Barbie Goes Green?

Indian Point Blows Up and Mattel attempts to Green Wash Barbie...can we be any closer to the end of the world? As I consider bringing the Green Nuclear Butterfly back to FULL STAFF as the Indian Point Wars heat up, thought I would wet your taste buds with this little story from the Eco-Centric.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Eco Rapist-Green Manure...Meet Mattel's Barbie BCause Collection

The Barbie Boobs at Mattel Bring You GREEN BARBIE...OH PLEASE!

OH MY FREAKING GOD...talk about Green Washing at a whole new level! Seems that Mattel is wanting to get in on the profits of being percieved as GREEN, so they have launched a whole new line of GREEN BARBIE Crap available at Toys "R" Us stores near you! Here is the basic scoop on the breast implanted doll (produced in Communist CHINA) and her new line of ECO FRIENDLY add ons.

They take the SCRAPS from other Barbie fashions, and use non union CHINESE labor to produce a whole new line of Barbie Fashions created from LEFTOVERS! (Hmmm, Leftover Barbie) These patchwork pieces of ECO-WARE™ (or is that ECO-WEAR™)shit-TA are marketed as the Barbie™BCause line to make GREEN PARENTS believe that Mattel cares! (about profits) This boggling Green Washed collection includes such favorites as the Barbie™BCause hat($9.99), tote bag ($9.99), hobo purse ($10.99) and the must have ROLL CASE at $19.99! OH MY GAWD, I can hear the cash registers ringing green as I type this blog entry! Does Eco Chick know about this, has Summer Rayne Oakes rang the Green Wash alarm over at Vanity Fair, has someone notified Kennedy and the folks over at Riverkeeper? Maybe Mattel can donate one to each of the employees at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility that is leaking tritium and strontium 90 into the Hudson River here in NY! They could get Congressman John Hall to make the presentation of the toys, give him another chance to repeat his original campaign promise, "I'll do everything I can to close down Indian Point." Presidential Candidate Barack Obama can get in on the act by accepting a complete set of these Eco Green Washed Barbie™BCause for each of his daughters at the event, extolling the virtues of Nuclear as his staff counts the campaign contributions that can be tracked back to Exelon!

Barbie™ BCause Collection, Available Exclusively At Toys"R"Us Stores Nationwide, Reuses and Repurposes Excess Barbie™ Fabrics and Trimmings to Create Fashionable and Playful Handbags, Pillows, Diaries, Totes and Other Accessories

El Segundo, Calif. (April 1, 2008) - Just in time to celebrate Earth Day in style, Barbie® introduces a collection of eco-friendly accessories for girls with the debut of Barbie™ BCause. The playful and on-trend Barbie™ BCause collection repurposes excess fabric and trimmings from other Barbie® doll fashions and products which would otherwise be discarded, offering eco-conscious girls a way to make an environmentally-friendly fashion statement with cool, patchwork-style accessories. Sold exclusively at Toys"R"Us stores in the Barbie® toy aisle, the Barbie™ BCause collection includes handbags, coin purses, hats, tote bags, pillows, diaries and more, each featuring its own unique variations and kitschy patchwork details.

"Barbie is always a reflection of current cultural trends and issues, and girls are increasingly aware of making a green statement," said Richard Dickson, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Media and Entertainment, Worldwide, Mattel Brands. "Barbie BCause is for eco-conscious girls who believe that being environmentally-friendly is the right thing to do, and we are thrilled to give extra meaning and extra style to what was once just extra Barbie doll fabric."

The Barbie™ BCause collection is available now at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide in the Barbie® toy aisle for suggested retail prices ranging from $5.99 to $19.99 each.

Roll Case - $19.99
Tote Bags - $9.99
Hobo Purses - $10.99
Messenger Bags - $11.99
Coin Purses - $5.99
Diaries - $9.99
Mini-Backpack -- $9.99
Cosmetic Case -- $12.99
Hats -- $9.99
Pillows -- $9.99

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. Mattel is recognized as one of 2008's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE Magazine and among the 100 Most Trustworthy U.S. Companies by Forbes Magazine. Committed to ethical manufacturing sustainable business practices, Mattel marked a 10-year milestone in 2007 for its Global Manufacturing Principles. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

BARBIE and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by Mattel, Inc. © 2008 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Contact:
Lauren Dougherty
Mattel Public Relations
310-252-4612

Katie Phillips
Ketchum PR (for Mattel)
310-584-8334

The plot thickens... Robert Kennedy Jr. & Paul Newman have their eyes on the same Connecticut Theatre!!!

OK, you're not going to beleive this... Things were weird, things just got weirder.

