Although celebrities activism has a negative connotation– with Twitter screaming “woke” every time new awareness appears out of nowhere– some social activists believe that celebrity support is one of the most effective strategies to raise awareness about social issues.
Climate change is the most critical issue of our time, and we are at a crucial juncture. Climate change’s effects are global in scope and unparalleled in scale, ranging from altering weather patterns that imperil food production to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding.
After more than 150 years of industrialization, erosion, and large-scale agriculture, atmospheric greenhouse gas levels have reached new highs not seen in three million years.
The total amount of greenhouse gases released increases as people, economies, and living standards rise. As a result, several celebrities increasingly use their positions to call for change. Here are a few examples.
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1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, leaders who believe that fighting climate change damages the economy are “dumb or liars,” according to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Before the COP26 climate meeting, California’s previous governor told the BBC that cutting carbon emissions would boost the world economy.
According to the Terminator star, cutting back on meat does not mean sacrificing something; instead, cutting his own has made him healthier. He also slammed international trade for polluting the environment.
Mr. Schwarzenegger stated in a wide-ranging interview for BBC Radio 4’s 39 Ways to Save the Planet series that California’s sustained economic success and prolific job creation “proves carbon dioxide reduction and wealth growth go hand in hand.
“They are both liars and idiots. They may be unable to do so due to a lack of knowledge,” he claimed, “because we worked it out, and it’s just about having the courage to do it.”
From 2003 until 2011, he served as Governor of California; Mr. Schwarzenegger became a clean air and renewable energy champion, setting goals to cut exhaust pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Leonardo Dicaprio
One of the most visible and outspoken climate change advocates in Hollywood is Leonardo DiCaprio. For decades, Leonardo DiCaprio has put his money where his mouth is regarding climate change.
Seriously, he founded his eponymous nonprofit (now part of Earth Alliance) in 1998 to enhance the planet’s health and well-being.
The actor has also served on the boards of organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and has produced several environmental documentaries.
He even used his 2016 Oscar acceptance speech to bring attention to the issue. He stated, “Climate change is real.” “It’s happening right now; it’s the most pressing challenge our species has ever faced, and we need to act together and stop procrastinating.”
3. Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda remarked in the New York Times on her campaign against climate change, “I don’t want to look back and wonder whether there was anything else I could have done to help save our world.”
Over the last few years, the lifelong activist has made news for her (pre-pandemic) Fire Drill Friday rallies on Capitol Hill, which resulted in her (and some of her friends).
Aside from publicly lobbying for change, Fonda has authored a book on her experiences on the front lines, What Can I Do? and pledged to forgo buying new clothes to reduce her carbon footprint.
4. Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo, the star of the Avengers, is another well-known environmentalist. He formed Water Defense, which works for clean water, in 2010, and has been outspoken about fracking in recent years, criticizing lawmakers for failing to safeguard the environment.
His activism is also mirrored in the film: In 2019, He played a lawyer in Dark Waters, a true-crime thriller. He plays a lawyer who finds the truth about a chemical corporation that poisoned a community with toxic materials for decades.
5. Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley, star of Big Little Lies, is no stranger to taking to the streets in favor of environmental causes and has even been arrested while opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline.
She’s also teamed up with Greenpeace, joining the organization on an expedition into the Sargasso Sea to help investigate plastic pollution in our oceans.
She has frequently shared some of her smaller, personal efforts to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, such as eliminating single-use plastics from her daily life.
6. Don Cheadle
Like his fellow Avengers co-star Chris Evans, Don Cheadle has been an outspoken advocate for climate justice.
As a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s Environment program, he works with the Solutions Project, an organization committed to sustainable energy and assisting women and people of color conducting leadership work in this field in their communities.
“I intend to utilize my popularity to inspire others and help bring our global community back from the edge,” he said at the United Nations. “I’m astonished that the environment isn’t at the top of the priority list.” “What is more essential than food and clean air?” you might wonder.
7. Prince Harry
Many royal family members have raised environmental awareness, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue this work.
They’ve made several public appearances to raise awareness about the issue, and Prince Harry is involved in conservation work with the NGO African Parks. He’s even stated that the pair will only have two children due to environmental concerns.
He recently assisted in establishing WaterBear, a streaming service dedicated to information about conservation. “When you become a father, everything changes for you.” Then you think, ‘Well, what is the point in bringing a new person into this planet when it’s on fire?'” he explained.
8. Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith urges his young followers – and their parents – to become more involved in environmental problems.
“It’s incredible how interested the youngsters have become.” And they have to stay active,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation last year, speaking about his participation in international climate demonstrations. “However, the link [with parents] is vital. Parents will eventually realize that things must change.”
Last year’s star-studded TED climate program, Countdown, featured the 22-year-old alongside Al Gore, and she is also campaigning for clean-water rights in towns like Flint, Michigan.
9. Blackpink
Blackpink, the K-pop sensation, has just begun using its vast platform to raise awareness about climate change.
They’ve turned their motto, “Blackpink in your neighborhood,” into a rallying cry, “Climate action in your neighborhood,” and made movies emphasizing the necessity of knowing more and getting engaged.
They’ve also been chosen as goodwill ambassadors for the United Nations’ climate change summit, held in Scotland later this year.
10. Autumn Peltier
Autumn Peltier, an Indigenous activist, may not be a Hollywood star. Still, it hasn’t prevented her from becoming one of Canada’s most visible campaigners, with her campaigning centered on the human right to clean water.
She began learning about the shortage of potable water in Indigenous communities throughout Canada from her mother and aunt when she was eight years old, living on Manitoulin Island’s Wikwemikong Unceded Territory.
She met with Justin Trudeau in 2016 and was chosen chief water commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation, an advocacy group representing 40 First Nations throughout Ontario, succeeding her late great-aunt. The adolescent has also talked at the event.
11. Greta Thunberg
Eighteen years old, Greta Thunberg is one of the world’s most well-known climate campaigners.
She’s become recognized for pushing governments throughout the globe to do (much) more in terms of environmental protection, notably in her home country of Sweden, where she initiated youth-led strikes in an attempt to effect change. Students from all around the world soon joined her in climate protests in their nations.
She, like Peltier, has spoken at the United Nations in New York. “How dare you?” says the narrator. She stated, “I shouldn’t be up here.” “Even though I should be back in school on the other side of the Atlantic, you all look to us young people for hope.”
Conclusion
The environment has already been altered by global climate change. While many people believe that global climate change is a severe problem, many people’s opinions on the subject haven’t changed in the last five years.
In 2015, a median of 47 percent of the 20 countries surveyed by Pew Research Center summarized climate change as a very severe concern, nearly unchanged from the 49% who said the same thing in 2010.
There has been a dramatic decrease in worry in numerous key economies, albeit little change overall.
(Last Updated on November 21, 2021 by Sadrish Dabadi)
