Wanna see design renderings for Madonna's sustainable all girls academy? Which eco-documentaries got nods from the Academy Awards? What's the NFL doing to lighten the impact of this year's "big game?" Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

Madonna Building a Sustainable School in Malawi In an effort to give back to the nation that gave her two children (David and Mercy James), Madonna and her foundation Raising Malawi are set to break ground on a state-of-the-art girls' school in Malawi, featuring solar panels and gray water recycling.

"Food Inc." and "The Cove" Get Oscar Nominations If you haven't checked out these eco-documentaries yet, maybe it's time to give them a gander. Both of the films have been nominated for Best Documentary Feature. Personally, I think I'm rooting for "Food Inc.," but don't tell anyone. It's not that I don't love dolphins.

Six Ways the Super Bowl is Going Green For the fourth year in a row, the NFL is purchasing renewable energy credits to match the power it consumes in the preparations for the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, as well as the two games themselves, of course. Check out TriplePundit for the other five ways they're going green.

Gore's Satellite Revived by Obama Administration In 1998, VP Al Gore proposed a satellite that would monitor the Earth's climate from space. The satellite was built, then placed in storage for a decade. Now, it looks like the craft may finally get launched by the NOAA. But isn't its technology way outdated by now?

2010 Car of the Year Will Most Likely be a Hybrid How do I know that? Well, because among the five cars nominated for the prize of "World Car of the Year" are the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Mercedes S400 Hybrid. The only car not operating off of a hybrid platform is the VW Golf clean diesel.

Green in a Flash:

• Tristar is launching a line of jeans that you freeze instead of wash.
• Does the Ford Fusion have brake issues similar to those of the Prius?
• Approximately 10,004,603 Kilowatts/hrs will be consumed by TVs tuned to the Super Bowl on Sunday.

We love celebrities! Even more, we love celebrities who use their fame to bring attention to good causes, like dolphins, clean water, solar power and animal rights.

Like any popularity contest, our favorite celebrities change over time. And some of them we love more than others, because really, all of that advocacy can get just a bit strident at times.

Wondering who's eco-star is rising, and who is falling out of favor? Here's our take on the top 5 Eco-Friendly stars for 2010, and the celebrities from whom they're stealing the titles!

Who says that Hollywood star power isn't a clean source of energy? Why is Cheap Trick re-wording one of its hit songs for the environment? Will the Prius get sucked into the massive Toyota recall? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

"Valentine's Day" Production Goes Green I'm referring to the movie, of course, not the holiday. With perhaps the most star-studded cast in history, "Valentine's Day" managed to keep it's production-print small with solar panels, hybrid trucks, reusable sets, stainless steel canteens and biodegradable dishware.

Cheap Trick Records "Green Police" for Audi Considering the controversy over the "Green Police" Super Bowl ads, I've been wondering why doesn't Audi just change the name to something less Nazi-related. Well, it appears they hired Cheap Trick to re-record their hit "Dream Police" as "Green Police." So, there's that.

Kate Moss Goes Meatless Apparently, Kate Moss has given in to the constant pleading of friend Stella McCartney. No, Kate isn't going to ditch her much-maligned fur collection, but she has agreed to take on the Meat-Free Mondays ("Meatless Mondays" in the UK) challenge.

Will the Prius be the Next to be Recalled? Right smack in the middle of the largest (and most over-hyped) recall in Toyota's history, there's a new rumor that the 3rd-gen Prius is having software-related brake problems -- which may result in another round of recalls. Competitors are smelling blood in the water.

Wanna Make Your Own Soda? According to Grist, 80% of soda bottles never get recycled. But don't worry, slashing your soda-print is actually much easier than you might think. Cut out the middle man (and his plastic) and enjoy cola creations of your own design. Check out these DIY soda how-to's.

Green in a Flash:

• Christie's has announced its first ever Green Auction.
• Steve Wozniak says his Prius is having acceleration problems.
• China has now become world's largest wind power producer.

Kittens! Puppies! So adorable, but sadly there are far more sweet baby pets than homes to take them. One of the kindest, and greenest, things you can do as a pet owner is to spay or neuter your four-footed friends.

To encourage this responsible owner behavior, The Humane Society of the United States' and Humane Society International sponsor Spay Day. It's an annual event to encourage people to spay or neuter your pet, as well as feral cats.

The official Spay Day is the last Tuesday of February, and the 16th annual Spay Day will be Feb. 23, 2010. To generate awareness of the problem, and to raise funds to support spaying programs, HSUS and HSI are hosting the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest, with VISA and Zazzle as corporate partners.

