Because it’s refreshing to see celebrities try out a little eco sometimes.

Actress Jessica Alba was recently spotted enjoying a day of family fun with her husband, Cash Warren, and three-year-old daughter, Honor, at the L.A. County Fair in Pomona. She looked casually cool in slouchy capris, a loose top with shoulder cut-outs and flats. Out favorite part, however, is her necklace from the Futurelore collection from Kyler by Joy O and boosts some serious eco-cred. The pieces in Kyler’s funky geometric collection are all made from upcycled scrap steel and recycled precious metals and created to stand the test of time and trends. Designed by Joy Opfer, the Anode Collar Necklace, as Alba’s piece is called, is made from two recycled steel intaglio pendants and will set you back about $98.

Now, if she could only ditch that bottled water…

Images courtesy of Kyler by Joy O.

They’re building national parks, protecting endangered species, revealing environmental injustice and making crucial decisions that will affect the future of our planet. Or, maybe they’re just making it cool to be vegan. But in all their varied contributions, these 20 women – from global environmental leaders to community activists – are using their power, fame or sheer will to make the world a greener place.

Vandana Shiva

Perhaps no woman alive fights harder for the rights of female farmers than Vandana Shiva, an Indian philosopher, physicist, ecofeminist and environmental activist. Shiva is an outspoken critic of industrialized globalized agriculture and proponent of traditional, sustainable farming methods, and has written about the impacts of corporate international trade agreements in books like Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit as well as Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply. She founded the Navdanya movement to counter corporate seed control in 1991.

Lois Gibbs

In 1978, Lois Gibbs’s picture-perfect suburban life in Love Canal, New York turned into a nightmare when she realized that her neighborhood was built on top of a toxic dump, making residents sick and causing birth defects. Outraged, Gibbs organized a community effort against local, state and federal governments, leading to the evacuation of Love Canal and the creation of the EPA’s Superfund program, which locates and cleans up toxic sites around the nation. Gibbs later founded the Center for Health, Environment and Justice and wrote several books about the effects of toxic waste.

Daryl Hannah

No Hollywood armchair activist, Daryl Hannah isn’t afraid to get dirty – or arrested – for environmental and social causes. She was jailed for chaining herself to a walnut tree to protest the demolition of the nation’s largest urban farm in South Central Los Angeles, drank biofuel to prove its safety, got arrested again for her role in a protest against mountaintop removal mining and dipped her hands in oil-contaminated water in Ecuador. Hannah, who lives on a sustainable farm in Colorado, vlogs about sustainability weekly at her website DHlovelife.com.

Simran Sethi

Simran Sethi is a familiar face in the world of environmental journalism, appearing to give green tips and discuss sustainability on programs like The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She’s also a contributing environmental correspondent at NBC News, co-host and writer for the Sundance Channel’s The Green, creator of Sundance web series The Good Fight and co-writer of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy.

Wangari Maathai

The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots environmental organization advocating for human rights, good governance and peaceful democratic change through environmental stewardship. The Green Belt has assisted women in planting over 20 million trees on farms, school properties and church compounds and spurred a tree-planting initiative across Africa. The former Kenya Parliament member has gained much-deserved worldwide recognition for all of her hard work.

Frances Beinecke

Frances Beinecke might not be a household name, but she’s more influential than you realize: she’s the president of the National Resources Defense Council, and has been involved with the organization for three decades. Beinecke has helmed some of the NRDC’s most ambitious and successful campaigns, fighting to protect polar bears, preserve our offshore environment and safeguard the health of children.

Majora Carter

Not so long ago, Hunt’s Point Riverside Park in South Bronx was an illegal dumping ground. Now, it’s a beautiful place along the Bronx River for local residents to enjoy green space and fresh air – thanks to Majora Carter, an environmental justice advocate and writer, producer and co-host of several radio and television programs. Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx), a non-profit organization that spearheaded a number of Bronx cleanup initiatives and started a green collar job training program. She’s now an environmental consultant.

