Tom Hanks, megastar of the '80s [1], '90s [2], and today [3], has released a video [4] on his myspace [5] page that features him driving around in his jerry-rigged electric car. Hanks giddily emphasizes that the car uses electricity, charges by being plugged in, and doesn't require a drop of gasoline. The bad news? Despite being one of the richest and happiest people on the planet, and even starring in a video made specifically to flaunt his cool stuff, Hanks is still too charismatic to resent.

Movie star and noted humanitarian Natalie Portman recently went to Rwanda and filmed a documentary [6] with Jack Hannah calling attention to the plight of endangered mountain gorillas. Needing an escape from the recent brouhaha over her nude appearance in a short film [7] released through iTunes [8], rumor has it Portman was shocked and saddened to learn of the iPhone's popularity even among primates in remote locations.

Last week Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger finally signed a bill [9] that requires manufacturers to prevent small pieces of plastic that kill marine life from finding their way into the ocean off the California coast. While some environmentalists applauded the move, others were busy recovering from shock over the fact that there hadn't previously been any such legislation.

Worst-Batman-Ever Val Kilmer not only lives in an eco-friendly treehouse, but is also planning to invite others to do the same [10]. Kilmer's home in the sky sits amid 6,000 acres of otherwise uninhabited forest, which Kilmer intends to turn into "an eco-village [11]." Apparently, the eco-friending of this pristine wildlife calls for introducing wealthy humans to the area, leading many to hope Kilmer will become a little less chummy with nature in the near future.

Earlier in the week, Second-Worst-Batman-Ever George Clooney became an executive board member [12] of a new unnamed Swiss alternative energy [12] company. The incredibly talented actor and director was reportedly approached by company founder Nicolas Hayek, who says he pursued Clooney for the position after deciding that Al Gore was probably too busy. Seriously.