Looking for a LEED-certified place to eat good and look fabulous in Vegas? Why are people hating on Audi's Green Police Super Bowl PSAs? Have you ever bought a salmon fillet at Target? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

Eva Longoria Parker Opens Green Vegas Nightclub Hungry Vegas tourists looking for some earth-conscious Latin cuisine can drop by Eva's new restaurant and nightclub Beso. The LEED-certified building features Swarovski crystals reclaimed from an Oscars chandelier, local foods and even compostable to-go boxes.

Audi Green Police Super Bowl Ads Stir Controversy I have no idea how these ads are supposed to help Audi sell cars, but their chuckle-worthy Green Police PSAs are getting plenty of attention because the "Green Police" unfortunately share their name with a Nazi group. Personally, I prefer the Green Team anyway.

Paul McCartney Writes for Goop Goop guru Gwyneth Paltrow has invited Paul to bring his Meat-Free Monday campaign to her greenish newsletter. Writes Paul: "All it means is that you have to think a bit about what you'll eat that day but, in actual fact, far from being a chore, it's a fun challenge."

A Machine Turns Office Paper into Something Useful Ever wanted to wipe your butt on those obnoxious, wasteful memos that pile up on your desk? Now you can. Japanese inventors are marketing a machine called the "White Goat" that pulverizes TPS reports, converting them into toilet paper. Hopefully, it's staple-free.

Target Banishes Farmed Salmon Taking a stand against farmed Salmon (namely the parasites and disease spread in salmon farms) Target announced that it is banning all farmed salmon, opting for the sustainably-caught ocean variety instead. Did you even know that you could buy salmon at Target?

Green in a Flash:

• GMO tomatoes could stay fresh for 3 months. Appetizing?
• Check out these lamps made from recycled ink cartridges.
• Painting roofs white could lower a city's temperature by 0.7°F in the summer heat, but could have the reverse effect in cold weather.

With Valentine's Day coming up, creative green minds are working overtime looking for eco-friendly gifts for your sweetie. Vegan chocolate is one way to go. Garden "bon bons" are another (inedible but still delightful) way!

Garden Bon Bons are beautifully (and we presume sustainably) packaged handmade seed ball "truffles" that look like gourmet candy. But don't try to eat them, unless you're a bird, because they're made of seeds, compost and clay.

Inspired by "garden bombs" used by guerilla gardeners these pretty gardening gifts come in two "flavors:" Herbal Tea or Italian Herb. Both are very affordably priced at $14.95 and available on the Garden Bon Bons etsy site.

Not all green cars have hybrid engines and not all hybrid vehicles are necessarily green. In 2009, both diesel and electric vehicles began to redefine what a green car is and highlighted the differing paths available on the road to sustainable transportation. Each platform has its drawbacks; electric and hybrid vehicles use batteries that are great when they are in the car but when their lifetime comes to a close they become an environmental nightmare to dispose of; and while diesel engines have been able to approach fuel economies in the range of hybrids, they still emit more carbon dioxide and other heavy metals than electric and hybrid engines. A great green car must walk a tight line between balancing the environmental impact of the vehicle with the basic need to deliver a dependable and practical automobile.

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
While Europeans never grew apart from diesel engines, in the American market they gained a reputation for being "dirtier" than gasoline powered cars. With "Clean Diesel" technology rapidly increasing fuel economy across the Atlantic, European manufacturers are betting that the United States can once again embrace diesel engines for more than just pickups. The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI incorporates a clean Turbocharged Diesel engine, and in addition to offering hybrid-like fuel mileage (30 city/41 hwy), it provides something that hybrid cars often can not match – power. The Jetta TDI turns out 236lbs/ft of torque at modest RPM levels, providing much more thrust than you would expect from a "clean" engine. The Jetta TDI's "common rail" direct injection system reduces greenhouse emissions to just 0.67 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile.

2009 Toyota Prius
The pioneer in hybrid engine technology is still at the top of the pack when it comes combining innovative technology with unmatched fuel economy in a dependable and practical automobile. The 2009 Toyota Prius contains the "Hybrid Synergy Drive," which consists of a 1.5L four-cylinder engine and two electric motors – one devoted to providing front wheel power and the other for recharging the battery packs. Its average fuel economy of 46 mpg and low carbon emissions are joined with a variety of other perks like Bluetooth capability, an auxiliary audio jack for MP3 players and JBL speakers.

Should Punxsutawney Phil be replaced by a robot? Which eco-celebrity believes in Tree People? Need some eco-friendly Valentine's Day tips? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

PETA Calls for a Robotic Groundhog According to PETA, it's cruel to treat a defenseless groundhog like a weatherman. That's why they're calling on the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to replace Phil with a robo-groundhog and let the famous rodent fill the rest of his days with normal groundhog activities.

