Look To The Stars News: Conservation

Harrison Ford To Host Environmental Charity Awards

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart will host a special event for Oceana this Friday, November 20, to honor Deepak Chopra and Arianna Huffington.

The 2009 Oceana Partners Award Gala honors those individuals who have made outstanding contributions through their personal commitment to the cause of protecting and conserving the environment. Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of 12 books. Dr. Deepak Chopra is the Founder of Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California and Manhattan, New York. He is also the author of many best-selling books.

Joining Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart in hosting the event will be Morgan Freeman, Jeff Goldblum, Trudie Styler, Sting, Robert Redford and Ron Howard. Working behind the scenes are Ted Danson and Sam Waterston.

The event will take place at the private residence of Keri Selig and Keith Addis in Los Angeles. To find out more about the event, visit the official website.

Jack Johnson Donates Tour And Album To Charity

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jack Johnson’s latest release, En Concert, is on sale now – and all proceeds are going to charity.

En Concert chronicles the “special visual and musical moments from Jack Johnson’s 2008 Sleep Through The Static world tour” and features Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. 100% of the 2008 tour profits and the proceeds from the live album will go to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation – which supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaii – and the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, which matches fans’ donations to the local charities featured in the Village Green area at each of his shows (up to $2500 per concert).

To celebrate the release of the album, Johnson played an intimate acoustic set in front of a hugely enthusiastic audience at the Hawaii Theatre in Honolulu last week, with proceeds going to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation.

Look To The Stars’ founder Myrlia Purcell volunteered for Jack Johnson’s All At Once Campaign during his 2008 tour. To read her report of her experience, click here.

Hayden Panettiere Hits Hollywood For The Whales

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere was out-and-about in Hollywood on Sunday, November 15, to support her favorite charity – the Whaleman Foundation.

The young star hit the Beso Restaurant to attend the Foundation’s benefit event. The Whaleman Foundation is an organization that aims to educate key decision makers – while raising public awareness – on the issues that affect cetaceans (dolphins, whales & porpoises) and their critical habitats through their films and media outreach.

Panettiere is a long-time supporter of the charity’s Save The Whales Again campaign, and has often helped with initiatives to help. In October, 2007, Panettiere joined Australian actress Isabel Lucas and other activists in a peaceful protest in Japan, to raise awareness of the 25,000 dolphins slaughtered by the nation every year. The group narrowly avoided arrest over the incident, but succeeded in diverting international media to the abhorrent and barbaric practices used to butcher the animals.

Bette Midler Pushes For A Greener New York City

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

Long time Adopt-A-Highway supporter Bette Midler hopes to persuade the 2009 World Series Champion New York Yankees to clean up her hometown. Fresh off their 27th World Series win, the team is looking into working with Midler via the New York Restoration Project.

Founded by Midler in 1995, the New York Restoration Project is dedicated to making New York City cleaner and greener. Since 2004, Midler has provided funds to pay for cleanup crews along the Major Deegan Expressway and anticipates the Yankees following suit. Midler expects the project to set a “green” example for the Yankee’s legions of fans.

Sam Waterston Pens Ocean Conservation Article For CNN

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Law & Order’s Sam Waterston has penned an article for CNN.com on the issue of ocean conservation.

The actor is a member of the board of directors of Oceana, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the world’s oceans by opposing overfishing and pollution, and has been honored several times for his conservation work.

“For 800,000 years, the seas were a stable solution, a hospitable solution for all sorts of creatures to live in, and a generous solution to all sorts of human problems, from food supply to waste disposal,” wrote the veteran actor. "We must not make them inhospitable, for people or for the 80 percent of life on the planet that lives in them.

“As a native New Englander, I know full and well how much we depend on the oceans. They have often been a solution for our problems.

“They’ve been a highway for goods and people, connecting us to the world, and a barrier against foreign invasion, protecting us from the world; a source of food and wealth, going back to our earliest beginnings, when whale oil lit our houses and when cod were so plentiful that huge specimens were commonly stacked like cordwood on our docks and wharves, and still there were so many that you could almost walk on their backs across some harbors.”

Waterston goes on to write about carbon levels in the ocean and the effect they have on living creatures.

“For the last 250 years, the oceans have absorbed 30 percent of the carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, moderating and masking its global impact. They take in 11 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Each year, the amount we release grows another 3 percent.

