The rise of the celebrity supporter has given a public face to important issues being dealt with around the world. Hollywood heavyweights have offered their name and support to important causes for decades, but only recently have celebrities been able to have tremendous influence over issues such as global warming, world hunger, poverty, and HIV/AIDS research. Celebrity charity work has not always been carried through in this way. For example, Audrey Hepburn devoted her life to UNICEF with very little fanfare and public knowledge, making her charity work virtually unknown and under publicized until after her death. When the United Nations was formed, many of the original members never dreamed that George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, and Bono would be three of the most influential ambassadors in the organization. However, celebrity endorsement is the new face of charity work in the 21^st century, and for better or for worse, there is a tremendous amount of excellent work being done by rich and famous. The following is a list of some of the top eco-superstars that have used their celebrity to confront global warming and other important issues.

Brad Pitt made quite the impact on the green movement in 2008 through the development of his eco-friendly housing project in the Lower 9^th ward of New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. After partnering with Global Green, Pitt founded Make It Right, an organization devoted to the preservation of community and culture in New Orleans. The project has involved everyone from everyday citizens who have the opportunity to “adopt” a home and donate money, to celebrities such as Mike Holmes and Ellen Degeneres who have added their own contributions to the fund. All in all, Brad Pitt is doing an excellent job of “making it right” for those who have experienced extreme trauma and are in need.

Portia de Rossi and Ellen Degeneres are no strangers when it comes to donating to charities and communities in need around the globe. However, only recently did this dynamic duo add “eco-friendly” to their list of accomplishments. After realizing their faux pas as fashionistas by wearing calf skin and fox fur, de Rossi and Degeneres decided to challenge each other and adopt a vegan diet. Degeneres credits animal cruelty and the use of factory farming as her main inspiration for giving up meat, but also recognizes that a vegan diet is a very sustainable way to live. De Rossi and Degeneres are fantastic role models when it comes to charity work and their impact on green sustainability is yet another inspiring cause that leaves these two lovely ladies in good stead.

Leonardo DiCaprio has been forefront and center in leading celebrity activism and the green movement for the past couple of years. He has inspired many of his peers such as Penelope Cruz and Orlando Bloom to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and has made excellent progress in confronting global warming. DiCaprio has been involved in numerous different projects such as his work with saving the polar bears, documented by Vanity Fair in 2007 in a provocative photomontage with Knut, a thought-provoking polar bear cub who symbolizes the devastating consequences of global warming. DiCaprio has also recently been involved in a green housing project in Greensburg, Kansas. Much like Brad Pitt’s project in New Orleans, DiCaprio, in partnership with Planet Green, will rebuild houses that have been destroyed by a tornado with economically and environmentally sustainable sources. Leonardo DiCaprio is a green superstar and is the poster boy for eco-awesome celebrities.

Cate Blanchett is a relentless activist for the green movement and works with her family to promote the awareness of climate change. Blanchett and her husband power their house and their company, Sydney Theatre Company, at which the couple work as the artistic co directors, with solar panels and recycled rainwater. Blanchett and her two sons participated in the Walk Against Warming Protest in 2006 and she remains a very outspoken and prominent figure on the international stage for climate change awareness.

Ted Danson is a lesser known activist and has been much underrated as an eco-awesome celebrity. He has worked for years to promote understanding of the need to ensure the sustainability of the ocean and has focused primarily on Oceana. Dating his activism all the way back to 1987, the Cheers star is one of the most respected and humble activists to come around. Ted Danson was very famous in the 80s through to the 90s as a television star. As he has gotten older, he is less famous as an actor but has continued to lend his name for a noble cause. Danson has been a prominent figure in the preservation of oceans and has participated in numerous important protests throughout his career. Through his work with Oceana, Ted Danson is truly a role model for aspiring activists and green-thinkers everywhere.

Natalie Portman is not only beautiful, intelligent, and talented but is also eco-friendly. The Harvard graduate is a vegan, a human rights activist, and has associated her name with a low-energy light bulb company. She continually goes out of her way to promote sustainability and awareness of climate change, and does so without much publicity. Portman is classy and suave in her activism for a greener planet and is admired for her overwhelming and extremely influential role in creating change and awareness.

Chris Martin has stolen the hearts of girls around the world as the lead crooner for the popular British band Coldplay, but he has gained particular attention for his reluctance to become just another pretty face and has become a prominent figure in social and climate related issues. Make Fair Trade is Martin’s favorite cause and he has used his band to create awareness about the Third World countries that have been crippled by the World Trade Organization. Chris Martin makes Fair Trade a prominent aspect in his concerts by modeling his politically influential tattoo on his hand as he plays his songs, and makes sure that the fans see “Fair Trade Now” on the side of his piano. Martin has said that he does not have any political power, but he does have influence over public opinion as an entertainer and musician. It is this realization that has allowed Chris Martin to educate the youth of today and Coldplay fans around the world about the importance of fair trade.

Stella McCartney is using her fashion line as a form of environmental activism, earning her the spotlight as one of the most eco-friendly designers. McCartney has been a vegetarian all of her life, and with the influence and inspiration of her father, she has designed a vegan line for her clothing company and refuses to use fur or leather in any of her pieces. She has also incorporated eco-friendly and organic materials throughout her line such as denim, her Adidas shoe line, and her accessories. McCartney is a part of multiple charities including PETA, Oceana, and the Humane Society. Not only has Stella McCartney established herself as a prominent and successful designer, but she has become a positive and determined social activist, using her craft to create change and awareness.

Bono is a tough man to ignore when talking about the most influential celebrities on the environment and society. Bono confronts global issues with a sense of intensity and purpose. He is not afraid of getting his hands dirty and has been an outspoken member of the United Nations. His work in the AIDS pandemic has received overwhelming attention from the world at large and he has given his name to almost every celebrity-endorsed charity created around HIV/AIDS activism in Africa. Bono has been heavily criticized for his work in global activism, but there is no doubt that he has brought attention to some of the most important issues in the modern world.

Hayden Panettiere is a wonderful influence for young people everywhere, especially those interested in taking part in a cause of their own. At only eighteen years old, Panettiere traveled to Japan to protest the dolphin hunt in the town of Taiji. Although Panettiere was not able to stop the hunt, her protesting gained international attention and earned her serious brownie points with her fans and peers. She has used her fame and youthful energy to tackle troubling issues that are being hotly debated. The Heroes star is defiantly a celebrity to watch to see the impact she will make in animal rights change in years to come.

Written by :

dmatt

 

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