Saturday, September 23, 2017 Letter from the Presenting Sponsor
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present the Environmental Media Awards Celebrating OUTSTANDING achievement within the ENTERTAINMENT and ENVIRONMENTAL communities #EMAAWARDS Saturday, September 23, 2017 Letter from the presenting sponsor Good evening ladies and gentleman, On behalf of Toyota and Lexus, welcome to the 27th annual Environmental Media Awards! Tonight we are honored to serve as presenting sponsors and celebrate the 17th anniversary of our partnership with the Environmental Media Association. Over the past 17 years, we’ve helped honor the thought leaders that inspire millions to lead more environmentally conscious lives. Tonight we continue to celebrate the efforts of the entertainment industry and celebrities that shape our culture. After all these years, we are still inspired by EMA’s efforts to promote environmental awareness using the powerful medium of entertainment. Tonight we’ve brought an inspiring vehicle line up to the party. The 2017 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle returns to the green carpet. As one of the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, the Toyota Mirai is a four-door, mid- size sedan with performance that fully competes with traditional internal combustion engines – but uses no gasoline. Instead, Mirai creates electricity on demand using hydrogen, oxygen and a fuel cell, and emits nothing but water vapor in the process. Lexus is excited to showcase its all-new hybrid luxury sedan, the LS 500h. With smooth power and an estimated 33 miles per gallon on the highway, it has a range of more than 600 miles of luxurious driving. On sale in February 2018 with a starting price around $80,000, the LS 500h will be the luxury sedan of choice for environmentally minded drivers. Letter from the presenting sponsor Prius, which means “to go before,” changed the way we move about the world and changed the automotive industry forever. More than two decades and ten million Toyota & Lexus hybrid sales later, we continue to improve how we move on the drive towards a more sustainable future. Congratulations to tonight’s Environmental Media Awards nominees and special honorees, and we thank you for leading us all to a brighter tomorrow. Sincerely, Bob Carter, Executive Vice President – Sales, Toyota Motor North America present the Environmental Media Awards Benefiting the Environmental Media Association HOSTED BY JADEN SMITH Honoring Natalie Portman Michael Bloomberg EMA Ongoing Commitment Award EMA Lifetime Achievement Award Russell Simmons John Paul DeJoria EMA Missions in Music Award EMA Innovator Award Montage International Founder, Chairman and CEO, Alan Fuerstman EMA Corporate Responsibility Award THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Presenting Sponsor: Benefactor: Patron: Toyota/Lexus Biossance Anna Anissimova Bloomberg Philanthropies CBS Premier Sponsor: Bona Creative Artists Agency Participant Media Calvert Dr. Davis Nguyen Tetra Pak Clover Sonoma Fox Earth Friendly Products Hulu John Paul Mitchell Systems NBCUniversal JUST Water Paramount Pictures Kellogg Garden Products Patron Tequila LAcarGUY Family of Dealerships Rush Philanthropic Arts Montage International Foundation Netflix Sierra Energy Star Waggons Sony Pictures Variety The Walt Disney Company WELCOME FROM EMA PRESIDENT Welcome to the 27th Annual EMA Awards! I have been privileged to steer this amazing organization for almost two decades…. and through all our triumphs and disappointments, I think it's safe to say nothing has ever been like this year! Despite all the noise, one thing has become clearer than ever: the need for one unified voice educating the nation and the globe about the dangers of turning our back on the environment and the importance of investing in the future of our planet! Unity and positivity are EMA’s voice. The country is divided and we, as environmentalists are divided in our approach. But, we have one common goal: To create a sustainable economy and a safe earth for our children and grandchildren. That’s our job. We must be positive, and we must come together. Debbie Levin Which is why tonight is so important; tonight, we truly have a cross section of action and solutions. We EMA President have icons of industry, role models for the next generation and leaders of the future. This event and our organization were founded amidst the hope of a new age in education. In 1989, we were an embattled nation as a reactionary regime threatened to undercut a dedicated environmental agenda. But if there is one thing these many years and administrative cycles have taught us, it's all about “us.” Every one of us has the power to effect change. In our homes, in our communities, and in the choices we make every day. It's up to us to protect the future. It's up to us to protect our families. From contaminated water, proliferated fossil fuels, genetically modified foods, floods, fires, melting ice caps, killing off species that had lived on our planet for hundreds of thousands of