 The two most important words for our future are… GO SHOPPING. I know, sounds frivolous, but what I mean is, shop sustainably. Nothing can ward off global warming more effectively than proper consumerism. The ultimate power is that of purchasing. For the last five and a half years we've been working very closely with innovative corporations like Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., BP America Inc., Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Whole Foods Market that understand that by incorporating “green” products and practices into their businesses, they've become not only more successful financially, but leaders in their fields. Bonterra Vineyards, Earthbound Farm, Ermenegildo Zegna, Horizon Organic, New Hope Natural Media, Polo Jeans Co., SILK, Zia Natural Skincare are all companies that know that being environmental is good business. The more we, as consumers support the companies that produce the kind of products that have a clear environmental component, the more successful those companies will become, the more their competitors will mimic their direction. The dollar is stronger than the political machine.
With that in mind, EMA held our inaugural EMA Corporate Advisory Board meeting early in 2005. With representatives from many of the most influential companies in our country, we came together with the common goal of improving the bottom line through aggressive “green” options for the consumer. Cross marketing becomes an exciting opportunity for several of these noncompeting companies to offer potential customers a complete environmentally progressive package to satisfy their needs.
As always, we've visited many Executive Producers of series television and feature films and pitched storylines, character arcs, beats, jokes, anything they would listen to in order to motivate and educate. But for the second year, we also grabbed the production people and gave them the guidelines and resources for the EMA Green Seal.
EMA handed out our 2nd Annual EMA Green Seal Awards honoring Series and Film Production Teams for their efforts to be more “green” behind-the-scenes. Also, inaugural awards went to Corporate Offices of studios, agencies and other entertainment industry companies that committed to being more “green” within their everyday office activities. EMA's goal is for our realistic guidelines to be considered for all phases of Production and for all areas of the Corporate Office structure. These Awards further EMA's mission to increase environmental awareness and to inspire environmentally conscious habits on an individual level and within the industry as a whole. It also serves as an incentive for greater participation in existing studio, production and corporate guidelines.
To qualify for this Award, the process includes completion of some or all of EMA's “Checklist” of “green” choices such as: buying recycled content office products; using Energy Star light bulbs and equipment; recycling everything possible; reducing waste and the use of plastics; using less toxic set materials; integrating alternatives to lauan; filling up with ultra low sulfur diesel and not allowing equipment and vehicles to idle unnecessarily. These are some of the actions that will make your office or production a nominee. Related community improvements or enhancing the surrounding filming site counts too. Simple to elaborate activities that demonstrate a commitment to the environment will all be considered. As long as you are clearly paving your way towards environmental stewardship in some way, EMA will acknowledge participation.
The incredible and ever engaged EMA Board continues to grow. In 2005 we were fortunate enough again to have two truly incredible additions to our already dynamic group with busy producer, Jason Goldberg and the dedicated and lovely Daryl Hannah. Recently we’re also excited to welcome Laura Dern; Prana Entertainment CEO, Leanne Meyers and BWR Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Larry Winokur. These new Board members aren't really “new” to EMA at all! They have been supporters of EMA for many years. We're so thrilled to have them.
Our busy year continued with BP America Inc., EMA and Edward Norton's Enterprise Foundation hosting a beautiful event to celebrate the families and celebrities involved in the BP Solar Neighbors Program at a private home in South Los Angeles. When a celebrity purchases a home solar energy system from BP Solar, a second one is donated to a low-income family, reducing their electric bills. Guests toured the solar-powered house and learned that solar power can help minimize a family's electric bill from $1,000 a year to next to nothing, freeing up income for other necessities. Using solar electricity instead of conventional electricity sources helps to reduce pollution that causes smog, acid rain, respiratory illness and global climate change.
S. Phillip Cochrane, General Manager Public Affairs for BP America Inc., welcomed the guests and invited them to enjoy the dinner prepared by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of the Border Grill and Ciudad.
Among those who have bought a system with the program are Edward Norton, (who received the EMA Futures Award in 2003), Ed Begley, Jr., Don Cheadle, Roland Emmerich, Larry Hagman, Daryl Hannah, Matchbox Twenty, Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito, Brad Pitt, Carlos Santana, Alicia Silverstone and Robin Williams. The families enjoyed meeting their celebrity sponsors, taking pictures and getting autographs.
Once again, EMA visited the annual Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center March 17-20. And once again, EMA was invited to join the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) 8th Annual “Meet & Greet” Organic Benefit Luncheon on March 17th. OFRF turned 15 this year, (like the EMA Awards!) and as is their tradition, they hold an incredible lunch before the organic floor sampling and product introductions begin. The Natural Products Expo West hosted by New Hope Natural Media is the most diverse and largest natural and organic products tradeshow on the planet! The packed tradeshow broke historical records with more than 2,590 exhibits and 38,000 attendees from 83 countries.
