Growing up, I loved ‘N Sync (sorry Backstreet Boys’ fans). My favorite was Justin Timberlake with his blonde, Brillo-pad hair. My daydream involved him singing me a rendition of “Want You Back” and running away with him, but I secretly knew it probably wouldn’t happen. I see parallels today with Zac Efron, the Twilight gang, and the Jonas Brothers.

Image courtesy of Hollywoodgrind.com

I viewed a video on YouTube recently, however, that shook my idea of supposedly innocent celeb crushes. In the video, a 3-year-old girl named Cody cries hysterically for nearly five minutes over her love for another Justin, 16-year-old pop star Justin Bieber. The video ends on a funny note when the phone rings, and she runs off, believing Justin is calling her. The video now has nearly three million views.

Could we take this video as a possible sign about how far our celebrity obsessions have gone since my boy band childhood?

According to an article in Psychology Today, we are hardwired to reach out to celebrities and actually connect with them as people. So, we sympathize with Carrie’s dating woes on Sex and the City, gossip about Tiger Woods’ extramarital affairs, and root for Team Jacob or Team Edward.

By now, I’m sure we’ve all heard about the negative effects the media can have on body image, especially for young girls. Images of frighteningly thin and airbrushed models distort ideas about what defines beauty. We hear about eating disorders and plastic surgery that are female tactics to achieve this “beauty.”

What about Cody and Justin Bieber though? He doesn’t seem to be harming her body image, but could he possibly affect how she handles relationships in the future?

Two British researchers, David C. Giles and John Maltby, have studied the effects of celebrity obsession in adolescents. They divide teenagers into two categories; one group who follows celebrities merely for entertainment and another group that builds intense feelings for celebs. These feelings can often be detrimental. From their study of 191 preteens and teens in the United Kingdom, Giles and Maltby estimate about 1 in every 10 adolescents falls into the second category. They connect these unhealthy obsessions with relationships, especially romantic ones. If a character a teen is fixated upon looks like Jake Gyllenhaal or Megan Fox, the teen may search for a partner who resembles them. But, the effects can be far more dangerous. If a fantasy character has an abusive streak, an adolescent may take this as normal behavior in a relationship and even seek it out.

While I don’t think we need to rid ourselves of the Justin Biebers or Edward Cullens of the world, I do believe in the importance of guiding teens into developing healthy relationships with others. We should not just focus on celebrity couples but focus on everyday couples who have nurturing, strong connections with one another. Real-life love is way better than the made-up stuff.

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A few years ago, photojournalist Rachel Harbut saw a video on the Tsunami that struck Indonesia. Compelled by its message and images, she showed a friend the same video. Equally mesmerized, the friend proceeded to ask her what had happened. Given that the tsunami tragedy was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, not to mention its status as headline news, Rachel was stunned. She says, “Not hearing about a natural disaster wiping over 230,000 people really says something about your world awareness, if not character.”

Inspired by the video, Rachel was on to something big. Her love for newspaper publication and passion for world awareness, left her no choice but to go digital. With just her laptop and YouTube, she started creating media presentations to promote world issues, educate her peers and encourage people to get involved. “I want people to know how fortunate we are in the U.S. and how easy it is for us to help. We have so many resources,” Rachel says.

Want to make a difference but don’t know where to start? Rachel suggests starting with the Internet. “It’s as simple as using Google. You’ll be amazed the little effort it takes to make a huge difference,” she says. Supporting an organization through online participation is an easy way to make a difference. Rachel recommends Nabuur.com, an online volunteering platform that links online volunteers with local communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Through the site, volunteers and local communities learn about each other, share ideas and find solutions to local issues.

Social networking sites are another great resource because they help establish connections and enable us to reach a global audience. Facebook Causes, for example, is a simple and easy way to make a difference in the world around us. “Use the Internet for good things and be a part of something that lasts. The Web’s resources can make a positive impact across the globe… it’s simple. It’s logical. It’s only fair,” stresses Rachel.

The crisis in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and an issue dear to Rachel. This global issue is responsible for  45,000 deaths each month and reigns supreme for committing the world’s worst crimes against children and women. Considered the most deadly war since WWII, the conflict in DRC is in need of urgent attention.

Have the desire to help but find it difficult to donate? “You can still help even during hard times and the recession. It’s not always about money. Spread knowledge and be compassionate about something other than yourself,” Rachel says.

Through videos, Rachel hopes to redirect the world’s attention and focus of the media. “Don’t be fooled by the Britney Spears image. There’s much more to life than that. For those that thrive on peace building or just willing to help, here’s an opportunity to make a big difference. Collaborate with others, encourage healthy ways of living and promote peace. Don’t forget to share it with the rest of the world,” Rachel advises.

Check out one of Rachel’s videos:

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Roz Savage, a record-setting eco-rower, has proved that change occurs one stroke at a time. In 2005, she rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Then, in 2008, she became the first woman to row alone from California to Hawaii—the first stage of a three-leg journey geared toward raising awareness about ocean pollution.

Savage is doing this three-part adventure from California to Australia to bring attention to crises impacting the oceans. The Britain-native said it took her 99 days and 1 million strokes to make the 2008 voyage from California to Hawaii, but Savage said it takes many small steps to make a change.

“I want to be living on a comfortable and safe planet in the future,” Savage said. “I think we’ve realized we are living together on this little planet and this is all we’ve all got.”

In addition to her public speaking engagements, Savage is spreading the word about ocean pollution utilizing social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Youtube. When she is not blogging, she is tweeting on Twitter.

In May, the five-foot-four, 120-pound adventurer will begin the second leg of her journey to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific. Her mission: row from Hawaii to Tuvalu, 2,620 miles of vast open water.

