world the innovations taking place at BMW.”

The BMW ActiveE is the BMW Group’s second step in the company’s three-phase development plan leading to an emission-free, electric BMW in series production - the BMW i3, which will be released in late 2013.

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02 March, 2012

Academy Awards Red Carpet Inspires Eco-Fashion For Designers And Movie Stars

by Jemima Lopez
[This guest post is by Jemima Lopez. You can read more about her on the website: Zen College Life]

The carpet may have been red at the 84th Academy Awards, but if fashion designers have anything to do with it, future star-stilted award ceremonies will soon be filled with a lot more green in the coming mo
nths— Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent are just some of the few designers who are rumored to have been inspired by the stunning eco-friendly dresses seen at last Sunday's award ceremony.
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Hundreds of professional and aspiring fashion designers submitted gowns made of sustainable products earlier this year to compete in the third annual Red Carpet Green Dress Contest. This contest, which was initiated in 2009 by environmental advocate and wife of Director James Cameron, Suzy Amis Cameron, was created in the hopes of significantly reducing the environmental footprint fashion can have on the planet. Contest winners had the opportunity of seeing their gowns worn by some of the hottest Hollywood stars at the Oscars, including Best Actress winner Meryl Steep, on Feb 26. That said, below are some of the winners as well as the Hollywood stars who rocked the dresses.
 
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Designer: Valentino
Star: Livia Firth
Italian movie producer and environmental advocate Livia Firth wore this lavish, bright red custom-made couture Valentino gown, which according to the "fashion police" was beautiful enough to dub her as one of the best dressed. What many didn't know however was that the fabric was a hybrid of polyester derived from recycled plastic bottles and Valentino's house silk. She also wore diamond earrings from Celleija, a sustainable jeweler. Hubby Colin Firth did his part to sustain the planet too—he recycled the Tom Ford suit he wore to the Academy Awards the year before.
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Designer: Valentina Delfino
Star: Missi Pyle
Latina fashion design student Valentina Delfino created this gown for Missi Pyle, star of the silent film and Best Picture winner The Artist. The carillion, off-the-shoulder gown is made of silk "peace" chiffon, a cruelty-free fabric that does not kill worms when retrieving the silk. The silk chiffon was also dyed with a natural mineral dye, which is OSHA approved. Delfino also chose to line the gown with recycled polyester and used a sustainable zipper.
 
Designer: Jeanne Lanvin
Star: Meryl Streep
Who would've known that Streep's lovely full-length gold gown would foreshadow the Oscar she'd win only a few short hours later? The statuesque gown was actually comprised of Eco Certified Fabric sourced with help from the GCC. It marked the first eco custom-made gown created from Lanvin's team.

Designer: Ermenegildo Zegna
Stars: Kenneth Branagh and Demian Bichir

Women weren't the only ones who were gung-ho about sustaining the environment. Italian fashion designer Ermenegildo Zegna designed two custom-made tuxedos—one for Best Actor nominee Demian
Bichir (A Better Life) and one for Best Supporting Actor nominee Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn ). Both suits were made of eco-friendly, non-mulesed merino wool.


Jemima Lopez is a freelance blogger and writer who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and best online colleges. 

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