Even the Oscar is going green

Welcome to the Green life, Academy Awards.

It’s Oscar week. And while almost everyone is thinking about the golden statue, producer Laura Ziskin and the entire production team are thinking green.

The “team endeavored to select supplies and services with a sensitivity toward reducing the threats we face from global warming, species extinction, deforestation, toxic waste, and hazardous chemicals in our water and food,” The Academy Awards Web site says.

Creating a statute with recycled plastic? Let’s get real.

Making those thousand dollar dresses with eco-friendly fabrics? Um, no.

Stocking those gift bags with all natural cosmetics? Probably not.

But the Academy Awards site does give tips on saving energy on the road, saving energy at home, saving resources at home, saving resources at work and conserving water. Here’s the section on you guessed it—the field of greens specialty, food—or supporting organic and sustainable farming as those Hollywood types would say):

• Ask for organic produce. Often, organic produce costs more and is more difficult to get, but many supermarkets and greengrocers are willing to stock organic food if they know customers will buy it regularly. Talk to your friends and neighbors about their willingness to buy organic and then let your produce manager know that many customers are interested. As organic produce becomes more commonplace, prices will drop.

• Deal directly with organic food growers and suppliers. If you can't find a local grocer who will stock organic food, contact organic growers and suppliers directly or visit a local farmer's market.

• Become a Community Supported Agriculture supporter. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives bring together local farmers and consumers. As a member of the cooperative, you pledge to cover farm operation costs for the season. In return, you share in the harvest. CSA farms are not all organic, but they all strive to operate sustainably.

• Farmers: cut down on pesticide use. Innovative and successful farmers around the country are switching from conventional pest management practices, which are heavily reliant on pesticides, to profitable alternative agricultural practices that substantially reduce pesticide use.

There you have it folks—the ways those glamorous stars like Oscar winning leading ladies Halle Berry, Hillary Swank and Reese Witherspoon become glamorous stars.

(OK, so none of those actresses made Grist’s list of the greenest celebrities but Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett and Cameron Diaz did. Hunky hunks Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Brad Pitt did too.)

Until next time, happy eating.