Young Hollywood Awards: Young Celebs Go Green On Set And At Home

 

Jonas Brothers at Young Hollywood Awards, May 13, 2010. Photo Courtesy Greening Hollywood. Subject to Copyright

By Alex Shekarchian

The 2010 Young Hollywood Awards, presented by Hollywood Life and hosted by Mario Lopez, was full of young celebs doing their part to “green” Hollywood at home and on set.  The event itself did its part, making a huge step this year by sending out all paperless invites.  Over 700 invites were sent out and 1,250 attendees all confirmed digitally, saving tons of trees this year.  For more information on how you can send paperless invites for your upcoming events visit PaperlesspPost.

Young Hollywood Artist of the Year winner, Nick Jonas, has been an avid environmentalist for years. Earth Day on April 22, 2008, Nick helped the kids at Ricardo Lizarraga Elementary School plant trees and shrubs around the school campus.  In 2009, Nick was a part of Disney’s “Friends for Change” campaign where he urged kids to “Switch it, Pool it, unplug it,” calling out for kids to turn off lights when they are not using them, car pool when they can, and unplug their phones when they are not charging them.
Nick says that since he drinks a lot of red bull he recycles those cans and adds that he turns off the lights whenever he leaves a room.  In addition to giving us these tips he also promotes a “greener” Hollywood by wearing green converse and using a green guitar.

The Cast of Vampire Diaries was awarded the Young Hollywood Cast to Watch Award and if you are watching them you will see they are doing their part to help the environment. Sarah Canning, Nina Dobrev and Zach Roerig recently shot a “green” diary for the “Increase Your Green” campaign from dosomething.org and sponsored by HP, which mobilized 147,000 teens to green their schools nationwide.  Between February 1, and Earth day April 22, 2010, teens from over 1,300 schools across the country recycled over 650,000 lbs of paper and 330,000 lbs of plastic and saved 5.6 million kWh of energy. Go to DoSomething.org for more information on this great organization.  Also, visit IncreaseYourGreen.org to view the winning schools.

 

Sara Canning, Vampire Diaries. Watch her "Green Diaries." Photo Courtesy Greening Hollywood. Subject to Copyright.

In their “green” diary, Sarah Canning, Nina Dobrev and Zach Roerig give five tips on how they are green by reducing waste, conserving water, shopping locally, recycling clothes, and using alternative transportation.  Sarah talks about what she does on set to be more eco-conscious.  She brings her own Tupperware, instead of using plastic utensils and paper plates on set.  Also, her and Vampire Diaries co-star Kayla Ewell recycle their clothes by donating dresses to DonateMyDress.org. Nina Dobrev who also was awarded Young Hollywood’s making their Mark Award adds that Sarah and her carpool to the set.  Check out their “green” diary here:



Twilight’s Booboo Stewart who was presenting and accepting the Young Hollywood’s Award for Newcomer of The Year to Justin Bieber who could not be there shared with us that he used to have a problem turning off the lights; however, now he makes sure that he turns off the light after he leaves each room.  His whole family does their part by making sure to conserve water when watering the lawn and cleaning their horses while at their ranch.

Other Young Celebs at the awards ceremonies shared with us what they do at home and on set to be more “green.” Young Hollywood’s Comedian of The Year recipient Whitney Cummings states that since TV shows go through 10 different drafts they are trying to “do everything digitally now” to save paper because of al the re-writes and script updates they save a lot of trees by using I pads and Kindles on her TV shows and when writing her sets.  Whitney adds that she conserves electricity and carpools to sets.

 

Josie Loren recycles her scripts.

