GOING GLOBAL, GOING GREEN
Eco-conscious celebs, socially aware A-listers and concerned citizens celebrated Mother Nature at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica. They gathered to support Global Green USA at its annual Millennium Awards ceremony.
Famous eco-friendly faces like Ed Bagley Jr. and Sharon Lawrence waltzed down the green carpet, along with some of Hollywood’s most notable names, including Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Orlando Bloom and Adrian Grenier.
Silver-haired scream queen-turned-Activia-enthusiast Jamie Lee Curtis arrived with her “Spinal tapping” hubby Christopher Guest in tow. Guests mingled at the VIP reception beforehand, while checking out the new ECOtolity Commercial Electric car charger and other cool, totally new eco gadgets. They also vied for a five-night eco-friendly getaway to Costa Rica.
Every year, Global Green hosts a special awards ceremony to raise money and awareness to create healthful schools, build affordable housing and combat climate change.
“We are so excited to celebrate the impressive achievements of our 2011 Millennium Awards honorees,” Global Green President and CEO Matt Petersen said. “It’s particularly important as we mark the one year countdown to the Rio Earth Summit in 2012.”
Actor Mark Ruffalo was presented with the Activist Entertainment Industry Environmental Leadership Award. The honor recognizes what the organization calls “Mark’s deep commitment to the environment.” There were words of praise for the actor’s Water Defense foundation, which aims to educate about threats to the world’s drinking water supply.
Ed Begley Jr., received the Environmental Activist “Individual Environmental Leadership Award” for his lifelong commitment to “walking the talk” when it comes to the environment and sustainability. From outfitting his home with 100 percent wind and solar energy to using pedal power to get around town, Ed was called an inspiration and hailed as “a true environmental hero and leader.” The actor, who received a standing ovation, said the award “means the world to me because of what Global Green is and what they do.”
The longtime Global Green supporter said he is particularly proud of the organization’s rebuilding efforts after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Wendy Schmidt of The Schmidt Family Foundation was also honored for her Oil Cleanup X Prize Challenge, which seeks to prevent and minimize the impact of disastrous oil spills.
The Millennium award winners join a prestigious roster of past honorees including locals Leonardo DiCaprio and Pierce Brosnan.