Sylvia Earle

She’s been called “Guardian of the Sea”, and says she’s happier in a wetsuit than on land. Legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle is 74 and still actively exploring the oceans, recently getting an up-close-and-personal view of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence has led more than 400 undersea research expeditions and was named Time Magazine’s very first ‘hero for the planet’ in 1998. Author of a cornucopia of books on the sea, Earle is also executive director for a number of environmental organizations including The Conservation Fund and Ocean Conservancy.

Jane Goodall

Nobody in the world knows more about chimpanzees than Jane Goodall, who spent 45 years in the jungles of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park observing their lives and challenging conventional notions about their diet and behavior. Goodall pioneered the belief that chimps were capable of rational thought and emotions and has since become a global leader in the effort to protect them and their habitats.

Laurie David

A longtime trustee on the Natural Resources Defense Council, Laurie David is most renowned for producing the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which played a big role in focusing America’s attention on global warming. David also produced the HBO documentary Too Hot to Handle, and regularly plays a large role in environmental projects like the Stop Global Warming Virtual March.

Mei Ng

“What kind of world will we leave to coming generations?” That was the question that led Hong-Kong born Mei Ng to enter the world of environmental activism, a path that has led to her current position as director of Friends of the Earth. Ng’s volunteer work as a housewife in the 1970s brought her into contact with victims of childhood cancer, sparking a passion to protect children from environmental toxins. Her work earned her a spot among the United Nation’s Global 500 Roll of Honor in 2000.

Julia Butterfly Hill

Can you imagine caring so much about a single tree, that you’d spend two years of your life among its branches, your feet rarely touching the earth below? Julia Butterfly Hill did just that in 1998 and ’99 for the love of “Luna,” a 200-foot redwood tree that was in danger of being felled by loggers. She didn’t come down until an agreement was reached with the logging companies to give Luna a 600-foot buffer to protect her from destruction. Hill’s dedication brought nationwide attention to the problem of deforestation.

Alicia Silverstone

The lovely Alicia Silverstone – perhaps best known for her role in iconic ’90s flick Clueless – is much more than just a model and actress. This animal lover, who lives in an eco-friendly solar-powered home in Los Angeles, is an avid animal rights activist and appeared in a memorable 2007 ad for PETA. But these days, Silverstone has been winning a lot of converts to the vegan lifestyle: her book, The Kind Diet, topped the New York Times bestseller list.

Marina Silva

She was the 2010 Green Party candidate for President of Brazil, gaining an impressive 19.4 percent of the votes cast. She was a colleague of renowned environmental activist Chico Mendes, who was assassinated for defending the Amazon Rainforest. But Marina Silva’s work for the environment is what really makes her stand out, earning her a place among the United Nations’ Champions of the Earth in 2007. Silva, a native Amazonian, fought for environmental protection of the Amazon during her time as a senator and as Brazil’s Environment Minister and remains one of the country’s top activists.

Carol Browner

Few people have more say in some of America’s most crucial decisions about the environment than Carol Browner, current Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy and former head of the EPA. Her pragmatic approach to environmental issues has won both praise and criticism from environmentalists, but there’s no doubt that she has and will continue to make a big impact. As EPA administrator, Browner started the Brownfields Program which cleans up contaminated land and facilities and brings them back into productive use.

Alice Waters

Crusader for organic and local foods, chef Alice Waters pioneered the fresh style of California Cuisine and has been hailed as a ‘foodie hero’. Owner of Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, Waters successfully launched the bid to start a food garden on the White House lawn and created the Edible Schoolyard Project, a hands-on educational initiative teaching kids to raise, grow and prepare their own food using fresh ingredients. Waters is often credited as a major driving force in the current popularity of pesticide-free, fresh, healthy foods.

Habiba Sarabi

In 2005, Habiba Sarabi made history when she became Afghanistan’s first female governor, appointed by President Karzai to run the province of Bamiyan. It was a bold move, but Sarabi had no intention of meekly maintaining the status quo despite her country’s views on women in power. Knowing that Bamiyan is one of Afghanistan’s most beautiful areas, known for the massive Buddha statues that were destroyed by the Taliban, Sarabi has campaigned to turn the natural charm of her home into a money-making tourist attraction. Her work includes the establishment of the Band-e-Amir National Park.

