Clearly, the economy drives our world. That said, what better way to effect change in the world than to work through our economy. With that philosophy in mind, the (very wise) EMA Board of Directors has endorsed a new EMA Corporate Advisory Board in 2005 to work “within the system to change the system.” For the last five years, we’ve been working very closely with innovative corporations like Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., BP, Inc. and Whole Foods Market who understand that by incorporating “green” products and practices into their businesses, they’ve become not only more successful financially, but leaders in their fields. Silk Soymilk, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Earthbound Farm, the Rudolf Steiner Foundation and even Southern California Edison are all companies that know that being environmental is good business.
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 this year we also grabbed the production people and gave them the guidelines and resources for the EMA Green Seal. We’re so proud to have given Awards to FIVE productions! Feature films, A Cinderella Story and Garden State, movies of the week, 10.5 and Baby For Sale and the series According to Jim. We couldn’t be happier.
The incredible and ever engaged EMA Board continues to grow. We’re fortunate enough again to have some truly incredible additions to our already dynamic group. Blythe Danner, Lisa and Dean Devlin, Peter Horton, Jeffrey Tambor and Michael Wimer all have unique gifts they offer EMA.
InStyle magazine again graciously hosted their Young Hollywood Oscar Viewing Party benefiting EMA. As hundreds of guests dined on the wonderful cuisine of Maple Drive Restaurant, plasma screens covered the walls airing the 76th Academy Awards. Instead of commercials, as always we aired all of EMA’s “gen e” PSA’s that we’ve produced over the last few years.
EMA took Earth Day “global” this year with a “little” help from CNN. We worked with CNN Headline News to showcase green lifestyles of some of our celebrity friends. CNN clearly understands the power of role modeling! They dedicated an entire week to profile a celebrity a day regarding their environmental behaviors. Monday brought Edward Norton, high on his solar roof talking about his partnership with the BP Solar Neighbors Program (and how much he loves driving a Prius). Tuesday, EMABoard member, Ed Begley Jr. was shown composting and planting his organic veggies. He also climbed aboard his exercise bicycle and began pedaling… helping to power his home. On Wednesday, Daryl Hannah took the time from her Kill Bill press junket to educate viewers about her bio-diesel “veggie” cars which she literally powers with used oil from fast food restaurants. Thursday, Alicia Silverstone talked about the essential, yet simple things people can do like turn the water off while brushing your teeth, eat organic, shop at Whole Foods Market, use a canvas bag instead of paper & plastic (an EMA favorite) and above all, respect and take care of all creatures big and small. On Friday, CNN went to New York to film Jayni and Chevy Chase as they were preparing for their Earth Day Silent Auction benefiting the nonprofit Center for Environmental Education, founded by the Chases in 1988. These segments aired multiple times each weekday and on the weekend. Worldwide, in a single day, CNN has the power to aggregate 1.7 billion audience impressions.
Continuing our most valued relationship with Toyota, EMA also helped celebrate Earth Day at their headquarters. We're so proud to have the opportunity to share with them how easy it is to incorporate environmental practices into our lifestyles every day. After all, EMA is such a strong supporter of their hybrid technology that with the help of our friends at Hollywood Toyota, we've delivered over 120 Prius' in 2004 alone.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and EMA partnered on an informative Town Hall meeting with Shifting Baselines. “Hollywood Ocean Night” brought together celebrities, producers, directors, journalists, ocean scientists and environmentalists to discuss ocean conservation. The briefing was led by Dr. Jeremy Jackson of Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Dr. Daniel Pauly, Director of the Fisheries Center at the University of British Columbia. They focused on the chronic, slow changes in the oceans of the world. Overfishing, mismanagement of resources, pollution and global warming have degraded our ocean ecosystems. Moderated by Sharon Lawrence and EMABoard members Wendie Malick and Amy Smart with celebrity guests including Dustin Hoffman, Danica McKellar and Ben Stiller.
The National Audubon Society held their inaugural Women in Conservation Luncheon in June in Manhattan. EMAvisited the “other” coast to support EMA Board member, Maria Rodale who received the Rachel Carson Award along with our good friend, Jayni Chase. Other recipients were Lynn Chase, Peggy Shepard and Alice Waters.
