LAUNCH EVENT OF THE EKOMIKO FOUNDATION

Over 600 luminaries from the film and entertainment industry, including acting talent Jeremy Piven, Jason Statham, Sofia Vargara, Danny Huston, Radha Mitchell, Sophie Turner, Jason London, Jason Mewes converged at La Vida Restaurant and Lounge on Friday February 19 to celebrate the launch of the EkoMiko Foundation.

With wide celebrity patronage sharing a common passion for a greener planet, the launch included a green carpet, eco demonstrations and projections of EkoMiko episodes. The guest left with unique bags made out of vintage shirts made by Paradecka design filled with green goodies from Earth Bar, Tesla, Seventh Generation, Bielenda and Biolander Cosmetics and many more.

Commenting on the launch Izabella said, “I’m extremely happy with the event and the enthusiasm shown for the Green cause by those who attended. Hopefully EkoMiko.com and the strength of our EkoMiko Gangs will help transform the planet into a greener place in a fun and interactive way.”

Event sponsors included:

LA Confidential (media sponsor), Tesla, Seventh Generation, Earth Bar, Equinox, Paradecka Designs, Audi, Bielenda Cosmetics, Biolander Cosmethics, Eco Drive, VeeV Spirits, Josie Maran Cosmetics, Neihule Spa, Aveda Nelson J Salon among others.

Take Part - Exclusive interview with Izabella Miko of Greening Site EkoMiko

Izabella Miko, who stars in upcoming blockbuster The Clash of the Titans, is, well, ultra hot and ultra green. TakePart recently caught up with her to discuss her site, EkoMiko, which celebrates its launch in LA on January 19th.

Exclusive Interview with Izabella Miko

of Greening Site EkoMiko

Q. How is it you've come to run such a sexy eco-site while being so busy with all the current projects you are doing?

A. I have no idea! I guess the main thing is that I love what I do--acting and being able to fulfill my other passion. Spreading the green love is just icing on the cake. I don’t sleep much because every free moment I get, I use to come up with new ideas for EkoMiko. On the set of my latest film, Clash of the Titans [which also stars Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes], they called me Athena the Eco Goddess, because I was following everyone around to make sure that they recycled properly and reused their plates!

Q. Do you think that Hollywood is poised for a kind of eco-awareness? And if so, how? What are the challenges presenting this from happening?

A. I think that many Hollywood actors are already eco; it’s just about trying to make the actual show business more sustainable. Unfortunately, according to UCLA’s study in 2007, California's film industry is the state's second largest polluter. That’s next to the oil industry, so there’s a lot to be done. I’m actually very hopeful and excited. I see studios making efforts slowly but maturely. I can’t wait for the film sets to be run solely on solar generators. I always encourage producers to hand out reusable bottles with names on them at the beginning of the shoot instead of wasting a mass of little plastic bottles. It always makes me sick when I see hundreds of plastic bottles in huge trash bins, even if they will be later recycled.

The thing to explore, though, is using the incredible power of Hollywood reach to masses to spread the message of green living. I would like to see TV shows and movies featuring electric cars...solar panels during those romantic rooftop scenes...actors running around with t-shirts with green messages. I always try to sneak something in in my films. I make sure that the character’s apartment has recycling bins in the background, none of the electronics on stand-by. It may seem silly, but it plants a subconscious seed in the audience’s mind.

Q. Do you think people have been overwhelmed by the concept of 'green'? What has contributed to that and what do we, the social activists, have to do about it?

A. The idea is not to scare people with apocalyptic facts into going green. I don’t believe in creating anything out of fear. That’s why Ekomiko.com is very positive and is meant to inspire. Also, some people feel like they are being brainwashed into buying eco products, because it’s “in” now and yes, some companies are cashing in on that, but finding the truth is up to us consumers to really read the labels, look into the company's profile to find out if they are really planet friendly.

When convincing to go green, I try to focus on how eco equals economical as well. How much money we can save by filtering your own water vs buying it, watching your energy use, buying less and reusing.

Q. What issues in Poland do you closely relate to and how would you like to see them receive more global attention?

A. Waste management in Poland is a huge issue. It actually makes me sick to my stomach that the government in Poland used the money given by EU for “waste disposal” to build incinerators to burn trash instead of recycling centers! They would rather pay the EU fine for producing too much waste than deal with the issue. That’s what I’m facing over there. I’m just hoping that I can make people eco-conscious enough over there that they will start demanding the change. Power is in numbers and voices will be heard. It’s just a matter of time.

Q. What are the inspirations behind EkoMiko and what challenges have you faced in putting it together?

A. The challenge has been to be able to create an Izabella clone! I would love to be able to do everything myself, like I have been--shooting the episodes, editing, even putting the subtitles in along with organizing EkoMiko events, but I do realize that in order to grow, I need man power which means sponsors. Up until now, it has all been coming out of my own pocket, so I hope to get some funding so EkoMiko can fly high. That’s why we’re organizing a huge celebrity-studded EkoMiko event on February 19th in Los Angeles, to get the word out.

Q. What kind of projects do you see for the site in 2010?

A. Besides being able to show more and more interesting episodes with bigger and bigger celebrities going green, I would like to really grow my EkoGangs--have them organize eco events in their own towns and schools, getting people to actively build a sustainable future. I will have many contests with eco prizes that will creatively engage kids to come up with eco solutions in fun ways. In the future I would like to have EkoMiko buses that would travel all over the world to different schools teaching kids about the importance of living an eco conscious life.

Q. With all you've learned in the last ten years, what are the simple steps one can take towards being a greener person?

A. The most important thing: recycle! Don’t even think of answering the question “paper or plastic?” Bring your own bag. Have a water cooler and your own bottle instead of buying plastic bottles. Read labels. Make sure you’re using natural products--all of this ends up in our Earth. So what if your toushy hurts a little? Use toilet paper from recycled paper. Buy things with less packaging. Turn off water when brushing your teeth or shaving. Open windows instead of using A/C. Cuddle up to a loved one instead of blasting the heater. Support your local farmers--you don’t really need an orange from Brazil if you live in California. Read books on-line, directions on your phone rather then printing them, and most importantly: share all this knowledge with everyone around you. Make it fun. Your grandkids will love you for it!

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