Star of ABC Family’s “Make it or Break it,”Josie Loren, also does her part to deal with the tons of re-writes she gets on the set of her show.  Josie says that she “gets tons of rewrites, sides, schedules and scripts.  I save all those papers in a drawer and at the end of each week I put them in a recycle bin.” Josie adds that she “bought a water bottle that I bring to set every day so that I’m not going through numerous plastic water bottles.”
The Young Cast of ABC’s hit show “Modern Family” do their part at home and on set as well.  The show’s Ariel Winter talks about how on set they have a sign over their recycling bin that says, “RECYCLE OR DIE” and she adds that while at home she makes sure to turn off the faucet when brushing her teeth and unplugs the toaster when it is not being used.
Modern Family’s Rico Rodriguez and his sister Raini Rodriguez, star of “Paul Bart Mall Cop” tell us while at home they go twice every week to the recycling center with “trash bags” full of bottles and plastic to recycle.
Josh Sussman of Fox’s hit show, “Glee” was on the red carpet with his eco-stylist Phu Styles who will be donning Josh in a completely eco-friendly machine washable fully sustainable suit for the upcoming MTV Movie Awards; which you can check out at Bagir.com.
Maiara Walsh of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” told us how she “recycles like a mad woman” if it has a recycle symbol on it she recycles it.  She also drives a Prius and has changed all of her light bulbs out.
Fellow cast mate, Charlie Carver says, “the young cast member of Desperate Housewives appealed to the show's producers to get biodegradable cutlery from craft services. “ The utensils they use on set are made out from cornstarch and they bring their own water bottles to the set.

For more on how the Young Celebs of tomorrow “green” Hollywood at home and on set check out our red carpet footage of the event, which includes interviews from above Celebs as well as Matthew Levy from Fox’s “The Sons of Anarchy” the “Last Exorcism” Director, Daniel Stamm and the movie’s star Ashley Bell, and critically acclaimed Billboard Artist, Matisse.
Alex Shekarchian is LA based, very interested in creating a “greener” Hollywood and looks to make films in a “greener” way. This was his first assignment for Greening Hollywood. 

Follow Us On Twitter@GreeningHollywd

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Young Hollywood Awards: Young Celebs Go Green On Set And At Home

Lady Gaga And The Military, How To Make A Good Marriage

Okay, so we're the first to admit that from time to time reporting on environmental disasters can become a bit of a downer.  So in light of that point, we acknowledge there's a need to keep us all in laughter - even if it's just so we can keep carrying on.

Please click on LINK or IMAGE below to watch the video.

Watch U.S. Military Men Spoof Lady Gaga Telephone Music Video!

These points of comic relief are in no way meant to trivialize the issues at hand, just an attempt to see the lighter side of  life's moments.

This week, we owe credit to our Military Men in Uniform for not one but two stellar examples of Military Technology put to good environmental use. [We would advocate that laughter creates positive energy. And energy is, of course, an environmental issue. J ]

In video Number One you'll see Malibu Melcher and his mates gettin' their groove on to Lady Gaga's Telephone.  Since posting last week, this Video Spoof has gotten nearly 4.4 million hits so far - that means it's gone viral. Melcher commented on a recent radio interview that he owes his sense of fun to having "Two mothers." Hnh? Two? Do the mothers know about this?!

Can't See The VIDEO? Click HERE.

In Video Number Two, you'll see A Better Marriage Blanket.  This video addresses a different sort of Greenhouse Gas Emission, indeed even a different sort of Wind Energy.

This is the brainchild of a former military man who has patented this product using military chemical weapons protection technology. In one sentence: How to sleep odor-free even after eating that can of beans!

Can't SEE THE VIDEO? Click HERE.

How To Make A Better Marriage Bed. Better Marriage Blanket Video Gone Viral!

Greening Hollywood and Green Blog Network say Thanks! Military Men in Uniform. Stay safe, stay good, and always keep your sense of humor - we love you for it and all that you do!

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Lady Gaga And The Military, How To Make A Good Marriage

Global Green USA Message From Matt Petersen

On Monday, I toured the coast of Louisiana, talked with media covering the BP oil spill, and met and talked with fishermen who are devastated by the impact. It was a sobering day.

The whole region seems to be holding its breath, waiting for the oil to hit the coast. Volunteers were waiting to help clean the birds and wildlife, but the need was limited to date. That day will come soon enough, and we are already seeing the impact upon the wildlife with turtles and dolphins dying in the last few days due to the spill.

   Also disturbing were the testaments of media stating they were being      prevented from getting to areas where the spill was worst, and documenting the disastrous impact. This should not be happening, and the reporters stated that it was BP officials holding them back.