“Carbon dioxide in the sea is the front line of climate carbon addiction. Reverse the trend toward ocean acidification, and we will also have made a giant stride in addressing the effects of climate change. The sea is warning us to change course and calling us to seize enormous opportunities. Now.”

To read the full article, visit the CNN website here.

Bette Midler Launches Charity Auction

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bette Midler has launched a new online charity auction, and she wants YOU to be part of it.

“It’s just brimming with fabulous experiences donated by dear friends who share my deep concern about the environment!” she said. “With a tennis lesson with [”John McEnroe":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1182-john-mcenroe], a walk-on role with Steve Carell & Paul Rudd, lunch with Jann Wenner, a getaway to Richard Branson’s Necker Island, the chance to meet Cher, John Mayer, Tim McGraw – not to mention yours truly – we’ve got something for everyone!

“Proceeds benefit [”New York Restoration Project":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/864-new-york-restoration-project] (NYRP), a nonprofit I founded to clean & green New York City. We’ve turned 55 vacant lots into beautiful community gardens and planted more than 250,000 trees, and we’re just getting started, so I hope you’ll join in the merriment by placing a bid today!"

There are also once-in-a-lifetime opportunities featuring Daniel Craig, John Stamos, Melissa Etheridge, Carlos Santana, Jackson Browne, Jay Leno and many more.

The auction runs until November 13 and can be accessed here.

Razorlight To Headline Friends Of The Earth Gig

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Friends of the Earth – a non-profit organization committed to lobbying the UK Government to make a healthy planet and a good life for everyone on it – are proud to announce that British band Razorlight will take part in their LIVEstock event in November.

The event is a one-off evening of comedy and music in support of Friends of the Earth’s Food Chain Campaign. The environmental charity is raising awareness of the link between factory-farmed meat and dairy and deforestation and calling on the Government to support planet-friendly farming. Joining Razorlight will be comedians such as Dan Antopolski, Chris Addison, Marcus Brigstocke, Russell Howard, Richard Herring, Francesca Martinez, Stephen Merchant, Lucy Porter and Mark Watson.

Edinburgh award-winning funnyman Dan Antopolski, ‘In the Loop’ star Chris Addison and Friends of the Earth have thrown down the gauntlet to aspiring comedians with the launch of a new competition for the funniest made up animal joke – and the winners will bag tickets to see Stephen Merchant, Russell Howard, Richard Herring and more perform at LIVEstock 2009 at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo.

The creators of the five funniest animal jokes – as judged by Antopolski and Addison – to reach Friends of the Earth by Monday 2 November will win VIP tickets to Friends of the Earth’s LIVEstock event where they will see their jokes read out on stage by the comics. The overall winner will also receive a pair of Eurostar tickets.

The show takes place on November 12 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. To find out more about the competition or to get tickets, click here.

David Suzuki Receives Alternative Nobel

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Environmentalist David Suzuki will receive an honorary alternative Nobel – the Right Livelihood Award – for his decades-long efforts to raise awareness about climate change. Suzuki will receive the award in December in Sweden, just ahead of Nobel Prize presentations.

Created to recognize efforts in areas that are not within the Nobel Prize scope, Right Livelihood selected Suzuki “for his lifetime advocacy of the socially responsible use of science, and for his massive contribution to raising awareness about the perils of climate change and building public support policies to address it.”

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Suzuki said, “Some things in the world we have to live with – entropy, gravity, the speed of light and the Laws of Thermodynamics. Other things such as the economy, market or currency were created by us and if they don’t work, we should change or replace them with something that does. When we are told we need a strong growing economy to afford to protect the environment or that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be too expensive, we elevate economics above ecology. This is suicidal.”

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation, a charity that awards the exceptional in order to further its laureats’ causes, appears as frustrated as Suzuki. The Foundation’s website states: “Despite the scientific warnings about the imminent threat and disastrous impacts of climate change and despite our knowledge about solutions, the global response to this crisis is still painfully slow and largely inadequate.”

Like many, their eyes are on December’s Copenhagen Climate Conference where hopefully a new global warming treaty, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol in 2012, will be approved.

