The Green Blog Network: 2010-05-30

The Science of Fun - June 2010

By Tommy Rosen

[Tommy is co-producer of Eco Gift Expo, Santa Monica, among myriad other awesome things...]

What I learned from meeting Sir Richard Branson

A little over a year ago, my uncle was diagnosed with a dangerous form of Cancer known as Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Over the next 12 months our family bore witness as he underwent a difficult and complex chemotherapy regimen, which would take him to the brink of death before rebuilding his system through the injection of his own stem cells.

(above: Tommy Rosen Zip-Lining to Lunch on Necker Island)

My uncle's great attitude never wavered through the process. He got out of the hospital in record time and over the following 3 months worked hard to regain his full strength. There is no more cancer in his body.

He called me on the phone shortly after his "re-birth" to let me know he had done something "out of character." "Cool," I said, "What did you do?" He stated plainly, "I have rented Richard Branson's private island for our whole family and we're going there at the end of April. Can you make it?" "Uhhh, let me think for a minute on that one...Yep, I can make it."

Sir Richard Branson has mastered the financial side of being Human. With all of his success, he can manifest just about anything he wants. On Necker Island, he has manifested an homage to the Science of Fun. He has truly created a place devoted to the development of a light-heart. Everyone of us had the single best vacation of our lives. It was special on every level. We felt uplifted, inspired, relaxed and my goodness did we have fun together.

Perhaps the most surprising part of our trip was to be joined at dinner by Sir Richard himself. After spending time with such an affable and gracious man and experiencing firsthand the island he chooses to call home, I was filled with gratitude that someone with his consciousness has been so successful.

The magical experience we had on Necker Island is the topic of a much bigger essay, but the takeaway is this: Have fun, live fun and help others so that they can have fun, too.

(below: Aunt Barbara and Uncle Tom Israel on Necker Island
celebrating his clean bill of health and 40 years together)

Tom Barb 40th Have a Rocking Summer!

In Love and Gratitude,
Tommy Rosen

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Sophie B. Hawkins Song Benefits Waterkeepers on The Gulf

Sophie B. Hawkins Announces Song to Benefit Waterkeeper Alliance

Proceeds from “The Land, the Sea & the Sky”

to Benefit Clean Up Efforts in the Gulf of Mexico

“I am proud to be joining forces with Waterkeeper Alliance and to help them in their efforts to protect the coastline, the wildlife and the thousands of people who depend upon the Gulf for their livelihood,” says Sophie B. Hawkins. “I truly believe we need to live in harmony with nature and that it is incumbent on all of us to try help with the clean-up efforts in any way we can.”

New York, NY Grammy nominated and platinum selling artist Sophie B. Hawkins, best known for having the longest running hit single on the Billboard Chart -- As I Lay Me Down ( 67 weeks) – and the pop hit Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, will be donating 100% of the net proceeds from her new single “The Land, the Sea and the Sky” to benefit Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization of on-the-water advocates who patrol and protect more than 100,000 miles of rivers, streams and coastlines in North and South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa. The song, which will be the first song released from her long awaited upcoming new album due this fall -- Dream Street & Chance – will be available exclusively for download on Sophie B. Hawkins website – www.sophiebhawkins.com and on ITUNES this June. The song will be available for $1.29 and benefit the Waterkeeper Alliance’s work in the Gulf of Mexico. To learn more about clean up efforts citizens can visit www.saveourgulf.org.

Sophie wrote the new single “The Land, the Sea and the Sky” about the human need to connect with nature and when she saw the disaster unfolding in the Gulf immediately knew that she wanted to try help with the clean up.

"We are grateful to Sophie B. Hawkins and her entire team at Trumpet Swan Music for their generosity, and the gift of Sophie’s time and talent during the BP oil disaster,” said Waterkeeper Deputy Director Marc Yaggi. “These much needed contributions will directly support those Waterkeepers on the front lines in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, funding the equipment and supplies our Waterkeepers need to protect and advocate for their waterways, coasts and communities.”

Waterkeeper Alliance has established a website – SAVEOURGULF.ORG -- to help coordinate the efforts of Gulf Waterkeepers, who are fighting to protect the Gulf Coast. Visitors can go to the website to learn more about how they can help. The Gulf Waterkeepers on scene are FL: Apalachicola Riverkeeper and Emerald Coastkeeper. AL: Mobile Baykeeper, LA: Louisiana Bayoukeeper and Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, and TX: Galveston Baykeeper. Also working to clean up the ocean waters and beaches are volunteers, marine biologists, environmental advocates, and members of each of the coastal communities which have been affected. Urgent help is needed for the recovery; our coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico are in grave danger from the catastrophic explosion and ongoing oil spill.

To see what Gulf Coast Waterkeepers are doing to fight the disaster and to find out how you can help, visit www.saveourgulf.org a project of Waterkeeper Alliance that supports the efforts of Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper and Louisiana Bayoukeeper in Louisiana, Mobile Baykeeper in Alabama, Emerald Coastkeeper and Apalachicola Riverkeeper in Florida, and Galveston Baykeeper in Texas, who are facing what may be the largest environmental and economic disaster in U.S. history. Waterkeeper Alliance is a global environmental organization uniting more than 190 Waterkeeper programs around the world and focusing citizen advocacy on the issues that affect our waterways, from pollution to climate change. More information can be found at www.Waterkeeper.org or www.saveourgulf.org.

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