Recently, I was inspired by the UR Sustainable’s Facebook page to look into celebrities that have gone green. After checking out the witty “Gosling goes Green” series on UR Sustainable, I decided to Google other celebrities that have adapted the green lifestyle. Much to my surprise, there are many stars who have crusaded for sustainability! Here are some of my personal favorites:
Leonardo DiCaprio: Not only is this Wolf of Wall Street a Golden Globe winner, he also has his own charity, creatively called “The Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation” dedicated to “protecting Earth’s last wild places and fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world. Projects underway currently include protecting tigers from extinction, saving the last rainforests, protecting our oceans, saving sharks, protecting Antarctica, and providing access to clean water. Swoon
Gisele Bündchen: This Brazilian beauty was named Best Green International Celebrity at the 2011 Green Awards for her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. One of her initiatives includes the Drop of Water Movement, which “aims to prevent the construction of the Bel Monte Dam in Brazil,” which would destroy large areas of the Amazonian rainforest. She has the beauty and the brains.
Natalie Portman: Black Swan? Call her the Green Swan. Natalie Portman advocates for a vegan lifestyle, saying that “the human cost of factory farming – both the compromised welfare of slaughterhouse workers and, even more, the environmental effects of the mass production of animals – is staggering.” Additionally, she has filmed a documentary in Rwanda about endangered gorillas, designed her own vegan shoes, and advocates for eco-friendly engagement rings.
Brad Pitt: This hunk co-founded the Make It Right Foundation in 2007, which aims to “build 150 environmentally friendly homes in a New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.” The timeless beauty has also hosted a PBS series on green design, aiming to educate individuals on the economies of being environmentally conscious.
Do you know of any green celebrities? I encourage you to Google some of your favorites, you may be surprised!
Written by: Lauren Henry, class of 2014