January Jones Afraid For Sharks

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress January Jones was in Washington recently on behalf of Oceana’s campaign to save the sharks. She was there to lobby Congress members to tighten up US laws that would help regenerate the population of sharks from which 100 million are killed every year.

“The United States needs to stand up for sharks,” said Jones. “Congress can do its part by passing the Shark Conservation Act.”

Existing laws already ban “finning” – where a shark’s fins are cut off and the carcass thrown back into the sea – yet allow for the transfer of fins at sea from countries without restrictions as a way around the ban. However, Oceana is pushing for the requirement that sharks be landed whole, i.e. with fins still naturally attached. They also want to decrease the demand for shark products and reduce unintended shark catch.

According to Oceana, sharks are key to maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems by regulating species abundance, distribution and diversity, and providing food sources for scavengers. They’re also critical to the health of other systems. Without them, coral reefs would become algae dominated systems, seagrass beds would decline and chain reactions to these would be set into motion.

As Jones says in a public service announcement: “We should be scared for sharks, not of them.”

Celebrities Support The Amazon At "Crude" Screening

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The New York Times’ Stephen Holden called it “A sprawling legal thriller with rare depth and power.” Village Voice’s Ed Gonzales called it “A Herculean work of investigative journalism.”

They’re talking about Crude, a new feature-length documentary meant to bring attention to and lay out both sides of the 27-billion-dollar lawsuit surrounding Chevron’s polluting of the Ecuadorean Amazon during its years of oil exploration.

While the press has been extolling the film’s efforts, celebrities such as Sean Penn, Rosanna Arquette and Dave Navarro are helping to bring attention to the 16-year trial by attending Crude’s premiers that are running through major US cities. Trudie Styler went so far as to invite 6,000 Chevron employees in San Francisco to see the film.

“You may know me as [”Sting’s":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/212-sting] wife," she wrote, “and you may know of my work for the environment and human rights. You may also have heard my name mentioned as one of the celebrities speaking out in support of the 30,000 Ecuadorean citizens who are pursuing Chevron to clean up the pollution the company left behind in their homeland. Many people will assume that you and I must be on different sides of the fence on this issue. But I don’t believe that. I’m willing to bet that you and I, and all of your colleagues, agree that everyone has the fundamental right to the life-supporting elements of clean air and clean water…I’d like to give you the opportunity to make up your own mind about what has been going on in Ecuador, and to consider how justice can be achieved for the people suffering there. I’d like to invite you to the movies.”

Atossa Soltani, Executive Director of Amazon Watch, which hosted the Hollywood premier last month, is pleased with the reaction to Crude: “The film shows both sides and allows the audience to be the judge on whether Chevron is guilty. Chevron is fast losing the battle in the court of public opinion and showing clear signs that it is afraid of Crude.”   Amazon Watch’s Corporate Accountability Campaigner, Mitch Anderson wants as many people to see the movie as possible, and “to let Chevron know that it can no longer afford to evade it’s clean up responsibility in Ecuador.”

  You can visit the official film website here.

Meet Jack Black At Conservation International Dinner

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fans of comedy actor Jack Black – currently appearing in Year One – will be able to meet the man himself at a special dinner being organized by Conservation International.

The dinner will take place in Seattle on October 20, and will also feature the preeminent conservation biologist of our generation and former Board member of Conservation International, Edward O. Wilson.

Conservation International is dedicated to conserving the Earth’s living heritage and our global biodiversity, and demonstrating that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature. Harrison Ford was once vice president of the organization.

To order tickets for the event, click here

Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project Announces Garden Opening

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and revitalizing parks, community gardens and public space in New York City, has announced the upcoming opening of the Target Bronx Community Garden on October 6, 2009.

Underwritten by Target, the garden was designed by nationally acclaimed designer and television host Sean Conway. Conway’s plan joins two existing community gardens with very different histories, creating a gathering space for neighborhood activity as well as a refuge for quiet contemplation.

The Target Bronx Community Garden will connect the Anderson Community Garden with the adjoining Woodycrest Community Garden to create a unique multi-use space. The large Anderson Community Garden is a joyful gathering space, welcoming neighbors and children from the elementary school across the street for more than 25 years. The Woodycrest Community Garden is a small parcel of land that has become an unofficial memorial in tribute to those lost in a fire in 2007.