Lisa Jackson

Fighting against the big businesses that pollute our air, waterways and communities is no easy task, especially when they’ve got billions of lobbying dollars on their side.  And whether you agree with her even-handed approach or wish she would take a bolder stance, Lisa P. Jackson, the current head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is one of our most important allies. With nearly 25 years of environmental leadership under her belt, Jackson looks for ways to compromise with corporations and is without a doubt one of the leading female influencers in our nation.

Sangduen Chailert

Known as Thailand’s Elephant Queen, Sangduen ‘Lek’ Chailert developed a deep love for endangered Asian elephants as a child when her grandfather adopted a baby elephant named Tongkum, or ‘Golden One’. So it’s no surprise that she is now one of the most prominent advocates for the animals, which are threatened by poaching and habitat encroachment. Lek’s conservation work has been highlighted in documentaries by National Geographic, Animal Planet and the BBC.

Images: wikimedia commons,  ohio citizen, dhlovelife.com,  simransethi.com,  center for neighborhood technology, treehugger, mospeaks,  noaa.gov,  wikimedia commons,  lauriedavid.com, women of china,  juliabutterfly.com, peta, wikimedia commons, wikimedia commons, david sifry, white house archives, wikimedia commons, mikka22

Recently, I got caught in a paparazzi crush. It wasn’t the first time. I live in Hollywood, and I’m used to the occasional swarm. I think it must be similar to living inside a beehive or getting caught in a zombie crush. Creatures clearly lacking reason fly at you from all angles, pushing and shoving to get a picture of the latest celebutante or, much more rarely, an actual actor.

But my latest experience with the paparazzi was a little different. I was walking up a street in my neighborhood, more known for its hipster hangouts than hot Hollywood enclaves. Crossing the street, a car suddenly careened into my path. I did what any rational pedestrian would do – I dove the heck out of the way. A man jumped out. I looked around, expecting to see an accident. Why else would someone screech his car to a stop in the middle of the street?

Then I saw his camera. And other cars were slamming to a halt, blocking the intersection, scrambling to surround a black livery sedan. Within seconds, two huge bodyguards stepped out of the car. “Come on, guys, give us some space,” one pleaded as he waved his linebacker hands in a sweeping motion.

Seconds later, the bodyguards were holding back the photographers. It was like there was a terrible emergency and you needed to give paramedics some space to save a life. Instead, it was just mayhem, screaming – and me, highly annoyed I was stuck in this crowd. So I stomped my way through the paparazzi, walking straight past the bodyguards. They ignored me, clearly unimpressed with my glare and my stomping.

Just three feet away from the black sedan, the door opened; massive amounts of white blonde hair and a jaunty cap spilled out. I expected to see a Hilton or maybe a Kardashian in a wig fall out of the car. Instead, a toddler climbed out. He turned his little head towards the crowd of people screaming for his attention.

And then one of those surreal moments happened – you know, when time seems to slow down, the movie score rises up in a big, dramatic moment, and you think, “Is this really happening?” Little Man just stood there, brave and quiet, looking at the crowd. He was probably only alone on the sidewalk for all of five seconds, but again, we were in Movie Surreal Moment. Then his mother stepped out of the car and grabbed his hand. They turned together, ready to face the photographers together.

Me? I got out of there so fast I never got a good look at Little Man’s mother, though I have my suspicions as to who it was. I was unsettled. Little Man had looked so brave when he stared at the throng of photographers. He was a tiny Max looking at all the wild things. But there was nothing cool and Spike Jonze-y about this moment.

Yes, the public has a fascination with celebrities. And the likes of Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum, and Gwen Stefani all signed up to be stars. But why are their kids Maddox, Ava, Violet, Leni and Kingston being pulled into it as well? (And why do I even know their names?) Won’t someone think of the children?

The California state legislature has responded. As the Huffington Post reports, a law was recently passed fining photographers up to $5,000 or a year in jail for breaking traffic laws or impeding the operation of a celebrity’s vehicle.

Sean Burke is the founder and CEO of the Paparazzi Reform Initiative. As he explains, “This new legislation we’ve supported imposes jail terms for paparazzi driving recklessly in the pursuit of a photograph. Their incarceration time can increase to a year if a child was put at risk during the car chase. We feel this new law will improve public safety in general and hopefully prevent anyone else from getting hurt.” Europe has passed even tougher laws, and now the children of celebrities are obscured in many photos.