years before humans walked the Earth, we have seen the adverse effects of our choices. We are the caretakers of Earth. We are mothers and fathers and grandparents, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters. And with this great power, comes even greater responsibility. In this time of great adversity, our planet needs heroes. And tonight, we most certainly have them. Business icon, humanitarian, activist and former Mayor of my hometown, Mr. Michael Bloomberg is a real-world superhero. Mr. Bloomberg’s importance to our planet is immeasurable. He has bravely put his own persona and finances on the front lines of the green movement, as UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change and Chair of the C40 Climate Leadership Group. And as Mayor of New York, Mr. Bloomberg dedicated 20 Billion Dollars to protect NYC against the effects of climate change. And, stepping in where our President walked away, to fund and support the Paris Climate Agreement. We’re so proud Mr. Bloomberg is our 2017 recipient of the EMA Lifetime Achievement Award. We have been watching Natalie Portman exemplify elegance and intellect since she was a young girl. Everything Mrs. Portman does, from acting to activism, is thoughtful, powerful and resonates through her global influence. Embracing a plant based diet as a preteen, Mrs. Portman has always been a mindful resident of planet Earth. For the last decade, she has used her powerful voice to advocate for micro financing, a call to Harvard and other Universities to divest from coal, gas and oil companies and her support for the conscious food movement that can motivate and educate generations. We’re so thrilled to be recognizing Academy Award Winner Natalie Portman with the 2017 EMA’s Ongoing Commitment Award. Russell Simmons. People throw around terms like innovator, groundbreaker, disruptor. I think it’s safe to say Mr. Simmons is all those words and more. From his days changing the face of music to creating a platform for comedy and spoken word and re- imagining streetwear in the last three decades, Mr. Simmons has blazed a path for the many moguls to come after. But what truly makes Mr. Simmons stand head and shoulders above other entertainment luminaries in his fields of business is his ability to learn, pivot and imagine authentic, new directions for himself and his worldwide fans. In the past decade, Mr. Simmons has used his endlessly engaged brain to tune in and turn on his business ventures to the world of spiritual sustainability and championing a vegan lifestyle; with a healthy dose of meditation. Our 2017 EMA Missions in Music Honoree has used his “humble” beginnings as a music impresario to change the way we live, eat and respect our planet. Speaking of total disruption, our next Honoree created his legendary brand by breaking the rules of sales, packaging, and marketing. The quintessential American success story, John Paul DeJoria went from sleeping in his car and selling products out of his trunk to changing the face of hair products, inventing the modern rules of branding. Mr. DeJoria dared to dream of a better kind of tequila when he co-founded Patron Spirits. Along with taste and quality, Mr. DeJoria wanted Patron to be dedicated to sustainable farming. Which is why for almost three decades, Patron has been the global leader in sustainable spirits. Through it all, Mr. DeJoria has believed in personal responsibility and investing in the future of humankind, wildlife, and the planet. Most notably, chasing away poachers as an active member of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and through his personal philanthropic work through the JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation. It is for all these reasons and more that we are honored to give JP the 2017 Global Innovator Award. We all love the Montage Hotels and Resorts. The luxury, the impeccable service, the world class, exquisite on site restaurants. But what many of you may not know is that they are the most sustainable hotel group in the US and abroad. Alan Fuerstman, Founder and CEO of the incredible Montage International has been a lifelong advocate for better business practices and sustainable innovation. I first learned of the inspirational business practices of Mr. Fuerstman and his collection of Five Diamond hotels nearly a decade ago when I was invited to preview the now iconic Montage Beverly Hills. I just couldn’t believe that a hotel as beautiful as the Montage Beverly Hills could also be Gold LEED certified. In the years since opening Beverly Hills, The Montage has continued to lead the way in a dedication for sustainable practices in the hospitality space and are now including the same initiatives across their entire hotel and resort portfolio, making the company an international role model. Not only is Mr. Fuerstman and his Montage International Hotels and Resorts collection a shining example of how to create sophisticated vacation experiences while remaining dedicated to protecting the planet, they are now an active partner of our organization.