“Once again we are thrilled with the work that Target and Sean Conway have done to make this garden a vital part of the neighborhood,” said Bette Midler, Founder of NYRP. “We applaud the ongoing commitment that Target has to underserved communities. Like NYRP, they recognize that each time they help create a beautiful oasis in a neighborhood, they invest in the future of the whole city.”

The Target Bronx Community Garden is the third New York Restoration Project garden revitalization initiative that Target has supported. NYRP celebrated the opening of the Target Community Garden in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in October 2007 and the opening of the Target East Harlem Community Garden in October 2008, both of which were also designed by Sean Conway.

“Target is proud to join with New York Restoration Project on the opening of the third Target Community Garden,” said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. “We hope that the garden will become a welcoming green space for the neighborhood and the entire Bronx community to enjoy.”

Sean Conway was inspired by the local community to design the Target Bronx Community Garden as a place for family, friends, and neighbors to gather, garden, and relax outdoors in their own neighborhood. Combining two adjacent properties provided the unique opportunity to create one large multi-functional open space not often found in urban neighborhoods. From the entrance at Woodycrest Avenue, garden visitors will pass through a small grove of trees which commemorate the lives of those lost in a tragic neighborhood fire in 2007. Next visitors will enter into a large open area which contains a large grass space for celebrations and gatherings, an outdoor kitchen where visitors can prepare meals al fresco, an elevated wooden sundeck, newly planted fruit trees and a berry patch, as well as raised open plots for community vegetable gardening. A third feature of the garden is the renovated rock outcropping which highlights the rugged natural beauty of this Bronx neighborhood. The elevated slope faces the community’s public elementary school on Anderson Avenue and will provide a welcoming invitation for neighborhood children to explore the outdoors in their own back yard.

“After learning about the tragedy in this community several years ago that claimed so many innocent lives, I wanted to design a place that commemorated those who died, while creating a place where the neighborhood could gather, spend time together and get to know one another,” said Sean Conway.

NYRP and Sean Conway have outfitted the garden with numerous sustainable and energy-saving features. In the past, community gardeners have found creative ways to meet their needs, such as building an outdoor kitchen from recycled scrap material. The new kitchen area of the Target Bronx Community Garden will feature a grill, gas burners, granite countertops and stainless steel cabinets for storage space. The new garden will also employ a rainwater harvesting system, enhancing the community gardeners’ own innovative water tank and tap system. Additional features of the garden are a compost area to recycle organic household and yard waste and a special composting toilet.

Since 2007, when NYRP partnered with community members to improve the existing garden, NYRP environmental educators welcome students from neighboring P.S. 73 into the garden in the fall for science activities that explore the senses, food chains and plant and animal habitats. The re-designed green space will feature expanded activities, including cooking demonstrations, gardener workshops, youth environmental education, summer concerts and community movie nights.

The Target Bronx Community Garden will also become home to NYRP’s annual Harvest Festival. On Saturday, October 10, this community-based event will engage local families and students in celebrating the season and urban agriculture through the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. This year’s Harvest Festival will feature cooking demonstrations—including homemade salsa and corn tortilla making—led by culinary students, garden tours, a youth-sponsored produce market, arts and crafts, and a live concert by the renowned Puerto Rican band Yerba Buena.

Leonardo DiCaprio Opens e-Activism Center

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Leonardo DiCaprio opened a new e-activism centre in Santa Monica last week, which has been described as “a showcase for the highest possible level of sustainable design.”

The Leonardo DiCaprio e-Activism Center and the David Family Environmental Action Center use only recycled or recyclable materials, and 98% of the materials left over from dismantling the original building and constructing the new one were reused or recycled. Set up by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the new facilities aim to demonstrate how buildings can greatly reduce harm to the environment by minimizing the use of land, water, energy and materials.

“Half of all the world’s materials and resources, half of all forests, go into building production. Buildings consume twice the energy of autos, and emit twice the amount of carbon dioxide,” says NRDC Senior Scientist Rob Watson. “They also consume 80% of drinking water.”

The e-activism center has four high-speed Internet terminals linked to NRDC’s activist network to help visitors learn about environmental issues of immediate concern, and to influence public debate instantly by sending messages to government and corporate officials.

