Look To The Stars News: Oceana

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.

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.

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.”

Ted Danson Writes Eco-Article For CNN

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Ted Danson has written an article for CNN to raise awareness of the first UN-recognized World Oceans Day, held on Monday, June 8.

Co-founder of Oceana – an organization that campaigns to protect and restore the world’s oceans – Danson is a well-known advocate for ocean protection.

“I became an ocean activist in 1987,” wrote Danson. "It was the fifth year of “Cheers” and my family moved into a neighborhood that was on the water, in Santa Monica, California. One day I took my daughters to the beach to go swimming, but it was “closed” and I couldn’t answer my daughter’s question why."

Danson goes on to write about how he set up the American Oceans Campaign – which became Oceana in 2002 – and about the new film he narrates, The End of the Line, which explores overfishing and its effects on the oceans.

“The U.N. reports that 75 percent of seafood species are maxed out or overexploited and catches of nearly a third of these species are less than 10 percent of what they once were. Ninety percent of the big fish — sharks, tuna, swordfish — are already gone, according to a 2003 study in Nature.

“The chemistry of the oceans is changing as they absorb 11 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, and scientists say the acidifying waters will make it impossible for coral reefs, the nurseries of the sea, to grow. At the current rate of acidification, corals, sea snails and other calcium-carbonate-requiring life forms could begin to dissolve by the middle of the century, with potentially catastrophic results. Shellfish and fish will be in deep trouble as well.

“By protecting important habitats like corals from destructive fishing techniques, and setting science-based quotas on seafood species, the battle is halfway won. Fish species will recover, and the marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds that rely on them for sustenance have a fighting chance.

“In addition, we must commit to renewable energy sources to end the excessive carbon dioxide emissions that are acidifying the oceans and making them inhospitable to life. The ocean does represent a source of energy, and it’s not offshore oil and gas drilling — it’s offshore wind. Europe is a leader in developing offshore wind power, and it’s time for the United States to catch up.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Noah Wyle Wants Obama To Change Health System

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

ER star Noah Wyle is pushing for health reforms in the US.

The television star is calling on President Obama to introduce universal healthcare in America, and plans to spend some time – now that ER has finished – pushing for a health service for all, similar to those in the U.K. and Canada.

“I’m holding out hope, that we’re going off the air just as this administration is going to usher in some kind of universal healthcare coverage,” he said. “So we can start valuing health as a human right and not a privilege. Hopefully I can segue from my previous job into assisting with it.”

Wyle will dedicate much of his time now to international non-profit organization Doctors of the World and to his work as a member of the Human Rights Watch Council. On April 5, he hosted the Project Save Our Surf Celebrity Gala to benefit Oceana.

Project Save Our Surf's First Annual Surfathon and Celebrity Gala

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

On Sunday April 5, professional surfers and celebrities will take part in the Project ‘Save Our Surf’ Surf-a-Thon and Celebrity Gala to benefit Non-Profit Oceana, an international ocean conservation group.

Launched by actress Tanna Frederick and surfer Shaun Tomson, Project Save Our Surf (Project SOS) is an amazing organization that rally’s surfers and non-surfers to get involved in giving back while helping to save our oceans.

Celebrities such as Michelle Rodriguez (“Lost”), David Chokachi (“Baywatch”), Rob Machado, and World Champion of International Professional Surfing Peter “P.T.” Townend, will raise money by asking fans to sponsor their commitment to surf during a five-hour shift. The Surfathon will take place from 10:00am to 3:00pm at Ocean Park beach in Santa Monica. In addition to watching the celebrities hang-ten, other activities at the event include Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, environmental guest speakers, face painting, team relay races, yoga sessions, free massages, raffle prizes and musical performance by Birdsong and the Eco-Wonders.

Following the Surfathon, fans are invited to attend the Project Save Our Surf Celebrity Gala at Shutters on the Beach hosted by Henry Jaglom and Noah Wyle. Of course, the evening will include a celebrity “blue” carpet, cocktails, buffet dinner, a live and silent auction, and a musical performance by legendary surfers, Timmy Curran and Tom Curren. But more importantly, professional surfer Rob Machado will receive the Project Save Our Surf award for his dedication to environmental activism in Southern California. Additionally, Billabong CEO Paul Naudé will also receive the Oceana Sea Friend Award for his outstanding contributions to ocean conservation.

Project Save Our Surf Honorary Event Committee members include: Dennis Hopper, Jeff Garlin, Richard Lewis, Judd Nelson, director Ron Vignone, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Roberts, Noah Wyle, Ed Begley Jr., Justine Pasek, Elliot Gould, Melissa Leo, Francis Fisher, Victoria Tennant, writer/director Phil Alden Robinson, Christopher Rydell and director Henry Jaglom.

More information can be found here.

Oceania To Benefit From Celebrity Surf-A-Thon

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

Project SOS – Save Our Surf – will hold a special charity event in April to raise money for one of the world’s premier environmental organizations.

The Project SOS Surfathon is a way for surfers, non-surfers, families, and communities to become involved in giving a little time and having fun while helping out in their own backyard, the Pacific Ocean. The event will benefit Oceana, the world’s largest organization dedicated to marine conservation.