The fishing community is in shock. Their lives and livelihoods are at risk. As one fishermen told us about watching the spill unfold, "Its like having a knife to your throat, and it is slowly cutting across."

We need to create a cleaner future, and invest more urgently in renewable energy like wind and solar, and require higher standards for fuel efficient vehicles and mass transit to reduce our dependency on oil. We need to halt new offshore oil drilling, and ensure we are regulating BP and others more aggressively. We need to hold BP accountable to pay the full cost, and demand they not drag it out for 20 years as Exxon did after the Exxon Valdez disaster. We must demand that our federal government continue efforts now and in the future to ensure this never happens again.

But we also need to help the communities on the Gulf Coast now - please help Global Green respond today. This Sunday we are helping mothers and their families by sending volunteers to Grand Isle (one of the impacted fishing communities), and helping host a community cookout for this community of fishermen, mothers, grandmothers, and kids. We will also be delivering healthy food to those who are already in financial crisis due to the spill.

If you want to volunteer to go down and help on Sunday, please click here to learn more.

We are also helping their voices be heard - we are bearing witness to their struggles, and telling their stories. Watch this short video that tells the story of one fishing community and their fears, and their future. You will hear similar gut wrenching testaments to what I heard over and over on Monday.

Thank you for all you do in your community and for others in need.
Sincerely,
Matt Petersen
President & CEO

 

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Global Green USA Message From Matt Petersen

Greening Los Angeles - LABC Update

Designing an Effective Feed-in Tariff for Greater Los Angeles The study  be found here.