Using hand-held cameras, Savage will document her entire voyage through what has been dubbed by marine experts as the “garage patch” of the Pacific, or the North Pacific gyre. Plastic pollution in this area outweighs plankton 30 to 1, according to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation.

“We are just trying to figure out how to get people to care.” Savage said. “If we’ve got sick and dying oceans, we’ll have sick and dying people.”

Savage needs $25,000 in total for the next trip. And with about 60 more days to find the funds, Savage is unyieldingly optimistic. To meet her financial needs, Savage is soliciting contributions from the public at www.rozsavage.com.

“The more funds we have the more we can do with our outreach.” Savage continued, “And I really believe if I’m doing the right thing for the right reason. The money will turn up.”

The data networking technology company Brocade is Savage’s main sponsor, contributing about $100,000 for the entire Pacific row. Go Pro has donated cameras, but funding is still needed for other provisions such as freeze-dried food, among other necessities. Tech-savvy volunteers are also needed to help upload Savage’s archived blogs.

Safety is something Savage will not compromise to cut costs. She knows firsthand the dangers of the sea, as her first attempt crossing the Pacific (from California to Hawaii) ended with a U.S. Coast Guard rescue. Then on her second and final attempt rowing from California to Hawaii, Savage nearly ran out of water. She was helped by fellow seafarers and hydrated enough to complete the journey.

The launch date’s looming, but Savage has not slowed down. She will speak at the Blue Planet Summit this month along with Philippe Cousteau. “To be honest, I don’t get a kick out of the rowing, but I get a kick out of helping people,” Savage said. “I really enjoy the correspondence and I love doing the motivational talking.”

Before growing her sea legs, Savage had a lifestyle most would covet: a lucrative career, a husband, and a red sports car. Jaded about her corporate life, Savage wrote two forms of her own obituary. The exercise helped her realize her potential. Savage got a divorce and became a nomad. She has been rowing ever since.

“For many many years I had dreams, but I didn’t’ think I could do them.” Savage added, “I found since I started living life this way—life has been just brilliant.”

photos courtesy of roz savage

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Most of us have come to expect that people with enough talent to garner celebrity have that status go to their heads.  Not so with Tristan Prettyman, the 26-year-old singer/songwriter from San Diego.  Despite being an accomplished artist, a successful competitive surfer, and a former Roxy model, Tristan could easily be in our own group of friends. This California girl has accumulated quite the impressive resume. As an artist, Prettyman has debuted high on the Billboard charts, toured with both Jason Mraz and G. Love, and released two successful albums the world over.  Most recently, she’s released a live EP exclusively through iTunes, but Tristan did not always plan to get into the music business.

Originally, Prettyman expected to go into professional surfing. “I thought it would be cool to be a pro surfer, but I didn’t like the competitive aspect of it,” she told IAmThatGirl.

Even when she knew she didn’t want to pursue surfing, music was not Prettyman’s first thought. While in college studying business communication, all she wanted to do was work and travel in that industry. In fact, it was her parents who encouraged her in the decision to pursue music over school! Like surfing, music just fit for Prettyman and her parents could see that.

“It’s crazy that surfing and music are the only things that stuck to me,” she explains. “Those are the things that stayed constant. It’s like one I get to make a career out of and the other I get to keep personal.”

Prettyman still surfs “as often as [she] can.” But her musical pursuits have taken center stage. Currently, Prettyman is going around the country promoting her sophomore album Hello. Contrary to some media speculation, her album is very introspective.

“It’s more about my last two years, all the traveling, all the touring,” she said. “I’m more mature, more adult, and it’s just about having a better idea of who I want to be and what I want to do. It’s a growing period and I’m just sharing all that.”

Prettyman is all about sharing her experiences. It’s a refreshing aspect to see in an artist and it makes her relatable. She maintains this persona with her sincere dedication and constant communication with her fans. Her blogs, MySpace page, and website are just a few of the places where fans can learn more about her and feel like they know her.

“I’ve always done it from the beginning…I wanted to always include everyone,” she told us. “Fans have been a part of this experience from day one and, to me, it’s important to have them with me. I don’t want it to be about me all the time. I have nothing to hide.”

It’s fortunate that she is so personable and unabashed. There are tons of comments and questions on her MySpace page, website and YouTube videos. “People are curious, you know?” she said. Prettyman explained that through keeping up her blogs and staying connected with her increasing fan-following, she gets to do what she’s doing and “learn so much from the world.” She describes her music experiences like therapy, allowing her to realize new things every day.

In our interview, Prettyman proved that her openness is not just talk. She willingly shared any information with us, from her worst fashion mistake (jean shorts, a crop top, Dr. Martens, and blue eye shadow) to her wise definition of success. “I think [success is] just doing something you love and being happy. It’s how fulfilled you are in friends, love, business, mind and body. Combined, I guess.”

However, the one question she was not able to answer is what makes her such a talented, songwriter. Prettyman laughs in explaining that it’s “very bizarre” how writing just comes to her. She also admits that she doesn’t want to know where it comes from. “If I know more about it, it may go away! I just hope it keeps coming!”

And so do we. Prettyman’s popularity is growing and we can’t get enough.  Prettyman is doing what she loves, staying connected to her fans, and creating awesome music along the way. But it’s her unassuming, down-to-earth outlook that really intrigues us about her.

“At the end of the night, I don’t feel like an artist,” she says laughing. “Is it bad that I don’t have an attitude, that I’m just kind of normal? I mean, everyone ends up being much more comfortable when you’re just yourself. Am I like weird? I’m just being myself; it’s much easier.”

That’s why we love her.

Check out Ticketmaster for Tristan’s stateside tour which begins August 1st.

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