Photo: Lauren Schnipper, laurenschnipper.com
"Putting a human face on global warming" is a slogan to be found circulating this year's 79th Academy Awards, the greenest Oscars ever. What with the trend of attendees shunning their limos for hybrid vehicles, saving the planet has become a priority in Hollywood. And since Oscar weekend is all about the parties, it is only appropriate that many of the stars could be found at The 3rd Annual Global Green Pre-Oscar Party, hosted by Global Green USA. Since all eyes are on Hollywood this famous weekend, GGU has decided to use the Academy Awards' international visibility as its (zero emission hybrid) vehicle for spreading the green gospel.
Last Thursday, the GGU turned Hollywood's famous Avalon Hollywood into a simulated sustainable home. Like an Ikea walk-though, all the merchandise was made out of low energy appliances, non-toxic fabrics and cleaned with biodegradable products. "Did you know a regular sofa can be toxic?" asks Monica Gilchirst, a GGU coordinator. "Sometimes they spray the stuffing with formaldehyde."
Out in the parking lot, however, was where the real echo friendly fun was happening. There, Oscar noms such as Leonardo Dicaprio and Penelope Cruz (also GGU Board Members) could be found test driving their low emission limo surrogates: Tesla Motor's Ferrari-esque Roadster, and the Toyota "tribrid" Prius: a car relying on plug-in electricity, biofuel and hydrogen technology all at once. There was racing around in that parking lot, but not the engine-revving ego kind. Breeding a true culture of silence, these automobiles are double-whammy eco-friendly as their quiet, electric engines eliminate air and sound pollution.
Unfortunately, most of these products come with a Hollywood price tag. For example, the Tesla EV Roadster is going for a hefty $92,000. Although a Liebherr refrigerator is known for its energy efficiency, it is exorbitantly more expensive than a conventional fridge (Liebherr won't even list its price). And while a Shaklee all-purpose cleaner is biodegradable, it costs double that of a 32oz spray bottle of 409. "Yes, but what's great about these products is that they operate above, or at par with chemical cleaners," says Shaklee spokesperson Jill Miller. "So you are really just spending that extra bit for the environment."
"Most of the products we are showcasing here tonight are very high-end," continues Gichirst, "but all these companies sponsor such great endeavors." Not to mention GGU itself, whose mission is to support clean, environmental sustainability. Aside from fun parties featuring celebrities and expensive goods, GGU spends the rest of the year setting ambitious goals dedicated to the fight against global warming. A champion project, in partnership with Brad Pitt, is rebuilding New Orleans with completely sustainable, zero energy, affordable housing developments and green school standards. "We need Hollywood to draw attention to the cause," says Gilchirst, "because once green living becomes trendy and there is a demand for these products, then the prices will drop."
As Penelope Cruz told the press, "there are so many simple things we can all do." Global Green USA's website features immense amounts of information everyone, rich or poor, can do to reduce their energy consumption.
And so far, using the Hollywood seal of approval has worked wonders. Over the past three years, GGU has reached hundreds of millions of people simply from various celebrity campaigns, mainly the Academy Awards. As Matt Peterson , CEO of Global Green USA will tell you, "the most effective solutions to climate change are only adopted when they are effectively communicated to policymakers and the public." What better way to communicate to a celebrity culture than to give global warming a celebrity face?
Greennovations featured at the Global Green Pre-Oscar Press Day