“Over the last three years, nearly five hundred thousand NRDC online activists have sent five million messages to public and corporate officials, helping again and again to tip the balance in favor of the environment,” said Dicaprio. “For the thousands of young people who’ll visit this building each year, I hope it will be the start of a lifetime of civic involvement.”

The center is located at 1314 Second Street in downtown Santa Monica, California. The e-Activism Center is open to the public every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Eddie Izzard Completes 43 Marathons For Charity

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard has completed his massive charity marathon challenge.

The actor set out in August to run 1000 miles and raise money for Sport Relief – a part of Comic Relief – and the 47-year-old finished his odyssey across Britain on Tuesday when he crossed the finish line at London’s Trafalgar Square.

“I feel dead!” he said as the London rain fell around him.

The challenge saw Izzard run 43 marathons in 52 days, a feat that Comic Relief founder Richard Curtis described as “amazing.”

“What I so admire is the length of it,” said Curtis. “He’s been doing it for so long, every single day. [These celebrities] are really putting themselves on the line for these issues. People in schools and at home think ‘Well, if Eddie can do that, then I can certainly do something to raise money and help people’.”

Band From TV To Launch New Epilepsy Site At Charity Gig

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Band From TV – the celebrity charity music group made up of stars from some of today’s most popular TV shows – is to play a special gig next month to launch a charity website set up by its founding member.

Talk About It was created by Heroes star Greg Grunberg to raise awareness of epilepsy and help educate people the world and end stigmas about seizure disorders. The site features many of his Heroes co-stars and celebrity friends, such as Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, and John Mayer. Grunberg is a longtime supporter of epilepsy causes, an issue that he has been involved with since his son, Jake, was diagnosed with the condition. He is the official spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Advocate.

Grunberg started the Band From TV – which includes members such as Hugh Laurie, Teri Hatcher, Bonnie Somerville, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, James Denton, Jesse Spencer, and Bob Guiney – after getting a few celebrities to play together at the House Of Blues for charity. The success of that event has led to a number of gigs in the US which have, according to Hugh Laurie, “raised a gargantuan sum of money for charity.” These charities include such as Save the Children, The Art of Elysium, the Child Abuse Prevention Program and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence through the Band From TV Global Charity Trust. Band From TV recently released their first CD, Hoggin’ All The Covers, which has become a huge hit at Amazon.com and can be ordered here. Look To The Stars was lucky enough to interview Greg just before Christmas, and the video of our chat can be viewed here.

To celebrate the launch of Talk About It, Band From TV – along with special celebrity guests including Scott Grimes from ER and many others – are performing one night only on October 25 at The Canyon Club in Agoura. Come with your family and friends and be ready to rock out to your favorite cover tunes being performed by some of your favorite TV actors.

THIS SHOW WILL SELL OUT!! Tickets may be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster or by calling The Canyon Club Box Office at (818) 879-5016.

John McEnroe Leads City Parks Tennis Event

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Regina Walton

On Tuesday, September 1, the CityParks Foundation of New York City held its annual CityParks Tennis Benefit, co-chaired by Billie Jean King and John McEnroe. Held each year during the US Open, the event took place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

For the attendees, the evening was divided into four sections: reception and silent auction, dinner and awards presentation, live auction and then it was time for the evening matches. It gave CityPark donors time to bid on some great items, dine and socialize, as well as plenty of enough time to enjoy the evening matches.

Tennis legends were also on-hand during the event. John McEnroe and his band played during the reception and silent auction. During the dinner, Mary Carillo and Billie Jean King gave entertaining and inspiring speeches. Billie Jean talked about her deep connection with CityParks Tennis. She was one of the founding members and was very proud of what the organization has achieved. The speech section of the evening culminated with Carmen Ramirez receiving the Billie Jean King Junior Award and with Benjamin Doller receiving the Vitas Gerulaitis Community Service Award. Ms. Ramirez from Queens, New York, is a 17-year-old who has been a student of the CityParks program for seven years. She gave an inspiring speech about how the program has influenced her life. She has big dreams. Thanks, in part, to CityParks, she plans to attend college on a tennis scholarship.

During the reception, John McEnroe made sure he reminded the attendees about why they were there. While his band was playing, he encouraged the audience with lighthearted but earnest requests to participate in the silent auction and to donate generously to the CityParks Tennis program. He even offered a personal lesson. His encouragement must have been successful because the benefit raised over $300,000 for the program. This is the second highest amount in the event’s history.