After my latest paparazzi run-in, I marched home and vowed to avoid all celebrity child photographs. Two hours later, I clicked on a link about Angelina Jolie and was directed to a picture of her daughter. Fail on all ends. Celebrity, paparazzi, and the publicity machines that they serve seem unavoidable in our current culture. Yes, don’t look at the pictures. But better yet, support legislation to reign in this behavior. And be very, very careful crossing the streets of Hollywood.

Image: oddwick

I’m going to keep this short and sweet – start taking the stairs ladies, because shorts are the new dress this summer and they are, well, short!

From the red carpets to the night clubs, shorts are heating up the scene as quickly as the rising temperatures outside.

Jessica Simpson rocked a pair of cut-offs with statement shoes and a refined blazer on a night out. Follow suit and get a pair of daisy dukes from Re Collection and a pair of jaw-dropping shoes from Calleen Cordero – where the Italian leather is vegetable dyed and the wooden bases are sourced from a sustainable forest.

Or, take your look up a notch and allow Stella McCartney to create a look that is both office and evening appropriate. Next time you are headed for a fun night out, give your little black dress a break and slip on a pair of shorts instead.

Whether you have just stepped off a plane, are running errands around town or are sightseeing in the city – sneakers are your new companion with benefits! Not only are they super comfy but they are having a resurgence in also being considered super stylish. With luxury brands like Jimmy Choo turning to high-tops as the new high heel, this statement cannot be disputed.

From Gucci, to Louis and Dior – sneakers are sweeping the streets! So where does an eco-conscious fashionista scoop up a pair? From Autonomie Project. Producing the Ethletic shoe line, their classic high-top sneaker is made with 100 percent fair trade-certified organic cotton canvas. The sole is produced and stamped with FSC-certified all natural and sustainable latex. That means the rubber was actually tapped from a tree in a well managed and growing forest instead of being made from chemicals like other rubber products. All dyes used on the canvas are PCP and AZO free.

Put your best foot forward, and be as stylish as you are sustainable!

We wish more of you in the spotlight would bask in the green light, including Olympic poster boys, platinum-capped rappers and Hollywood idols who consume our fascination. What they own, where they live, what they drive, what they wear, what they eat: It drives our popular culture.

Imagine the potential impact of the young and wasteful who make the choice to get on board the eco movement beyond peddling torn tights and alternative energy fluids like Red Bull.

True, not every ingenue puts herself on the line, like Hayden Panettiere, who traveled to the Japanese village of Taiji to protest the dolphin slaughter. And not every handsome screen idol can fill Leo’s shoes, lending his support to countless causes, like the upcoming Christie’s International Green Auction to raise mega bucks for four non-profit environmental organizations.

We don’t judge the slackers harshly because, well, the dangling adverts and chauffeured SUVs are hard to pass up. But we urge the following stars to try out for a more worthwhile role, that of sustainable spokesperson for a hurting planet.

Shaun White Red Bull and Target Line: Adverts Not Medal-Worthy

The world’s best uber-snowboarder and top money maker can make a huge dent by being more selective about endorsements, promoting healthy, sustainable products. But Shaun White has aligned himself as an extreme Red Bull energy drinker (should we drink it to board like him?) and a line of boy’s wear at Target to name a few. Some of the garments are cotton (and not organic) but the sweats contain a lot of plastic polyester. This would have been a great chance to score a green eco line, a hot move for sure. After all, his Target advert made the screen at Times Square. That’s power!

Sean Kingston: My Super 18 Reflective of Phat-Pack Lavish Cribs and Bling

The five pound gold watch says it’s time for Sean to green his act. Perhaps a casualty of MTV Cribs and other entertainment flaunting the lavish lives of the rich and blung, the rapper’s idea of  a birthday is staging a Super 18 bash at Jungle Beach in Jamaica with his entourage, iced in $100,000 of new jewelry and adding a new car to his fleet. The native of Kingston could do so much more to send the right message. Conspicuous consumption? Zzz.