labusinesscouncil.org Building a Green Economy: Connecting Sustainability to Business and Job Creation A Successful Spring Day of  Salons and Solar Powered Possibilities On April 6th, LABC held the 4th Annual Sustainability Summit at the Getty Center. Key players from the public and private sectors converged, making our Summit prescient and brimming with powerful ideas about, as the summit’s title suggests, Building a Green Economy: Connecting Sustainability to Business and Job Creation. A Solar Plan That’s a Perfect FiT for LA: LABC Releases a Much Needed Solar Study at the 2010 Sustainability Summit A centerpiece of the Summit was the release of our Study, Designing an effective Feed-in Tariff for Greater Los Angeles (LINK UPDATED: Click for PDF). This study, the result of a partnership between LABC and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and a working group of local businesses and public-sector institutions, examines the potential for solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT) programs in Los Angeles County. The study details how a 500 megawatt FiT program in LA would allow businesses and residents to install solar panels on their roofs and parking lots and sell the power generated back to the local utility. For each kilowatt-hour fed back into the power grid, participants would receive a payment back from the utility.   Relying on advanced economic modeling and interviews with businesses and residents in Los Angeles County, the study finds that regional FiT programs would unleash a new source of cost-effective solar energy and spur significant economic growth. The LABC policy  recommends a 10 year Solar FiT that would generate 500 megawatts of electricity. This program would meet three percent of the city’s energy needs, create more than 11,000 local green jobs and produce long-term cost savings for businesses, ratepayers and the LADWP.   UCLA Professor J.R. DeShazo, who authored the study and serves as the Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, presented key findings of the report at the Summit. “If the correct design guidelines are put in place, ratepayers will save money over the life of a ten-year FiT program as the cost of installing solar panels continues to fall and the price of fossil fuels rises,” said DeShazo. “Moreover, developing the country’s largest Feed-in Tariff would signal a long-term political commitment to greening Los Angeles that could be used as an incentive to attract cleantech firms to our region and keep them here.”   Since introducing the FiT study at the Summit, we have been presenting its findings to key policymakers in the city from the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, and the DWP Board of Commissioners. For informaiton on LABC's Solar FiT initiatives, please contact SolarFiTLA@labusinesscouncil.org 2010 LABC Sustainability Summit: The Summit focused on topics relating to sustainability, each addressed by panels comprised of public and private sector leaders. Below is a recap of what the panelists had to say: Panel 1: Salon of Masters—Discussion of Best Practices Among Sustainable Industry Pioneers   From left: The Honorable Jerry Brown, California Attorney General; Lauralee Martin, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Jones Lang LaSalle; Scott Lyle, Senior Vice President of Operations, GE/Arden Realty, Inc.; Kevin Ratner, President, Forest City Residential West; Joseph Pettus, Senior Vice President of Fuel and Energy, Safeway, Inc.   Moderated by Scott Lyle of Arden Realty, the “Salon of Masters” was a discussion among innovators of Sustainability.  California Attorney General (and Gubanatorial candidate) Jerry Brown and Forest City West’s president, Kevin Ratner reflected upon the obstacles surmounted and in-roads made in their respective roles in revitalizing downtown Oakland. Ratner was the project’s developer and Brown was the Mayor at the time. Both, in the words of Brown, worked to “create vitality” by sending thousands of people to live in Downtown Oakland to revitalize it, and create “elegant density.”   Joseph Pettus, Safeway’s Senior Vice President of Fuel and Energy, described Safeway’s path to sustainability from the purview of a company that is one of California’s largest employers and the largest consumer of electricity in the state. Pettus explained that Safeway was one of the first organizations to support AB 32 as well as support cap and trade. They reduced their carbon footprint by more than 10% in just a year, and changed their truck fleet to biodiesel fuel—all this was done to lower costs. Lauralee Martin, Global Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Jones Lang LaSalle reflected upon her “long passion for the environment” and described key questions her company asks with regards to sustainability (whose footprint should we measure – the consumers’ or the producers’?) while identifying the challenges and opportunities when it comes to sustainable business practices. Focusing on key words, “Passion” and “Confusion,” she illustrated how passion relates to the fact that people care and confusion relates to the fact that being a leader in sustainability requires you to do things that have not yet been done, meaning success might not be easy to measure. CLICK HERE to see video of Jerry Brown's remarks! Panel 2:  Finding Incentives for Renewables that Work     From left: Paul Gipe, Founder, Wind Works; J.R. DeShazo, Professor of Public Policy and Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation; Randy Britt, Director of Sustainability Initiatives, Los Angeles Unified School District; Mary Nichols, Chairman, California Air Resources Board; The Honorable Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles City Councilmember; Steve Hill, President, Kyocera Solar Inc.; Pedro Pizarro, Executive Vice President of Power Operations, Southern California Edison   The second panel, moderated by Mary Nichols, focused on incentives for implementing renewable energy. The conversation among this group of public and private sector experts touched upon the need for, as Councilmember Paul Krekorian put it, “market driven policies,” and each offered observations from their diverse perspectives as private and public leaders in the field of sustainability. Paul Gipe, Founder, Wind Works,and an expert in renewable energy, explained the need for big solar goals and the importance of community involvement and education on the issue (See Gipe’s report on the Summit and the LABC Solar Study here/ and his NYT story on our FiT Study). Steve Hill, President, Kyocera Solar, spoke from his experience as the President of Kyocera Solar, a manufacturer of photovoltaic solar panels, describing the importance of keeping manufacturing close to the market and the importance of flexibility and transparency in business and in policy. Panel 3:  Financing and Developing Green Business     From left: Greg Medeiros, Vice President of Community Development, Centennial Founders; Adam Werbach, Global Chief Executive Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi S; Alan Rothenberg, President, Board of Airport Commissioners, Los Angeles World Airports; Tom Roell, Group Executive, Parsons; Bill Black, Director of Strategic Solutions, Haworth, Inc.; Tom Unterman, Founder and Managing Partner, Rustic Canyon Partners   Alan Rothenberg, President, Board of Airport Commissioners, Los Angeles World Airports, led this broad discussion with a diverse panel of green business leaders by explaining the incredible progress made at LAX with the Tom Bradley Terminal that will be LEED certified , completed on time and on budget, and that also happens to be the largest public works project in LA. The panelists spoke of ways they have met the worthy challenges of green business, from Greg Maderios’ eco-conscious and sustainable development in Tejon Ranch, to Adam Warbach, Global CEO, Satchi & Satchi S's call for us to rethink the prevailing approaches to environmentalism, rooted in 1970s thinking. Part of that relates to his client, Walmart (a perceived enemy of environmentalism in the past), and its incredible goal to eventually run operations on 100 renewable energy, produce zero waste, and have 100 percent sustainable products on their shelves. Follow Us On Twitter@ The Green Blog Network Greening Hollywood Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork SAVE THE DATE Tuesday, June 29, 2010 JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE! __   Keynote Speaker: Henry N. Cobb, FAIA Founding Partner, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP    Emcee: Christopher Hawthorne Architecture Critic, LA Times   Featuring: LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa   LA City Controller Wendy Greuel   LA City Councilwoman Jan Perry   L.A. LIVE! is the recipient of this year's Community Impact Award! --- Keynotes: City and State Leaders Address the Summit   LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (above)—who initially proposed a FiT program for LA in 2008 and commited to it again in March of this year—delivered a mid-morning keynote address.  He spoke of the need and value of renwables to LA, emphasizing the tens of thousands of jobs that will be created with the adoption of an effective solar FiT program.   Michal Peevey, President of the California Public Utilities Commission, described the need for us to de-carbonize our society while acknowledging the difficulties of truly trying to build a green economy. He was sure to add that we are making progress in California, despite the many obstacles.     Ending the Summit, LA City Controller Wendy Greuel (above) delivered a wide-ranging keynote address that discussed importance of economic development as a way to create jobs, and argued against positions that would repeal AB 32. Summit and FiT Study Press Recap   This year’s Sustainaiblity Summit garnered a great deal of media response, both for the Summit itself and for the groundbreaking study we released that day. Here are representative links:             Save the Date: Saturday Evening, June  12th Global Green USA’s 14th Annual Millennium Awards Keynote Address: Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, US EPA Honoring: James  Cameron & Suzy Amis Cameron; US Environmental Protection Agency,  University of California System; W Hollywood, Hotel and Residences; and Matt  Petersen.

