Dan's Papers - July 18, 2008 - And Now, "Green Music" at HYT ME Estate

This Fourth of July weekend, as we celebrated the independence of our country, an eclectic group of individuals partied for another cause. At the lavish HYT ME Estate in Water Mill, A-list music, media and corporate executives attended the 1st Annual Green Party, presented by Haven Media Group and Global Kinect. It was a celebration of sustainable efforts in music, media and business.

The unique evening of environmental awareness and music was designed as an educational platform to help guests make sustainable choices. Guests sipped on organic beverages from Mod Mix, Steaz and Veev, and carried animal-friendly bags by Vamp and 100% certified organic cotton bags from Ortolan. A little rain didn't get in the way of the party as visitors stayed dry using Pamela Zonsius's eco-chic umbrella, The Brelli, the world's first 100% biodegradable umbrella (no, they won't melt in the rain, but they will disintegrate faster in landfills).

Listening to the sounds of DJ MIXX and world-renowned pianist and Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition winner Eric Lewis, guests indulged in a variety of environmentally responsible lifestyle options provided by eco-brands - some surprising - that include Heineken, Deep Green Living, Get it Done Spa and Nu Skin, Kaight NYC, Vamp Bags, Pro Bar, Driving Green, Pure Habitat NYC, Winter Brothers Recycling and Envirolution.

Lawrence M. Drake II, President and CEO of Haven Media Group, expressed his thoughts on the importance of this event. "Our goal is to make our guests more environmentally aware while also teaching them how to lessen their carbon footprint. We are challenged every day with combating environmental distress, and as a concerned music company, Haven wants to actively support sustainable efforts that better our planet."

Liat Cohen of Global Kinect, LLC shared her own ideas on why she created the event. "The concept was to do a green party for the music industry, and have it in a totally diverse setting so more people could experience it. It's really big out west, but it really needs some more presence. And it shows how easy it is to green your life in New York."

Drake continued, "There is truly a relationship between the legacy that music represents, and the connection between those people in music and their interest in caring for the planet and leaving a legacy that is beyond their music and beyond themselves. And they use their music to contribute to what they think is the best legacy they can leave - and that is a better place to live."

Haven has many legacy artists who share the same deep-rooted feeling of there being no better thing to leave behind than a better planet. Cheryl Joyner, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, felt the most important message to be taken away from this event was that, "The cornerstone of the Haven business model is true artistry and the preservation of true musicianship, which we find goes right in line with making our planet a more wonderful place to live."

The event offered tips and information on how to live a greener life. Suggestions included using products that are free of ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs), which destroy our ozone layer; cutting back on showers. If a family of four showers each day for five minutes, in one week they would use 700 gallons of water. This is enough water for a person to survive for three years. An aerated showerhead cuts your water output by 50%. If 100,000 families installed low-flow showerheads, that would save 1.4 billion gallons.

For additional information, visit www.wecansolveit.org and www.greenopia.com.