Lindsay Lohan Has Holes in Her Eco Story

Perpetually in trouble (last stint was falling into a patch of succulents), Lohan is adding hand bags to her questionable 6126 fashion line, which also includes green leggings. She needs to go the way of Project Runway’s Leeann Marshall and others who are investing in green that is more sustainable than trashy. In this case, Mama may actually know best because Dina Lohan launched an eco-friendly toothbrush that might get more support that the 6126 hose. Lohan should really get on board the green bus with true commitment, forgoing the junk food and drugs and getting healthy to set an example for her fans.

Miley Cyrus Needs to Deliver that Eco Line without Inconsistencies

“I’m a vegetarian but I hate vegetables and eat pasta everyday,” she was quoted saying, as thousands of young fans listed with baited breath. Great. One day she is reaching out to recruit green teens. The next she is swapping out her Toyotoa Prius for a Mercedes SUV. Ecorazzi says Miley blames the recall but the truth is her dog outgrew the hybrid. This is a mega rich, red hot star who has cashed in on her Hanah Montana products – most of them cheesy polyester girl’s wear sold at Sears, Walmart, Macy’s and other big box stores. Even her Target bedding (what kids breathe in nightly), is filled with toxic textiles. Why not use the good stuff, Miley? You would be even richer when it comes to promoting healthy living.

Team Beckham: Gas-Guzzling Cars, Real Estate, Mega Miles, Sugar Adverts, $1.5 million Shopping Sprees

One critic of the soccer star went so far as to accuse him of “causing global warming.” That’s because the family man (Victoria and three little forwards), reportedly among other accusations, owns a fleet of 15 cars (including an Escalade) and racked up more than 250,000 frequent flier miles last year. And he can spend the money he earns to bend. According to MSN, he spent a cool three grand to fly his pampered bulldog pup in luxury from England to Beverly Hills through a VIP service that included special care. He also has endorsed high sugar products, a no-no for athletes and greenies alike. Then again, wife Victoria is said to own $2 million in Hermes Birkin bags, and reportedly dropped $1.5 million shopping for a single season in Milan, claiming “shopping is like a drug.” Yep, that’s why most of us stay away from Via Montenapoleone when in Milan.

Images: alacoolb, Style News, Ecorazzi, Infobarrtell, Addict, Hauteliving

Is Alicia Silverstone just another Hollywood pretty face? As if! This adorable, animal rights “Betty” is anything but Clueless. Ever since the release of her best-selling book, The Kind Diet, the vegetarian celebrity’s become a leading voice for the green foodie movement, advocating the benefits of a plant-based diet to the mainstream.

Covering everything from the benefits of buying second-hand, to cruelty-free fashion and garden composting tips, her blog now boasts 15,000 subscribers. Supporting sustainable businesses and experimenting with earth-friendly practices, she doesn’t just talk the talk, but also walks the walk!

So what can we learn from Alicia’s Kind Life movement for Earth Day?

1. Transitioning to a veg-friendly diet is one of the best things we can do for the planet.

“Despite all of our recycling, energy saving, and water conservation,” explains Alicia, “most people still don’t know they can have the greatest impact on Earth adopting a plant-based diet.”

We hear so much about carbon and global warming, and yet methane emitted by livestock accounts for 19 percent of total global emissions. If everyone in the U.S. gave up meat, we would reduce U.S. emissions by six percent overnight. We’re supporting billions of livestock in factory farms that take up precious resources like water, grains, and land. It takes 11 times the energy to create animal protein than grain protein.

Finally, you might have heard: just reducing our meat intake by 20 percent creates the same energy savings as switching a standard car for a Prius.

Doesn’t have to be hard, just check out Meatless Monday for inspiration and make the start of the week meat-free.

2. Buy less material goods

We waste so much energy on materialistic goods, when much of what we buy travels thousands of miles from where it’s made to only end up collecting dust on our shelves. I love that instead of promoting ecologically-void brands, Alicia shops on Craigslist, uses freecycle.org and helps spread the anti-consumerist Story of Stuff. She’s big on giving handmade gifts from Etsy too. Consider all these great sources before buying your next toy.