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Greening Los Angeles - LABC Update

Water Conservation Cuts – No News is Good News

By: Ed Osann

NRDC Senior Policy Analyst, Santa Monica 

The event that doesn’t happen or the policy that doesn’t change seldom makes news.  A plane crash is news, of course, but ten thousand planes landing safely is no story.  So yesterday’s action by the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California won’t make the 10 o’clock news.  But a significant vote took place nonetheless.  The MWD Board reversed a staff recommendation and that of its own Budget & Finance Committee and directed that funding for water conservation programs NOT be cut in the 2010-11 budget.  At least five board members, led by Gloria Gray from West Basin, spoke up objecting to cuts in the water conservation budget, and Fern Steiner from San Diego made the motion to put it back, which carried with 80% of the weighted vote. 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

The vote came against a backdrop of nearly a year’s worth of sniping at MWD’s regional conservation program.  Some local water suppliers think they can implement efficiency programs, well, more efficiently, than MWD, and don’t like paying what they view as a tax to support the regional effort.  Other directors have groused about spending money to reduce water sales when water sales have already dropped due to the recession.  And all Board members were looking to find ways to trim the budget to moderate the hefty rate increases planned for the next two years.  So the staff proposed to cut the already small budget ($19.1 million) for water conservation by $2 million, or over 10%.  Because MWD’s conservation investments are often matched by local utilities on a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio, that $2 million cut could well have translated into $8 to $10 million dollars in reduced conservation program activity.  With the ink barely dry on California’s new state law committing urban water suppliers to reduce per capita water consumption 20% by 2020, a vote to cut investments in water efficiency would have sent a horribly garbled message to consumers and lawmakers alike.  

Fortunately, that’s not going to happen.

A letter to the Board earlier this week from the business group Environmental Entrepreneurs pointed out that -

“The future economy of Southern California requires a secure and reasonably priced supply of water.  As water efficiency is a strategy both for environmental stewardship and for lowering costs, it is a critical investment in that future.”

A clear majority of the MWD Board now seems to agree with this view.  Investments in water efficiency must be maintained – and we hope, expanded.  As I’ve mentioned previously, the cost of water in Southern California is trending sharply higher for many reasons.  Water use efficiency has an increasingly important role to play – one that wouldn’t be advanced by short-sighted cuts in regional water efficiency investments. 

So another plane landed safely.  And no news was made yesterday at MWD.

