From the Hill…

Those of you who thought that Kevin Costner’s career was all wet, you were absolutely right. Taking a rather odd move, BP has thrown their cleanup business at Hollywood. In a plot that could have been lifted out of a movie, Kevin Costner stepped forward to promote a device that he says will aid the oil spill disaster – the exact same thing his character did to Dennis Hopper’s oil rig-fortressed villain in Waterworld.

(Waterworld, by the way, was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures in 1995, the year that Seagram Company Ltd. [booze people] and Conoco [oil people] were granted a controlling stake in MCA/Universal to the tune of $5.7 billion. It was a shaky relationship, and conspiracy theorists have gone to great pains revealing that several of the movie’s poor critical reviews appeared in publications whose owners had close ties to oil companies, including BP. Did the oil industry want Costner’s efforts to go dead in the water in 1995? It adds a whole new layer to the story, that’s for sure.)

Costner has invested some $20 million and spent the last 15 years developing oil-separating centrifuge machines. (Hey, he’s had a lot of off-time between cinematic bombs.) His manufacturing company, Ocean Therapy Solutions, which advances his brother’s research in spill cleanup technology, was endorsed by not only BP, but by the New York Times. In his testimony before Congress this month, Costner discussed the device’s operation, explaining how it spins oil-contaminated water at a rapid speed, which separates the oil and captures it in a containment tank.

BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles ordered 32 of them. He said the additional machines will be used to build four new deep-water systems: on two barges and two 280-foot supply boats.

“We tested it in some of the toughest environments we could find, and actually what it’s done,” Suttles has said. “This is real technology with real science behind it, and it’s passed all of those tests.” He reports that Costner’s device has proved effective at processing 128,000 barrels of water a day.

In his congressional testimony, perhaps citing experience having difficulty marketing his latest movies for general audiences, Costner recounted his struggle to effectively market the centrifuge. He explained that although the machines are quite effective, they can still leave trace amounts of oil in the treated water that exceeds current environmental regulations. Because of that regulatory hurdle, he said, he had great difficulty getting oil industry giants interested without first having the approval of the federal government. This is a very real concern – innovation on spill technology has been slowed in part due to federal regulation intervention.

The last time Costner invested millions into a national disaster, he came up with The Postman. So what do you think? Is this another big budget flop? Or might we be chanting a different – if familiar – message:

If he builds it…

Editor’s Note: This is the latest installment in Christopher Correa’s weekly column, Hill/Street Greens, examining the environmental deeds (and misdeeds) of Washington, D.C. and Wall Street.

Image: John Griffiths

The post BP’s Hollywood Ending: Kevin Costner Turns Gulf into Personal Waterworld appeared first on EcoSalon.

A movie star has a solution to the BP Oil Spill crisis and “The Biggest Loser” helps reduce more than pounds. This is what’s making us say “I Want My Green TV!”

Kevin Costner Makes Penance for “Waterworld”

Anyone who was watching the news in New Orleans last week might have been shocked to see an unlikely celeb throw his hat in the ring to help clean up the BP oil spill mess.

Especially since said movie star, Kevin Costner, was responsible for one of the last greatest atrocities committed against the oceans – “Waterworld.” Perhaps as penance for the mega-flop, Costner stepped forward on WGNO news with a possible solution to the environment’s greatest problem.

Costner is a partner in a company called Ocean Therapy Solutions. They have a technology that separates water and oil through centrifugal force – sounds like the stuff of sci-fi movies, no?

This seems like a better plan than using golf balls. But if the brain trust at BP does decide to go that way, let’s not forget that Costner has some experience in that field, too. His character in Tin Cup was known for shanking balls into water traps.

Stay tuned to your local news and you might just see another impromptu Costner press conference in the next few days. BP is going to be running tests with the OTS system sometime this week.

“The Biggest Loser” Reduces More than Weight

On this week’s “Biggest Loser” Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels took a moment to tell the viewers about another way they help reduce on the ranch. In an interstitial sponsored by Brita, the two uber-trainers explain that for the past four seasons “The Biggest Loser” has partnered with the water company to save more than just lives.

They are helping to save the environment, too. Their FilterForGood program encourages the cast, crew, and viewers to stop using bottled water, a major source of pollution in our landfills – and even worse, our lakes and oceans.

They stated that the campaign has saved over 128,000 bottles on the ranch alone. And the website estimates saving over 194 million bottles through the viewers at home who have taken the FilterForGood Pledge.

Okay, here’s the commercial part. Just buy a Brita water pitcher and a FilterForGood water bottle. Then you can filter your own water and drink out of your own washable bottle. Voila. No more plastic in the landfills.

And if you log on to the website now, you can also enter to win a week on “The Biggest Loser” Resort at Fitness Ridge courtesy of Brita.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, “Biggest Loser” trainers Bob and Jillian also always remind viewers that drinking water does help you lose weight because it fills you up when you feel hungry and keeps you hydrated which helps you burn fat. Double win.

Tune in next time to see what’s cropping up on green TV.

Image: Courtesy of NBC.com

The post I Want My Green TV: The Biggest Loser Bans Bottled Water appeared first on EcoSalon.