I'm sitting here a couple of weeks ago thinking to myself, where can I host Rock The Reactors shows... Nuke Free and Clearwater only think in terms of folk music, yet I'm an old heavy metal horse, and Sherwood's been to 200 Dead shows... (OK, that explains a lot!)

See, Wetlands was a Deadhead hang out... Although I installed all the environmental activities at the club, it's never been where my musical heart was... I grew up at the feet of Black Sabbath... I'm into what they call "industrial", basically instrumental metal... which is pretty close to classical in appreciation, but to most people who haven't developed the sensibility, just sounds like noise... it's an acquired taste, it's not for everyone... it's basically where you end up once you've exhausted every other emotional avenue.

But I digress... I'm thinking, here we are, Entergy has its own theatre in Peekskill, the Paramount, where they won't allow anti-nuclear musicians. It's not uncommon. GNB has since discovered the nuclear power industry is invested in many local live music theatres, which is why a band like Phish would only donate anonymously to the New England Coalition working to shut down Vermont Yankee, because they were afraid their anti-nuclear activism would black list them from too many live venues.

So why can't the anti-nuclear forces have their own stage somewhere, where parts and proceeds of the performances could go to fund anti-nuclear efforts, like Wetlands did... except Wetlands happened prior to the anti-nuke revival, because no new nukes were being built, and everybody had given up trying to shut down all the old ones... the sea was calm, let sleeping dogs lie... until NuStart and the relicensing period... threw the whole shebang into high gear again.

So willy nilly, quite innocently in fact, I seek out a meeting with the new owner of the old Globe Theatre in Norwalk, via a mutual friend, a local real estate agent who has been trying to help the Environmental Library Fund find a permanent home for its collection.

I meet with co-owner Andy Kydes at his favorite Greek restaurant, Ambrosia in Norwalk... we shoot the shit about the future of the theatre... He wants to put in condos... God awful idea... I try to demonstrate to him that the building as a theatre is still a very viable formula... it just needs a little tender loving care and nurturing.

He has me draft a short proposal he could show to his partner... introduced me to the leader of the local neighborhood block association, Christien A. Ducker, the owner of the Flow of Art gallery, who seems to share my dream of seeing the theatre light up again. I start to do my homework a little bit... and guess what I find out?

Andy bought the theatre last year for 1.3 million... the place is a mess, a disaster area inside... I'm told there's asbestos needs cleaning out, bathrooms were trashed, it's being used as storage for an antique store. It's structurally sound, but years of piss poor use by unscrupulous promoters ransacked the place... no wonder the new owners don't want to be bothered, they just want to blow windows through the brick face and rent out luxury condos.

They do want to preserve the facade, that's at least something...

But this doesn't fare well with my desire to promote a few metal shows there, so I can raise money for FUSE USA, and other worthy anti-nuclear organizations, organizations that won't sell out to two-face politicians or play nice with Entergy stock holders! So I jam my foot in the door... network the locals.

This large "green" development company, Poko, plans to build 300+ low-income dwellings on the whole city block, wants to acquire the theatre... claim they want to restore it. I'm inclined to beleive their intent because the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) tells me they've already spent $30.000 on a theatre feasibility study with Poko.

Get this... MTC is currently running their theatrical productions in the basement of the same building as the business office of Newman's Own in Westport, CT... it's a fair bet to assume, extrapolate, that this theatrical company wouldn't be welcome in the basement of Paul Newman's building if they weren't in his good graces. MTC claims they already have commitments of $10 million to restore, rehabilitate the Globe Theatre, so it's easy to see, after the successful reconstruction of the Westport Country Playhouse, where some of that money might be coming from.

This is where it gets really interesting... I looked up the head of PR for Poko developers... Lorraine Gimblett, and would you beleive, she's the marketing director for Keeper Springs, the bottled water company founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.!!! And who is partner with Robert on his venture other than John Hoving, the development director of Riverkeeper who put Riverkeeper on the map as a high powered environmental organization.

This begs the question, are Robert Kennedy Jr. & Paul Newman working to acquire the Globe Theatre together, wanting to restore this amazing old vaudeville house, to rehabilitate it as a music hall? If that's indeed the case, how do these two sit at the same table, when one claims he wants to shut down Indian Point, and the other is being paraded around as Entergy's pro-relicensing poster boy?

Interesting dynamics, don't you think? Remember, it was the metal band Heart who saved Radio City!