Emma Watson Talks About Tree People For the record, Tree People is her clothing line, not a reference to "Lord of the Rings" (she's more the Harry Potter type). Says Emma: "I'm doing this range because I really care about fair-trade and ethical fashion...It sounds like a cliché, but we are the future."

Jennifer Taylor Reveals her Greatest Eco-Sin In a recent interview with Eco-Stiletto, the "Two and a Half Men" star revealed her most heinous eco-sin: "Long showers. It's bad. I don't spend a lot of time but I do take the kids in the shower with me and then I let them stay in so I can put my makeup on. They love it in there!"

Sexy Eco-Valentine's Day Lingerie Looking to surprise your Valentine with a new set of eco-sexy undies? Ecouterre has put together a list of 14 pieces of earth-friendly lingerie to help you heat up the bedroom without heating up the planet. There's still plenty of shopping days before the 14th.

The Greenest Way to Light a Candle Whether you light candles for the romantic ambiance, to relax, or just because they smell good, we can all stand to reduce our fire-print by ditching plastic lighters. Short of rubbing sticks together, Umbra says that recycled cardboard matches are the most eco-friendly option.

Green in a Flash:

• An artist has turned a Hummer into a horse-drawn buggy.
• Will the President's Nuclear energy bonanza be a bust?
• Is your carpet out-gassing creepy birth control vapors?

After nearly two years of dire predictions about the imminent extinction of honey bees, it appears that whatever was causing the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) may be easing up.

According to a Journal of Apicultural Research survey of beekeepers, reported in the New York Times, beekeeping operations are reporting fewer lost colonies that do not have dead bees in or around the hive. An "empty" hive is the primary indicator of CCD.

Last winter the rate of colonies lost to CCD was 26%, down from 38% and 36%, respectively, during the previous two seasons. Even more heartening, only 36% reported colonies with symptoms of CCD, down from a high of 60% three winters ago.

Gisele gave birth in a what?! Will your siding last 100+ years? Which city wants to charge residents $13 for every gallon of rainwater that they let run into the storm drain? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

Gisele Opts for Natural Childbirth Rather than book a room at a five-star facility equipped with the strongest sedatives and softest beds, the UN Environmental ambassador (and supermodel) gave birth to her son in her own bathtub -- no c-section, no sedatives, just breathing and self-hypnosis.

Bark Shingles Making a Comeback? Vinyl siding contains PVC and lasts about 20 years. Contrast that with organic, sustainable and maintenance-free bark shingle siding -- popular in craftsman style homes in the early 20th Century. Bark siding installed on buildings in 1895 is still going strong.

5 Eco-Friendly Tips for Apartment Dwellers Looking to make the most out of your apartment, but don't want to spend the big bucks on eco-upgrades for a place that you're just renting? Grist has a has a wealth of tips for renters who want to maximize their home's efficiency.

LA Mulls Rainwater Mandates Officials in Los Angeles are weighing an ordinance that would require new homes and developments to capture and reuse a 100% of runoff in a 3/4" or less rainfall. If you've ever tinkered with rainwater collection, you know that's a ton of water to figure out what to do with.

The Eco-Modding Craze Hits Pickups Thanks to the tireless tinkering of aerodynamics hobbyist Phil Knox, this '94 Toyota T100 gets 32mpg on the highway as opposed to the factory rating of 23mpg. I wonder if he can use the bed? The aesthetics are kind of a drag (though not literally).

Green in a Flash:

• Check out the details on Obama's $8B rail stimulus.
• Should you buy some stock when Tesla goes public?
• A Chicago artist has designed a mobile garden rail car that will be towed around behind CTA trains.

Packaging is one of those things that, once you start noticing it, you can't stop. Why does cereal need to come in a bag inside a box? Does that DVD really need to be shrink wrapped? And don't even get me started on wasteful individual serving packaging, like Starbucks Via.

I just read about an exciting development in liquid container packaging, over at Triple Pundit. Ecologic Brands is a new company that goes by the tagline, "packaging the Earth can live with" -- and it could change everything!

Ecologic created a recycled paper/plastic pouch "hybrid" bottle that can be recycled and composted. The outer shell -- the paper part -- is made from old cardboard boxes and can be composted. The inner pouch is made of highly recyclable #4 plastic and uses 70% less plastic than a traditional plastic jug.

As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, we're all paying more attention to our carbon footprint. Measuring carbon footprints is complicated -- different items are measured on different scales, and many of the measurements are based on research that weighs varied criteria.