Read More from ED Osann on the topic of Water Conservation and MWD Here.

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Water Conservation Cuts – No News is Good News

BP Oil Disaster Underwater Footage

The Gulf Coast oil spill calls into question future drilling plans: What the worst U.S. environmental disaster in decades could mean for new offshore drilling projects and prospects for a climate bill.

Can't SEE VIDEO? Click HERE: BP Oil Disaster Underwater Footage

Listen to MORE on the Diane Rehm Show.  DR is Winner of Peabody Award! Congratulatins, Diane.

Guests [Plus Bonus Call-In guest, knowledgeable engineer with know-how on how to mitigate the oil gush]

Neil King, Jr.

national reporter, "The Wall Street Journal"

Joseph Romm

senior fellow at the Center for American Progess; he runs the blog ClimateProgress.org and is the author of "Straight Up: America's Fiercest Climate Blogger Takes on the Status Quo Media, Politicians, and Clean Energy Solutions."

Scott Segal

Head of the Government Relations practice at Bracewell & Giuliani. He represents utilities, refiners and manufacturers.

Mark Schleifstein

Environment reporter for the Times-Picayune and co-author of "Path of Destruction: The Devastation of New Orleans and the Coming Age of Superstorms."

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

BP Oil Disaster Underwater Footage

The Climate Change Bill = The American Power Act

It would be nice to think that the much awaited Climate Change Bill, actually called The American Power Act, were just that: a powerful act towards mitigating environmental damage to our country and its resources. But that may be wishful thinking.

"This bill is more industry-friendly, very different from the bill that passed in the House," stated Washington Post's reporter covering the issue, who says this Climate Bill "is an Energy Bill." The Act was introduced today by U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

For one, this bill, backed by zero Republicans, makes expanded drilling possible in Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and South Eastern U.S.  It would not open up drilling off the Coast of California.

The American Power Act also provides R&D funding for carbon capture and sequestration, a technology that the coal and oil industries are fond of pointing to as a means of lessening their industries' environmental impact but which is as yet an unproven technology, for the most part. The Bill also provides for a Cap And Trade system for the Utilities.

The photo was taken in the Vanderhoef Studio Theater at the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis, California, 5/12/10.

Governor Schwarzenegger had this to say about it today,

"I am encouraged by this new effort by Senators Kerry and Lieberman to address the challenges of clean energy and climate change at the federal level with a comprehensive energy policy. California has been an unparalleled leader in clean energy, pioneering policies that have benefited the entire nation, and we must be able to continue our important, groundbreaking work that will both improve the environment and help our economy.

I continue to believe we need a bipartisan, national climate change commitment that will reduce our dependence on oil, protect our environment, grow our economy and put Americans back to work. I look forward to reviewing the American Power Act and working with Congress and the Obama Administration to ensure it builds on the progress states have made, like here in California."

Governor spoke today at a University of California (UC) Davis Graduate School of Management Dean Steven C. Currall as part of E3: Economic Prosperity, Energy and the Environment -- A Roundtable to Set the Agenda on Clean and Sustainable Paths to Economic Prosperity, an event hosted by The CTO Forum's Energy Council and UC Davis.

Noteworthy is Minister of The Environment, Canada, Jim Prentice's response to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: "I think it's always been clear that the oil sands provide a safe, stable, secure supply of energy and they need to be developed in an environmentally responsible way. The risks associated with the oil sands, the environmental risks, are significantly different than, and probably less than the kind of risks associated with offshore drilling,” he said."But we still have to be on our game in terms of the environmental regulations for the oil sands as well."

The business supporters backing the American Power Act include:  Honeywell, Dow Corning, Duke Energy and the Edison Electric Institute, BP and Shell. BP is the oil company involved in the Gulf Oil Spill.

 

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

 

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

The Climate Change Bill = The American Power Act

Staying Different. Why It's So Winning...

Inn at Laurel Point overlooks Victoria's Inner Harbor

What more can be said about a hotel that consistently ranks as one of Conde' Nast's Top 25 hotels?

It depends on how you look at it. In keeping with a less is more tradition, a lot less – i.e. more - can be said about the Inn at Laurel Point.