3. Consume less water

Having started a Take Back the Tap Facebook Campaign, I was impressed how much great information Alicia provided during this year’s World Water Week – including how to make your own low-flush toilet. Flushing less water can save hundreds of gallons of water a month as well as taking shorter showers. So Alicia says, “Don’t flush unless you have to!” She also goes as far as recommending waterless car washes in auto-obsessed L.A., how awesome is that?

I respect that Alicia raves about the movie “Flow” to grasp the world water crisis, and unlike other female stars, she’s savvy enough to stay clear of bottled water marketing.

But like many vegetarians, for Alicia “eating kindly” is the ultimate water conservation method. She explains that one 16 ounce steak uses the amount of water needed for six months worth of showers!

4. Get your hands dirty and know thy food

So you’re already shopping at the farmer’s market. Why not take the leap and start to grow your own veggies? Learn the principles of organic gardening in permaculture. If necessary, start with herbs like basil and mint in individual pots or a simple raised bed for lettuces. Alternatively, support your local CSA and get some beautiful produce delivered to your door. Check out what’s in season and eat accordingly.

Then get a worm-friendly compost bin to save food waste from going in landfills.

5. Buy eco-friendly products

Now more than ever, we get to vote with our dollars. We can rant or rave about products through social networking tools and word-of-mouth marketing. So Alicia says choose wisely! Her blog provides lots of links to “living well” resources like earth-friendly make-up and home design.

Ultimately, Alicia’s Kind Diet celebrates Earth Day everyday. But whether you become a flirt or Superhero, these tips for Earth Day will contribute towards a greener planet.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post courtesy of Vera Churilov. Vera is a health educator and writer on sustainable food and plant-based living. You can read more of Vera’s work at Nourish the Spirit.

Tie dye conjures up snap shots of music festivals in mud from a period past, but with a modern spin this trend is back in! In fact, it has a sister trend to support it – the dip dye. With both, the key is to not have the dye look too calculated or crazy. It’s an interesting balance, but one that adds a bit of texture to your outfit in a fresh new way.

Jaws dropped in utter lust at the Proenza Shouler S/S 2010 runway show, and celebs quickly caught the tie dye trend, pairing it with solid casual pieces to make it effortless and cool. We are loving the eco labels who are on top of this spring trend: Jonano, Frei and SUST.

From bold colors to more of the subtle tonal fades – this is a look that is ripe for spring weather with a little attitude! Keep your accessories neutral and let the tie or dip dye piece make the statement. The best part about this trend is that it is a true day to night converter. So ‘fess up: you are loving this trippy trend as much as we are!

This is the first installment in new fashion writer Greta Eagan’s column, Trending, on seasonal fashion trends and how to green them up. Say hi to Greta!

Graphics: Greta Eagan

You’ve got a closet full of vintage frocks from the thrift store, a house full of energy-efficient appliances, organic sheets on your bed and a Prius in your driveway. It’s not exactly “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” but these choices aren’t about status – or are they? A new study on the evolutionary psychology of status and environmentalism finds that many people go green for appearances, not real altruism.

After all, the image-conscious needn’t tote teacup Chihuahuas in Chanel purses and drive gas-guzzling sports cars to be like celebrities when hip stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz are cruising around in hybrids and carrying reusable bags.

In the recently published paper, “Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous Conservation,” (PDF) University of Minnesota professor Vladas Griskevicius asserts that people will give up luxury in favor of sustainability – but only when other people are watching.

“Many green purchases are rooted in the evolutionary idea of competitive altruism, the notion that people compete for status by trying to appear more altruistic,” notes Griskevicius.

Griskevicius and his colleagues performed three experiments in which participants were asked to choose between luxury items and greener options when shopping for a car, household cleaner and a dishwasher.

Some of the subjects were told to imagine that they were about to start a new high-powered job where they’d need to impress their boss and co-workers in order to move up. These people – with status in mind – chose the green products.

Of course, this study doesn’t mean we’re all strutting around like organic peacocks hoping our neighbors will notice our sustainable superiority. But thinking about this from another point of view, what is wrong with environmentally friendly choices being the cool thing to do? In a perfect world, motivation would extend beyond the surface for everyone. Some of our fellow environmentalists will disagree, but whatever compels status-conscious consumers to make green choices is worth applauding – for a perfect world it’s not.