The annual event raises important funds for CityParks Tennis. CityParks Tennis celebrates its 20th year anniversary this year. The program is a free youth instructional program that serves over 7,500 children in parks throughout New York City. It is one of the largest municipal tennis programs in the country. CityParks Tennis provides free tennis lessons to thousands of New York City’s kids ages 5 to 16. The program reaches over 7,500 kids in 40 parks in all five of New York City’s boroughs. The program encourages kids to be physically fit and develop self confidence. The program is available to kids at all skill levels from beginner lessons to organized tournaments.

The program has been massively successful. It has an advanced training academy, which offers talented youth in financial need the chance to bring their game to a higher competitive level. Hundreds of graduates from this program have earned college athletic scholarships, as well as sectional and national rankings. The program has also produced two players who have gone on to play on the junior level at the US Open.

To learn more about the CityParks Tennis program and to donate, click here.

Double Donations For Eddie Izzard's Epic Charity Run

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:35:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Comedian Eddie Izzard is running over 1000 miles around the UK for charity, and an anonymous donor is helping every last mile count double.

Eddie’s running his 39th almost-consecutive marathon today in support of Sport Relief, and with only five more marathons remaining before he reaches his destination in London on Tuesday 15th September, a donor has promised to match up to £43,000 ($71,000) in donations made by midnight on Sunday 20th September.

In exhausted breaks between his full days of running, Izzard has been sharing via twitter how significant even a small donation can be:

“£6 ($10) could pay for enough school books for a whole year for an 8-year-old street child in Bangladesh.”

“£15 ($25) could provide essential drugs so 20 Ugandan children with malaria survive until they reach hospital.”

“£10 ($16) could pay for an hour’s counselling for an older person who has been abused.”

Sport Relief is a fundraising initiative for the UK Comic Relief campaign, harnessing the power and passion of sport to change lives for the better.

Donating online takes just a few moments, and your donation will now provide twice the help; just click here.

UK residents can also donate by simply texting EDDIE to 66609; they’ll be charged £5 plus the standard network rate, of which at least £3.37 goes to Sport Relief. Click here for more information, or donate online.

Feel Free and Support National Parks

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:55:00 -0000

Celebrate the natural beauty and rich history of our park system this September 19-27, 2009, with the National Parks Conservation Association’s National Parks Week NYC.

National Parks Week NYC will provide countless opportunities to entertain and educate the whole family, from a Lantern Tour of Fort Wadsworth to Grant’s Tomb after Dark to an Evening Tour of Liberty Island.

The signature event of the week, “Feel Free: A National Parks Celebration in Central Park,” will feature highlights from Ken Burns’s documentary, “THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA’S BEST IDEA” and musical acts by an array of talented performers, including Eric Benet, Gavin DeGraw, Jose Feliciano, Carole King, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas and Peter Yarrow.

Not in the NY area? No problem. The live show from East Meadow in Central Park will be shared via satellite to PBS affiliates and other partners around the country.

Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice of the American people in protecting our national parks. With 325,000 members and supporters, NPCA is the largest independent, membership organization dedicated to protecting the natural, cultural, and historic treasures of our National Park System. Their mission is to protect and enhance our national parks today for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. For more information, visit: www.npca.org.

For more information on National Parks Week NYC and opportunities to support America’s national parks with the National Parks Conservation Association, visit www.FeelFree.org. Visit the National Parks online via Facebook at www.facebook.com/npca.org, on Twitter at @NPCA.

Eddie Izzard Runs For Sport Relief

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Comedian Eddie Izzard has just set out from London for a 1000-mile run to raise money for Sport Relief, which supports Comic Relief, a charity that helps vulnerable people in need both at home in the UK and abroad.

Izzard’s effort is a serious marathon challenge with comedic results, at least when reading the Press Association’s report: Running 30 miles per day, Izzard achieved a blister and bandaged leg by day two, following a damaged hamstring and shin problems during his mere four-week training period. “He is not a runner,” says Izzard’s publicist.

The pay back, however, is more than honking horns from passing fans in recognition of his daily run. It’s in getting kids with behavioural problems into team sports, child labourers in Bangladesh into school, abused children off the streets of Brazil and finding homes and care for AIDS orphans in Zambia.