World champion surfer Shaun Thomson and ‘Hollywood Dreams’ actress Tanna Frederick will co-host the event, which will be held on Sunday, April 5th, 2009, and will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m., with tons of activities, food, and surf!

There will be face painting and story telling for kids, free massages for parents, raffle prizes including gift certificates for clothing stores and surf shops and facials and more, Oceana speakers, live music, drum circles, and more! There will be several celebrities surfing the event, including Lost’s Michelle Rodriguez.

Then, at 5 p.m., the Project S.O.S. Celebrity Gala at Shutters on the Beach will begin. Director Henry Jaglom and actor Noah Wyle will co-host a live auction benefiting Oceana. The gala will also feature a blue carpet walk, cocktails, tapas and a live band.

The Honorary Event Committee includes Eric Roberts, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Garlin, Judd Nelson, director Ron Vignone, Rosanna Arquette, Noah Wyle, Ed Begley Jr., Justine Pasek (Miss Universe 2002), Elliot Gould and many more.

More info about the event can be found at the Project SOS website.

Pierce Brosnan Asks For Holiday Charity Donations

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:59:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Pierce Brosnan has wished his fans a Merry Christmas on his official bolg and has asked a special Holiday favor.

“In the spirit of giving this holiday season please consider making a small contribution to those in need,” he wrote. “The following organizations were on our holiday gift giving list: the [”Jane Goodall Institute":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/155-jane-goodall-institute], Roots & Shoots, American Red Cross, Kauai Humane Society.

“These funds will be used to sponsor environmental education and youth based humanitarian programs, provide clean, safe drinking water to a developing nation by distributing thousands of portable water purifiers, offer relief services for the victims of the Southern California Wildfires, and care for numerous stray animals while also supporting the spay and neuter shelter program on the island of Kauai.”

Brosnan and his wife Keely Shaye are committed environmentalists, with interests that include clean air and water campaigns, marine mammal and wetland protection, and opposing environmentally disruptive projects such as the Cabrillo Port Liquefied Natural Gas facility being proposed off the coast of Malibu. In 1997 he was awarded the Environmental Leadership Award by Green Cross International. He is also a member of Oceana’s Ocean Council.

“Holiday Blessings from my home to yours and every good wish for the coming year ahead,” he wrote. “May the spirit of the season fill you with love, joy and peace.”

The full blog can be read here.

Oceana Awards To Honor Clinton And Sting

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bill Clinton, Sting, and Trudie Styler will be honored at the annual Oceana Partners Awards this weekend.

Chaired by Sam Waterston and Ted Danson and hosted by Pierce Brosnan, Ron Howard, and Robert Redford, the event honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions through their personal commitment to the cause of protecting and conserving the environment. Past honorees include Ted Turner, Don Henley, James Cameron, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, and Christopher Reeve. Past hosts have included Salma Hayek, Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ron Meyer and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Bill Clinton has been selected as this year’s recipient because his Clinton Climate Initiative – launched in 2006 – works with over 40 of the world’s largest cities to reduce greenhouse emissions. Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, were chosen due to their efforts to raise more than $25 million dollars through 15 benefit concerts for The Rainforest Foundation, which has now expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in 23 countries around the globe.

The event will take place at the Pacific Palisades home of Jena and Michael King on Saturday, October 18, and will begin with a VIP reception at 5:30PM, followed by a cocktail party at 6:00PM and the awards presentation at 7:00PM.

Ticket information can be found at the Oceana Partners Awards website.

Harrison Ford and Sam Waterston’s Water Awards

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Orange County, California, kicked off this summer season with their largest fund raiser yet, The SeaChange Summer Party.

Held at a private estate on Laguna Beach, the event raised $1 million through ticket sales and auction to benefit Oceana, an organization that campaigns to protect and restore the world’s oceans. Actors Harrison Ford and Sam Waterston were honored at the event for their ongoing, significant ocean conservation efforts.

“We have done great things before in the human history,” said Ford. “We can do it again. Let’s not let this award be an empty vessel – let’s work for fundamental transformation – a real SeaChange in ocean policy.”

Several celebrities attended the event including Beau Bridges, Calista Flockhart, Diane Keaton, Diane Lane, Jeff Goldblum and Ted Danson.

Danson, who is a board member of Oceana, explained some of Oceana’s causes and projects to Variety:

“Basically, 70% of all the world’s fisheries have been fished to the brink of collapse; 30% of them have collapsed. Also habitat destruction: We have worked with fisheries and councils in the Northern Pacific and along the California coast to put aside 500,000 square miles of ocean floor the bottom trawler cannot make use of anymore.

“Also a pollution campaign that we have at Oceana – seafood contamination: one out of every six women of child bearing years has too much mercury in her system to safely give birth to a child without the possibility of neurological damage.

“These issues are so big, and there is a ticking clock.”

Due to the huge success of The SeaChange Summer Party, organizers are hoping it will become an annual fundraising event. So is Oceana.

Look To The Stars News: Oceana

Harrison Ford To Host Environmental Charity Awards

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Sam Waterston Pens Ocean Conservation Article For CNN

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Ted Danson Writes Eco-Article For CNN

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