Riverkeeper's Masquerade ~ Oct 30th

RIVERKEEPER'S
Mischief Night: A Masquerade
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
8:30PM until the witching hour

Mischief Night: A Masquerade (Masquerade Attire)
Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and dancing
Music by DJ GRANDMASTER FLASH The Turntable Legend
Burlesque Performers

$250 per person

Hosted by
Andre Balazs
Lorraine Bracco
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Alex Matthiessen
Moby
Summer Rayne Oakes
Mike Richter

Riverkeeper Committee
Ann Colley
Debbie Bancroft
George Hornig
Alison Mazzola
Heather Mnuchin
Bob Pittman
Veronique Pittman
Carole Radziwill
Julie Taymor

ESQUIRE NORTH
111 Central Park North, New York City

Come visit the Ultimate Bachelor Pad created by New York's top designers:
-Campion Platt for Versace: The Living Room
-Dean Maltz for Hugo Boss: The Media Room
-Rockwell Group for St. Pauli Girl: The Ultimate Bachelor Bar
-Dean Maltz for Valcucine: The Kitchen
-Comma for Intel and Kenneth Cole: The Gaming Room
-Barclay Butera for Bally: The Library
-Christopher Maya for Louis Vuitton: The Master Bedroom
-Kristen McGinnis for ASICS: The Home Gym
-Ildiko Sragli for Lufthansa: The Home Office
-Robin Wilson for Rockport: The Lower Terrace
-Coldagh for Westin: The Upper Terrace

To purchase tickets online click here.
For further information or to purchase tickets over the telephone, please call Karen Tumelty at 914.478.4501 ext 238.

Founded originally as the Hudson River Fishermen's Association

41 years ago, Riverkeeper is credited with spearheading the grassroots battle to wrest control of the Hudson from polluters. The campaign has been so successful that Riverkeeper has become the inspiration and model for a movement of 160 "waterkeeper" organizations across the globe.

Robert F. Kennedy at GANT tonight!

GANT flagship store
645 5th Ave
New York, NY 10022
212-813-9170

6PM

PR Doug Geller
212-230-1949

http://www.gant.com/newyork

Gant's Patterns of Green Company launches environmental guest lecture series.

(NEW YORK) Gant has eschewed a traditional grand opening party as part of its launch initiative celebrating its newly renovated Fifth Avenue flagship, designed by Annabelle Selldorf of Selldorf Architects to serve partly as a modern-day social and cultural center for eco-friendly enlightenment. Instead, the company is embracing its decade-long focus of environmentalism and raising awareness of living a more eco-friendly lifestyle by introducing "Patterns of Green," an environmental guest lecture series with the goal of helping consumers incorporate eco-friendly practices into everyday life.

Robert F. Kennedy will launch the series, which is open to the public with space limitations, on the evening of September 18 and will speak on behalf of Waterkeeper Alliance; Laurie David will lend her support to StopGlobalWarming.org on Sept. 20, and Heather Graham will lecture on Global Cool, with an introduction from the organization's chief executive officer Julian Knight. Jean-Michel Cousteau will serve as the series finale on behalf of the Ocean Futures Society. On the day each guest speaker is scheduled to appear, a portion of the store's sales will benefit their respective organizations.

"Given the current climate, it became clear that Gant should continue to invest further in education, rather than a traditional store opening," said Ari Hoffman, president and CEO of Gant Corp. "The brand stands for truth and authenticity and we will continue to support those who take action."

Tuesday, September 18 2007

Event Title: "Patterns of Green" Speaker Series - Robert F. Kennedy benefiting Waterkeeper Alliance.

Event Description: Forgoing a traditional launch celebration for their newly renovated global flagship, GANT announces “Patterns of Green”, an upcoming environmental guest lecture series that provides a premiere platform for some of today’s most influential “green” pioneers to engage in a public conversation on environmental responsibility and education. The goal of this program is to educate consumers as to the simple things they can do to help incorporate earth friendly practices into their everyday lifestyles. The guest lecture series will promote organizations that are making positive in-roads in protecting our waters as well as in the fight against global warming. On the day that each guest speaker is scheduled to appear, a percentage of store sales will go to each individual’s organization of choice.

Next will be:

Thursday, September 20 2007

Event Title: "Patterns of Green" Speaker Series - Laurie David benefiting http://www.stopglobalwarming.org.

Event Description:

Forgoing a traditional launch celebration for their newly renovated global flagship, GANT announces “Patterns of Green”, an upcoming environmental guest lecture series that provides a premiere platform for some of today’s most influential “green” pioneers to engage in a public conversation on environmental responsibility and education. The goal of this program is to educate consumers as to the simple things they can do to help incorporate earth friendly practices into their everyday lifestyles. The guest lecture series will promote organizations that are making positive in-roads in protecting our waters as well as in the fight against global warming. On the day that each guest speaker is scheduled to appear, a percentage of store sales will go to each individual’s organization of choice.

Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

Location: GANT, 645 Fifth Avenue between 51st and 52nd, New York City.

Ticket Price: Although open to the public, there will be a strict RSVP policy, as space is limited.

Phone: 212.230.1961

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