Support for Izzard’s run can be made at www.eddieizzard.com, and twitterers can follow him at www.twitter.com/eddieizzard.

Hayden Panettiere Blogs For The Whaleman Foundation

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere has blogged about her conservation work with whales and dolphins.

“Anyone who knows me knows how much I love animals, and how passionate I am about protecting them,” she wrote on www.takepart.com. “When Jeff Pantukhoff, President & Founder of [”The Whaleman Foundation":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/1007-the-whaleman-foundation], approached me about being their spokesperson 5 years ago, I jumped at the opportunity.

“The Whaleman Foundation is a non-profit organization whose primary mission is to raise public awareness on the issues that affect cetaceans (dolphins, whales & porpoises) and their ocean habitats. When I heard about the plight of the dolphins and whales and the work that Jeff was doing, getting involved was a no-brainer for me.

“I have learned so much since becoming a part of the Foundation’s efforts, and have worked with him exclusively ever since.”

The actress goes on to write about her 2007 trip to Japan with Isabel Lucas in which they protested against the slaughter of dolphins.

“During our peaceful ceremony, the Japanese fisherman, unprovoked, became violent and physically aggressive towards us. After being hit with large poles and threatened with spinning boat propellers, which came inches from us, we held our ground. The resulting media attention generated by the incident was massive, and the support from people around the world has been incredible.

“I am aware this fight will not end overnight, but I am committed to seeing this battle through until the very end. There are many things you can do to help me protect the whales and dolphins but one of the best ways you can help us end their needless and cruel slaughter is to sign our petition on SocialVibe.com and while you’re there, please sign up to support The Whaleman Foundation. With your help, we can save these beautiful and intelligent creatures!”

To read the full blog, click here.

Walter Cronkite's Charitable Life

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Television legend Walter Cronkite passed away after a long illness on Friday, July 17.

The 92-year-old fronted the evening news for American TV network CBS from 1962 to 1981. He was well known for his charity work – he frequently donated lunches and trips on his private yacht to charities such as Realizing the Dream (a charity overseen by Martin Luther King III, eldest son of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and co-founded by former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young), recorded PSAs for the National Parks Conservation Association, and was honored by the Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis, a nonprofit organization that serves as the national fundraising arm of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

“He was the most important voice in our lives for thirty years,” said George Clooney in tribute. “And that voice made people reach for the stars. I hate the world without Walter Cronkite.”

Jason Mraz Gives Eco Tips For Toilet Users

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Jason Mraz has blogged some eco-tips with a difference on his MySpace page.

“Recent News from our friends at the [”Natural Resources Defense Council":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/432-natural-resources-defense-council] say that Americans’ addiction to two-ply, super soft toilet paper is causing greater harm to our environment than our gas guzzling cars," he wrote. "In order to produce all that perfectly plush paper, companies must harvest tons of virgin trees, which the reaping of means less oxygen for the atmosphere to offset or all the carbon that seems to be frying us here on the surface.

“The US is the country that consumes the most forests specifically to fulfill [toilet needs]. If you travel abroad, you may find discomfort in the thin one-ply offered up pretty much everywhere else. But that’s because most other countries are more careful about their resourceful trees and/or use recycled and post-consumer paper in the manufacturing of toilet tissue.

“So I’m writing this today to invite you to buy only recycled or large percentage post consumer paper for your household, school or office. If you aren’t the one buying it, then encourage your janitorial staff to consider it. The paper isn’t nearly as soft, but it’s just as durable.”

Mraz goes on to explain some very useful Toilet Tissue Tips designed to help the environment.

“For more helpful blogs like this one, intended to enhance your life and the lives of others around you, check out www.SuperForest.Org. It’s my personal favorite.”

Bette Midler And 50 Cent Together For Charity

Fri, 15 May 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The devine Bette Midler is joining with 50 Cent and Dolly Parton to host her annual Spring Picnic to benefit the New York Restoration Project.

The event will take place at Fort Tryon Park, New York City, on May 19, and will include a BBQ and entertainment.

Midler founded the New York Restoration Project in 1995 to improve the natural balance of life in the city. The organization is based on the belief that clean, green neighborhoods are fundamental to the quality of life, and that every community in New York City deserves an oasis of natural beauty. Seeing many parks and open spaces in dire need of clean-up and restoration, Midler created NYRP to be the “conservancy of forgotten places,” particularly in New York City’s underserved communities.

