Archive for celebrities going green

X Factor’s Carbon Footprint

September 11, 2008 · Filed under celebrities going green · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

The X Factor - the-x-factor photo

As the evenings draw in not only does it signal the end of the summer but also the beginning of X Factor’s search for the next big talent.  At this point I should confess that I am a fan.  Especially of the early rounds where you are introduced to some truly deluded people!  However, this year as much as I am enjoying the awful singing, Cheryl Cole’s facial expressions and raw talent (of the contestants NOT Cheryl Cole…) the opening titles of the show have riled me.

 

In these times where green is the new black and all sorts of celebrities have jumped on the green bandwagon it would appear that this has bypassed X Factor and ITV.  For those of you familiar with the opening titles you will know that you see Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole in helicopters.  That’s right FOUR helicopters!!  If anyone knows the carbon footprint of four helicopters drop us a line.  If that wasn’t bad enough there are quite a few huge trucks that appear to drive the length of the country.  Surely Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow are big enough cities and have all the equipment the X Factor needs?

Another environmental gripe I have is that each celebrity arrives in a separate car.  They are big cars so I’m four of them could comfortably fit inside.  Fair enough you couldn’t expect them to arrive on a bus but surely they could use a Prius or something a bit more green…

 

What the X Factor demonstrates is that green issues aren’t mainstream enough yet.  The X Factor is all about the world of the celebrity and having it all which is why they have to have big cars and helicopters.  If any of Louis Walsh, Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole cared about the environment I think we would see evidence of this in the show.  Instead we get a snap shot of their lives in which they jet set around and are chauffeured in massive cars.  More needs to be done to make green issues ’sexy.’  We all need to do our bit for the environment and prime time TV programmes and the entertainment industry in general needs to pull it’s socks up.

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Paris Hilton to become US President and solve global warming?

August 6, 2008 · Filed under celebrities going green · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Yes folks that’s right- Paris Hilton has launched a campaign to be the next US President….Well sort of…..The US comedy website Funny or Die has commissioned a spoof advert for Paris’ Presidential campaign.  It is intended as a hit back against the Republican presidential candidate John McCain who recently compared Barack Obama with Paris and Britney by suggesting he is more of a celebrity candidate.

Paris hits back after McCain advert

Paris Hilton wears minimal clothing in the advert (sorry boys no picture of that.)  In fact to be accurate she wears only a swimsuit!  Her slogan is not to bring about change but to ‘be hot.’  With regard to the environment Paris says she will become ‘a hybrid of both candidates’ to reduce CO2 emissions and solve the energy crisis.   She also promises ‘limited offshore drilling with strict environmental oversight, whilst creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars.’  Go Paris!!  She’s also thinking of having Rihanna as Vice President.

So there we go America…If you want to vote hot, vote Paris!  Good luck world!!

On a more serious note should someone as high profile as Paris be making a joke out of such important issues like the environment?  Could she have used this video to make a serious point about going green?  Thoughts on a postcard…

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Thom Yorke reduces Radiohead’s carbon footprint

April 28, 2008 · Filed under CO2 emissions, Carbon Dioxide emissions, celebrities going green, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , , ,

It was announced last week that Radiohead will be performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Wednesday.  As you may know Radiohead are a British band firmly committed to reducing their carbon footprint.  Thom Yorke is even designing his house so that it is heated naturally using soil (more on that later.)  In order to reduce their carbon footprint on this occasion they have opted to appear on the show by satellite link.  

This has caused a huge backlash for Radiohead with plenty of American fans being outraged by the move.  By not flying over the Atlantic Ocean they’ll be saving resources for Gaia.  Some fans are wondering if they should reduce their carbon footprint by not turning up to the show.  This seems harsh considering the band are just leading by example.

Radiohead are so committed to reducing their carbon footprint they have bought two sets of instruments stored on different continents for when they do world tours.  Thom Yorke has also teamed up with Friends of the Earth to promote their climate change campaign The Big Ask.  As part of this Thom Yorke has edited the March edition of the Observer Magazine.

So there we have it.  Is Thom Yorke and Radiohead right to stick to their guns and not travel to America or are they depriving their fans who keep them in business?  The team here at Ethical and Green think that Radiohead deserve respect for standing by their beliefs and leading by example.

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