celebrities

I'm a long-time Jack Johnson fan and as the years go by I seem to appreciate him more and more. There is just something about the cute native Hawaiian's soothing voice and sweet often quirky lyrics that makes you want to stop sweating the small stuff, and go make some banana pancakes.  For me and many fellow fans Jack Johnson = mellow. And who couldn't use a little more of that feeling? The fact that he is one of the most environmentally conscious artists around just puts the guy over the top. In Between Dreams and Brushfire Fairytales will probably always be my favorite albums but his latest From Here to Now to You includes some repeat worthy tunes as well. Johnson's green efforts on his last few tours have garnered attention from us and other environmentalists. And it seems like he and his crew (Johnson credits his wife, Kim, for many of the initiatives)  are hoping to make his current 2013 tour the greenest yet. Read on to learn about what Johnson and crew are doing to advocate environmentalism on tour.

Happy weekend! Here's a few quotes on sustainability and being green to lighten up your Friday. (Or, you know ... just get you thinking about the state of the planet.) There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.  ~Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,  For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain. America, America, man sheds his waste on thee, And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. ~George Carlin “People 'over-produce' pollution because they are not paying for the costs of dealing with it.”   Ha-Joon Chang, 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism

We love our eco-minded celebrities. While we can't (yet) report on Matt Damon's personal thoughts on fracking, we can confirm that he's starring in a new film on fracking this December. The film is said to center around Damon, whose character initially works for a pro-fracking company and eventually wises up and gets a soul... i.e. he becomes the anti-fracking hero. As a refresher, fracking is essentially the procedure of creating fractures in rock, and rock formations by injecting fluid into the ground at high pressure to break the rocks open and release natural gas inside. Why is fracking dangerous?

Who's the best spokesperson for the environment? (Besides GPB...) Celeb power dominates influencing audiences both young and old. Founded in 1989, the nonprofit Environmental Media Association connects today's hottest celebs power to environmental awareness, spreading the green message through TV, film & music. They network with producers, writers  directors and many more to incorporate environmental messages in your everyday entertainment. The 22nd annual EMA awards (find out more about these special awards & see the interview clip, after the jump!)

The Philadelphia Flower Show gained some street cred on SNL. In the clip, Golden Globe host Ricky Gervais (played by Jason Sudeikis) hassles a plant. See the clip on the Flower Show Website here. (Clearly we don't care, but there's disclaimers. So we'll repeat. Please note: this video contains content that may not be suitable for all audiences.) Don't worry, Philly's not the only target - "Gervais" also insults Kids’ Choice Awards, The Westminster Dog Show, & the BET Music Awards.

Excited for Sunday's Academy Awards & green Documentaries yet? I always love checking out the celebs that aren't shy with their ambitions. Here's a few noteworthy starlettes that will be making an appearance on Sunday:

We should care about climate change because if we don’t, we are going to leave our children and their children in a hell of a mess,” Sir Paul McCartney  Posted by Beth

Phillies Pitcher Ryan Madson is making eco-friendly Philadelphia fans proud. He and his wife, Sarah, have decided to make their Wayne home greener. They purchased the house in April and have hired Main Line's Caledonia Renovations to green the property. The Madson's eco improvements include:

Who would have guessed she has a "Big Love" for the environment too? "Being eco-friendly makes you feel good about yourself. Who cares if people call you a hippie?" -Chloë Sevigny, of Big Love Fame That's not all - she lists her green habits as...