Our BP Solar Neighbors Program is moving along well. EMA is proud to be partners with BP, Edward Norton and the Enterprise Foundation where we enlist entertainment industry folks to purchase solar for their homes and BP donates a system to a house in South Los Angeles. It’s a wonderful program, perfect in all ways. It promotes more solar energy and relieves low income homes of utility bills. So far our “Solar Neighbors” include: Ed Begley, Jr., Don Cheadle, Danny DeVito & Rhea Pearlman, Roland Emmerich, Daryl Hannah, Larry Hagman, Matchbox 20, Edward Norton, Alicia Silverstone and Robin Williams.
EMA’s partnership with Eddie Bauer and Conde Nast Media Group’s magazines and internet sites has helped to bring a whole new level of national attention to the environment. We did a print campaign to raise awareness and funds for key environmental initiatives. The special sections appeared in August and September issues of 14 magazines reaching nearly 69 million Conde Nast readers. Celebrity participants included: Dean Cain, Daryl Hannah, Peter Horton, Melina Kanakaredes, Rob Lowe, Henry Simmons, Christian Slater and Amy Smart. The charities that benefited were the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC), EMA, Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Surfrider Foundation and The Painted Turtle.
Eddie Bauer hosted an EMA Awards Nominee Announcement Reception as the guests of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in the beautiful, I.M. Pei designed building. EMA Board member Michael Wimer welcomed the nominees in attendance and
M.C. (and new EMA Board member) Jeffrey Tambor charmed the guests as he announced the Nominees for EMA Awards including Ongoing Commitment recipient, Daryl Hannah, Missions in Music Award, Willie Nelson and KNBC’s “4 Our Planet” series. The added attraction of a fine art sale and exhibit by EMABoard member, Ashley Collins, inspired the Hollywood environmental power players. Ashley’s moving work salutes the animal world and is created with recycled materials on canvas.
Hosted by BP, 300 California teachers assembled in October at Universal Studios Hollywood Globe Theatre to celebrate and honor the gifted educators that received two million dollars in BP grants and scholarships for excellence in teaching energy education and energy conservation in the classroom. A+ For Energy is a program to recognize and award cash grants to those California educators. Along with more than 200 representatives from our communities, schools and government, including California Secretary for Education, Richard Riordan and President of BP America, Ross Pillari, these honorees took part in a beautiful luncheon honoring their commitment to “go the extra mile” to educate their students about these important issues impacting our daily lives. The always interesting and entertaining Ed Begley, Jr. (EMA Board member) acted as Master of Ceremonies. Just a spark of an idea in 2003, BP launched this valuable program along with partners, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project, the LAUnified School District’s Partnerships and Adopt-A-School Program, KABC-TV, California’s Gold, KCRA-TV and EMA. BP rewarded these special educators with not only grants for their classroom needs, but travel, meals, hotels and a NEED “Science of Energy Kit” valued at $500 that includes classroom tools and materials.
EMA has launched a crucial campaign led by EMA Board member, Hart Bochner soliciting the industry in their support of reversing the wide-spread industry use of rapidly vanishing rainforest wood, known as Lauan. The Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia have already been significantly deforested due to the demand for tropical plywood. Now, by all accounts, the ancient forests in Indonesia, from which most of our industry’s sets are built, will be gone by the end of the decade. Hart gathered a list of directors who pledged to stop using Lauan. He assembled an impressive list and the Hollywood Reporter, Variety and VLife ran full page PSA’s for EMA.
As a non-partisan, non-political organization, EMA obviously cannot endorse candidates… but we CAN endorse the act of voting. During the last stretch of the 2004 Presidential race, in partnership with the Sierra Club, we ran print PSA’s in the Hollywood Reporter and VLife (Daily Variety). We’re so fortunate to count these publications as our long time friends and supporters, donating space that reaches their readers is truly priceless. The campaign we ran was a parent/child message. Parents who vote, teach their children to vote. It’s that simple. In his first act of “American citizenship,” Pierce Brosnan, along with son Sean, was featured in one PSA. Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda did the father/daughter version. Joanne Woodward and her daughters Clea Newman-Soderlund and Melissa Newman rounded out this very special campaign.
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.
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