EMA supported the LOHAS 9 Conference, that was held April 25-27 at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California, in a really big way. EMA Board members, Ed Begley Jr., Daryl Hannah,Wendie Malick, Amy Smart as well as President, Debbie Levin all took part in the program. The conference brings together corporations, media executives and small business owners committed to Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS).
We worked with the Alaska Coalition in an appeal to the Federal government to save the Arctic Refuge from the threat of oil drilling. We brought young celebrities to share Children's Earth Day at STAR ECO Station and celebrate rescued, exotic wildlife in this unique environment. EMA Board members Ed Begley Jr., Wendie Malick, Amy Smart and President, Debbie Levin were featured guests on KNBC's “Green Eats,” the lifestyle show communicating sustainable choices. We worked on the event to support The Heritage Tree Preservation Act (which provides an opportunity to protect the biggest and oldest of California's trees) with the Campaign For Old Growth. Ed Begley Jr. was interviewed by the BBC and Debbie Levin was interviewed on a prime time special airing in Germany and Switzerland on the popularity of hybrids within the Hollywood community. Whole Life Times did a cover story on EMA's Daryl Hannah and Outside Magazine featured TWO TIME EMA Green Seal winner, Gary Pearl in their article on Green Hollywood.
EMA Board members,Wendie Malick and Amy Smart hosted this year's A+ For Energy Celebratory luncheon honoring the winning California teachers. California schools have been energized with $2 million in grants and scholarships for the second year by BP's A+ For Energy program. BP, a global energy provider, rewarded the state's most innovative teachers for their creative energy and energy conservation curriculums. The A+ For Energy program asks K-12 California educators to submit classroom, after-school, extracurricular or summer activities that foster energy-conscious thinking. The program was developed to meet the needs of teachers in California who want to supplement their core curriculum with energy education activities. The Call for Entries went out in January 2005 and BP received more than 900 applications from a total of 13,533 teachers. The grants were presented in increments of $5,000 and $10,000 and the winners were formally recognized at the Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles on July 11, 2005. Both Wendie and Amy were thrilled to be a part of this wonderful program that EMA has been integrally a part of since its inception.
Since 2005 was the Fifteenth Anniversary of the EMA Awards, we began to reminisce about how EMA was founded. We were founded to help educate the public, via the media, about the environmental issues that would create the kind of world we leave for our children. So, on June 26th, EMA partnered with the Children's Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) to host the Green Power Baby Shower. This was a “Briefing disguised as a Brunch” to educate future and current parents (and even several grandparents) in how to keep their families as healthy as possible in their homes.
The Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and InStyle Magazine sponsored this wonderful and so very informative event. Held at the fabulous Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, 240 adults, 50 kids and 22 babies(!) gathered to dine on organic food, browse the product stations for their organic goodies and mingle with other caring families.
We were fortunate to have an inspiring and distinguished panel discussing the issues vitally important to these young families. Ed Begley, Jr. and Blythe Danner, much loved passionate environmental pioneers, Nancy Chuda, founder of CHEC, Dr. Alan Greene, Stanford University School of Medicine and author of From First Kicks to First Steps, Dr. Harvey Karp, UCLA School of Medicine and author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block, Bob Scowcroft, Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation and Jeff Senior, Sr. Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
A brief welcome by EMA encouraged everyone to “shop” their way to a greener future. What we mean, is, that by supporting the companies that produce sustainable, nontoxic products, we can hopefully encourage other companies to follow suit. It was the most wonderful atmosphere of attentiveness mixed with hushed children's voices. Overall, the warmth in the room was contagious. We hope everyone took some logical and possibly overlooked tips home with them.
Coming soon to a store near you! In affiliation with Raphael Sbarge, EMA is helping with Green Wish, a new program that uses cards at check out counters to make donations to your favorite green-oriented organizations in $1, $3, or $5 denominations. “An instrument for charitable contribution benefiting the soil, our souls, the trees and our children.”
During the month of September, EMA Board members, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter ran full page ads for EMA's Green Seal Program. Bob Farina and The Cimarron Group designed the fabulous piece for us pro bono. We partnered on the ad with the Producers Guild of America.
In early October, we were invited to attend a conference held by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in Aspen, Colorado to address the gap between climate change science and the public and policy response. It was an awe-inspiring group of about 60, including Former Vice President, Al Gore and John Kerry as attendees. We, (Debbie Levin), were honored to be asked to Chair the Entertainment and Advertising Working Group for the entire conference.
As always, your support for EMA helps us continue our work putting the power of Hollywood to use on the broad spectrum of crucial environmental issues that we're encountering and effect positive change
Copyright © 2005 Environmental Media Association
|