To raise awareness of the event, Midler has launched an online auction to benefit the NYRP. Items going under the hammer include the chance to meet Hugh Jackman on the set of his next movie, front row tickets to see Elton John and Billy Joel, backstage passes to meet Cher, tickets to see Michael Jackson in London, meet-and-greets with John Stamos, LeAnn Rimes, Stevie Nicks, Kristin Chenoweth, Keith Urban, and Bernadette Peters, items from Scarlett Johansson and Mick Jagger, and much more.

To make a bid, visit Charity Buzz.

To order tickets to the Spring Picnic – which start at $250 – click here.

Band From TV To Play Concert For Charity In Miami

Thu, 14 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The All-Star Band From TV is to play a special Concert For Charity event in Miami on Saturday, May 16.

The band – made up of television stars such as Greg Grunberg, Bob Guiney, Bonnie Somerville, Hugh Laurie, James Denton, Jesse Spencer and Teri Hatcher – recently scored the number 1 slot on Amazon with their CD/DVD package, Hoggin’ All the Covers. Proceeds from every show the band plays goes to charities such as Save the Children, The Art of Elysium, the Child Abuse Prevention Program and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence – through the Band From TV Global Charity Trust.

The Concert For Charity will take place at the Shore Club Hotel in Miami Beach and will also feature a special appearance by Melora Hardin, who spoke to Look To The Stars about charity last year.

General admission tickets to the event cost $50. $175 VIP admission includes a pre-party with the band and a preferred viewing area. The event is for ages 21 and over. Click here for tickets.

To watch a video of the Band From TV at the recent Heroes For Autism event, click here.

Anderson Cooper To Be Honored By Conservation International

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Conservation International is to honor Emmy-winning journalist Anderson Cooper and CNN’s Planet in Peril Team with the Global Conservation Hero Award for commitment and action toward a healthy, secure planet for all people at its 12th Annual New York Dinner.

The environmental organization says “Cooper and the Planet in Peril Team have been at the forefront of CNN’s provocative and inspiring reporting on the global environmental situation, and their penetrating coverage of climate change, deforestation, species loss, and conflict over natural resources has reached widespread audiences with a critical message that nature is essential to humanity’s wellbeing.”

With honorary co-chairs such as Harrison Ford and Meredith Brokaw, the event is likely to be a sell-out. With its aim to conserve the Earth’s living heritage, global biodiversity and demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature, Conservation International is at the cutting edge of environmental work.

Founded in 1987, Conservation International provides a fund for scientists in 30 countries to identify and overcome biodiversity threats. It focuses its efforts on tropical wilderness areas, marine areas, and major wetlands, and since its inception has donated over $100 million to conservation partners around the world.

Ford joined the ranks of Conservation International as a board member, and soon became vice chairman. He became actively involved in the organization’s design and growth, and now sits on the Executive Committee.

“I was looking for a way to give back,” he explained to the Epoch Times. “What kept my support is their success and the inventiveness of their strategies.”

The Annual Dinner takes place on May 21 at the American Museum of Natural History. Tickets are available here.

Springsteen, Mellencamp, Harper To Perform at Clearwater Concert

Fri, 01 May 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This Sunday, May 3rd, will see star performers such as Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, Juanes, John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen come out to support Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday bash benefitting the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

The Clearwater Concert: Creating the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders is a one night only concert, which raises awareness and funds for continuing Clearwater’s work educating the public and protecting the Hudson river. The event begins at 7pm, at Madison Square Garden, and will feature over 40 artists from a wide variety of musical genres.

Some of the scheduled performers are Joan Baez, Ani DiFranco, Michael Franti, Emmylou Harris, Tao Rodriguez–Seeger, Taj Mahal, Bela Fleck, Keller Williams Billy Bragg, Tom Morello, Tom Paxton and Eddie Vedder.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com, starting at $19.19 and going to $250, with the majority priced at $90 to honor Pete’s birthday. Special Clearwater Legacy Tickets will also be available. For more information, please visit www.Seeger90.com.

And don’t miss the Clearwater Festival, taking place June 20th and 21st. For those who really want to get involved, volunteer positions are available for the weekend-long event.

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