Let's begin with the “less” part. In fact zero. As in carbon-neutral and zero net emissions, that's what the Inn at Laurel Point can boast of. Even more, Victoria, B.C.'s Inn at Laurel Point is the first and only carbon-neutral hotel property in the entire province.

Not bad for an independently owned, super stylish and serene hotel. It also graces Victoria's, one of the prettiest cities in North America, Inner Harbor where boats are moored and sea planes land and lift off to paint in the scenic background – seemingly just for you – as you relax on your chocolate leather couches in your airy room suite and sip your Silk Road custom-blended Euphoria Tea.

Room Suite at Inn at Laurel Point

Eco-Chic Traveling

Travelers today, it has been well-noted, seek the eco choice. What has been lessening these days is the distance between the Eco Traveler and the Traveler who chooses to go “eco.” This discerning consumer generally requires top-quality accommodations and service, delivered with a green twist.

The Inn at Laurel Point does all this. Mind you, likely you will choose to stay there again in a heartbeat simply because it is one of the most enticingly beautiful coastal urban properties you will ever see. It is, as people say, “the whole package.” And your soul will breathe a sigh of tranquility when you remember that the Inn has a 4 Green Keys Eco rating, one of only eleven properties in all of Greater Victoria.

You will notice the bike racks outside as pleasant hotel staff greet you with the Inn's paperless check-in and hand you your eco-friendly room key. As you walk the wide, gradually inclining hall whose one whole side is floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook Victoria's Inner Harbor, you may pause to glance at Aura's organic menu, to tickle your appetite for dinner.

Aura is the acclaimed on-site restaurant at the Inn at Laurel Point run by Executive Chef Brad Horen and Sous Chef Patrick Gayler, both of whom were chosen earlier this year to represent Culinary Team Canada as they work towards competing in the World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany in 2012. Chef Horen is no stranger to awards, in 2007 he earned the Canadian Chef of the Year title.

Aura's menu is stocked with organic, fresh, local ingredients. Something that Vancouver Island is renowned for, their “locavorism.” Aura blends these ingredients with Japanese and European flavors. Chef Horen and Junko Sadahiro, his wife, are proud new parents who often combine their talents in the kitchen as well and indeed she is well respected as a master Sugar Artist. By the way, guests frequently comment how “kid friendly” the Inn is.

Japanese Garden at Inn at Laurel Point

Recommended for your stay at the Inn is the Erickson Wing where each and every one of the 65 ultra-luxurious suites and studio suites have private balconies offering vista-like views of the Japanese Garden below and the Victoria Clipper sea planes in the harbor; the Legislative Building and downtown Victoria are also within view. Arthur Erickson designed the wing in 1989 to resemble the prow of a cruise ship overlooking the water. When Conde' Nast awarded the Inn at Laurel Point its Canada's Top 25 Hotel designation, it was back in 2007, before the hotel's $5 million upgrade. The Inn has always been superlative, and it has since become even that much better.

Of course you will find high-speed internet available for your instant access, but what might surprise you is their in-room Spa services including a Bath Concierge which comes in two choices - one is chilled wine and chocolate...the other is for you to discover for yourself.

 

Molton Brown and Aveda bath products are liberally provided for your extended pampering. Bath concierge followed with room service, how luxurious!

There is one more thing about the Inn at Laurel Point that makes its “Stay Different” motto so perfectly fitting. This one is a real zinger, especially considering the property is owned by a private family. In 2008, they partnered with BC Cancer Agency, in honor of the late owner, Mrs. Artie Arsens. Under this partnership the Inn offers the Courage Rate to cancer patients and their families who are undergoing care at the Victoria BC Cancer Agency. The discounted rates are exceedingly affordable and the Inn has even made a small number of rooms available complimentary for patients and their families wherever BC Cancer Agency administrators see fit.

For more information on the hotel and for reservations: http://www.laurelpoint.com

Follow Us On Twitter@

The Green Blog Network

Greening Hollywood

Green Blog Network *  Greening Vancouver

FaceBook/GreenBlogNetwork

Posted via web from The Green Blog Network

Staying Different. Why It's So Winning...