When determining a carbon footprint, we must look at both the primary footprint that can be controlled (such as how much oil we use and how often we wash our clothes). We must also consider the secondary footprint, which is the amount of energy that is used to make the oil and water available to us. Still, it is interesting to compare different aspects of our lives to see what has the greatest negative impact on the earth.

Hamburgers vs Hummers: If you were going to compare the carbon footprints of eating meat versus driving an SUV, you might look at the carbon study of a hamburger by Jamais Cascia. According to the study, America's consumption of hamburgers leads to 941 to 1023 pounds of greenhouse gas per year. It is believed that eating hamburgers is equivalent to 7,500 or 15,000 large vehicles. Compare the average of habit of 150 hamburgers a year to the yearly footprint of a Hummer and you get an average of 56 kilograms of carbon emissions versus 11.1 tons of CO2. It's a good thing we don't eat Hummers, but even better that every hamburger eating American does not drive a Hummer.

Why would a schoolteacher reject an offer to turn her eco-book series into blockbuster films? Is Bin Laden really trying to appeal to environmentalists? Really? Think road rage is a fairly phenomenon? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

Johnny Depp Gets Denied London school teacher/author Saci Lloyd turned down an offer from Depp's production company to turn her cult-favorite book series, "The Carbon Diaries," into a movie (presumably featuring Johnny himself). Instead, she chose to keep it local, going with a UK producer.

Osama Bin Laden Wishes He'd Joined Greenpeace In his latest demented video rant, the world's most wanted psychopath appears to have suddenly grown a deep love for the environment, blaming the US economy for climate change, desertification, and floods. His solution? Dump the US dollar and boycott US goods.

The US Added 9.9 Gigawatts of Wind Power in 2009 Finally, some positive green energy news! According to AWEA, the US added enough wind generating capacity to supply 2.4 million homes -- the largest one-year gain in US history. However, it looks as though 2010 probably won't be another record year.

Jerry Springer is an Environmentalist?! He's not a media parasite bent on destroying human decency, he just plays one on TV. At home Jerry Springer is apparently quite the outspoken environmentalist. He recently sat down with MNN to discuss his views on how to combat climate change.

A Brief History of Road Rage, from Disney Do you long for the "good old days" when a motorist could enjoy the open road, happily taking in the scenery along their commute without the fear of entitled, road raging drivers? Well, according to awesome Goofy cartoon, these good ol' days never happened.

Green in a Flash:

• Wanna make your own DIY snuggie out of recycled materials?
• Automakers are focusing on car-pedestrian collision safety.
• A town in Turkey has banned fireworks because they scare mating loggerhead turtles.

On Wednesday, President Obama dedicated a significant section of his State of the Union address to a pitch for clean energy, encouraging the Senate to pass a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill.

Today he backed up his words with a pledge to reduce the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2020. The move will save the country $8 to 11 billion dollars. That's the way to lead by example!

It's a strong political gesture, for two reasons:

Why is Brad Pitt buying a cave? Will Apple's iPad change the face of green computing? What did you think of President Obama's State of the Union address? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.

Brad Pitt Buys Cave House The green housing advocate recently expanded the Jolie-Pitt compound with the purchase of a neighboring 1920s-era home with a cave built into its foundation. Does this cave fit into some kind of geothermal energy plan? Will he hide treasure in it?

Alicia Silverstone Shares her Shopping List Alicia is scheduled to share her eco-friendly shopping tips with Oprah's audience today. A few items that raised my eyebrows are: Hemp milk and field roast sausages. Do those taste better than they sound? Check out this video of Alicia at the grocery store.

How Green is the Apple iPad? The whole world is abuzz with news about Apple's latest web-surfing, e-reading, mp3-playing gizmo. According to Engadget, the iPad is "highly recyclable" and free of PVC, mercury, arsenic, and BFR. Still, will it replace old gadgets, or become a new addition?

Obama's State of the Union Although much of the green blogosphere's reaction to last night's SOTU address has been tinged with disappointment and frustration, there was a fairly significant focus on energy policy and green jobs. Check out Treehugger's breakdown of last night's address.

Florida's High Speed Rail Hopes If you tuned it to last night's address, you may be wondering about that high speed rail project in Florida the President mentioned. Well, today he's reportedly traveling to Tampa to announce that the nation's first bullet-train will get $2.5B worth of federal funding.

Green in a Flash:

• Check out this awesome, self-contained indoor herb garden.
• An awesome-looking DIY Honda Motorcycle mod gets 214mpg.
• Artists have constructed a comically small bridge, made from recycled materials, to draw attention to a leaky pipe in Queens, NY.