Image: Notions Capital

It’s my annual winter visit home in L.A. and we’re braving the dreaded dead heads, again. Yes,  several of my family’s favorite restaurants are decorated – and disgraced – with massive, wild animal trophies on their walls. Trophies, indeed.

Now don’t get me wrong. My people aren’t hunters, just valley folks who like meat. My father’s side came from the meat packing industry in Nebraska. My sister-in-law’s kin founded Hoffy, the packagers of those hot dogs sold at the iconic Pink’s and plugged by singer Pat Boone. My relatives don’t mind seeing deer heads and bear skins tacked on a wall while enjoying a good rare steak. But my daughter does.

“It’s barbaric,” exclaimed 10-year-old, Lauren, with tears in her eyes, when confronted with the stuffed buffaloes, gophers and bucks mounted at Clearman’s Northwoods Inn in Covina.

Dining at the Inn has long been a post-Disneyland stop, starting with my parents when we four kids were little ranch hands. Cherie and Aaron really went in for the burgers, bowls of red cabbage and the mugs of beer, not to mention the buckets of peanuts and ever so folksy tradition of discarding the shells onto the redwood floor. Yes sir, kids, good clean American fun, except for those sad eyes on the stuffed heads with antlers.

The prized kill passes for nostalgic western memorabilia. And it is shocking for a sensitized child to encounter the animal trophies of yore, which emerge as the anti-green in their eyes. It’s especially jarring for Lauren after spending the day at the “happiest place on Earth“, a theme park peopled with woodland critters personified as our pals.

Try to explain to a child why trophies remain on our walls at a time when we shun fur coats and animal testing, a time when global campaigns are waged to protect our defenseless forest friends.

“This restaurant is very old, like from the 60s, and they hung the trophies because it didn’t upset people back then,” I assure my girl,  hoping she will settle down and agree to eat dinner with us. When she was younger I lied to her, telling her the animal heads at the Inn were fake, just like the taxidermy dioramas at the old San Francisco’s Academy of Science, just replicas of real animals. But now, I have to be honest and apologetic and coax her to remain inside the joint and enjoy her meal amid the walls of death. It’s getting more challenging.

I have to admit, I forget about the taxidermy at the Inn until I’m there and Lauren falls apart. I don’t think we will return next year. Really, the salad swimming in mayo and peanut shells on the floor aren’t worth the battle.

And yet, there are more miles to go on this annual trek before I rest.

My brother has made a dinner reservation at the Saddle Peak Lodge to celebrate my mother’s 82nd birthday. The upscale grill in Malibu Canyon is a favorite of the tony celebrities who live in my brother’s exclusive gated community of Hidden Hills, a ranch-filled paradise where multi-million dollar spreads are interspersed with horse trails and dog runs for its animal loving residents. I hear J-Lo just bought a large property there for just herself and the twins. Don’t tell the tabloids!

The problem is the Lodge they all love showcases numerous animal trophies on its walls, as well as exotic game on its overpriced menu. Holy antlers!

This time, I’m protesting. I have put up a stink about returning to the Lodge for yet another celebration; you’d be surprised how much convincing it has taken. Still, it looks like Lauren has won out this time. We will not be back in the Saddle Peak again, bypassing it for a new hip Hollywood spot, BLT Steak on the Sunset Strip with $40 entrees and $10 side dishes of mac and cheese, lobster mashed potatoes and poached green beans. The modern and stark eatery has no dead heads – just large prints and paintings of  various cows and bulls, a sort of homage to the fare you will be enjoying.

Ironic, isn’t it? Those who wouldn’t think of wearing a fox coat to dinner agree to linger over $52 New Zealand Elk Tenderloin amid the corpses. The roaring fire, the delicious wine, the tender elk, all can make you forget. Make you forget, that is, unless you happen to be a 10-year-old child of the eco age.

This is the latest installment in Luanne’s column, Life in the Green Lane.

Main Image: Fury Scaly

Northwoods Inn, Saddle Peak Lodge