The Real Eco-All Stars

By: Suzanne Baran

In a celeb-centric culture, the rich, famous, and society-obsessed figure heads seem to be coming out in droves to aid the environment. Known for their lavish lifestyles, few actually attempt to build greener pastures.

Celebs are among the most influential voices in the green movement. It’s imperative we know who the real players are.

According to myriad sites including About.com’s Green Living, the top five eco-stars are Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett, and George Clooney. Let’s examine number one. Mr. DiCaprio owns an eco-site which lets the public know about environmental issues. He’s also a board member of the Natural Defense Council and Global Green since 2004. DiCaprio is outspoken about his green nature, but doesn’t have expensive campaigns, or any company to promote green products — like Ed Begley, Jr. who truly deserves the crown for being a green visionary.

The California actor doesn’t sport a hybrid at star-studded events, he goes one step further and bikes. In fact, he powers his toaster with an incumbent bike. He also gets around with a Toyota RAV4, and yes–he’s a Prius owner, too. His reality show, “Living with Ed” depicts his and his wife Rachelle Carson’s vegan lifestyles. This eco-reality show is like no other — it features the actor’s efforts toward sustainable living and the production team uses hybrids, recycles, and solar-powered cameras.

If you pursue Whole Foods, you’ll find an enormous ad touting the actor and his conglomerate of green products. What’s even more fascinating is Begley’s Best is made from ingredients like olive seeds, maize and extracts of pine and palm. His cleaners are nontoxic, non-caustic, biodegradable, vegan and child-safe. Even more surprising — he delivers the products to local stores and all profits go to charity.

Since the ’80s, Begley has been ahead of the curve, recycling and doing his Eco-part, but he credits one famous counterpart (who didn’t make the the five greenest celebs list) as being even greener than he is.  Among the greenest of the green: Daryl Hannah.

Hannah has been a veggie since she was eleven, and only eats organic food, which she grows herself. The “Splash” actress owns a video blog which discusses topics from biodiesel to food pesticides to the vanishing mountain gorilla. She’s very involved in her v-log often sound recording, hosting, and subbing as the camerawoman from time to time. Her home in the Rocky Mountains runs on solar power and was constructed with all green and recycled materials. Her 1983 el Camino runs on biodiesel. She’s also on the board of the Environmental Media Association, with fellow actor Ed Begley Jr., and Ed Norton, among others (not one of the greenest five, either).

Let’s not forget about her brush with the law in 2006. Hannah chained herself to a walnut tree to strong-arm authorities to not bulldoze the land of 350 farmers and their loved ones at South Central Farm in Los Angeles. But these dramatic gestures don’t seem to win over the media.  Time seems to erase the past and it’s replaced with pseudo-green spokesmen and women who don’t seem to walk the talk.

Yes, many celebs are making inroads toward living a green life instead of promoting a surface one. Some actually campaign for worthy causes but further probing reveals a less-than-green lifestyle. For example, About.com lister George Clooney was a huge proponent of OilChange. The campaign zeroed in on America’s attachment to foreign oil.  Clooney raised $14 million for Darfur Relief, and he owns a hybrid called the Tango. For someone who boasts about his eco-friendly wheels, you’d think he was also an eco-friendly traveller. Not the case. Clooney flew from Tokyo to Los Angeles in a private jet that guzzled 7,000 gallons of jet fuel. Slightly at odds with his campaign efforts.

The same can be said for one of our favorite Beatles. Paul McCartney, an advocate for environmental causes and animal rights, suggests vegetarianism is a viable answer to the cruelty and famine crisis. Being an herbivore is a surefire way to fight global warming and rescue our planet.  When it comes to wheels, McCartney isn’t so eco-savvy. He had a Lexus LS 600h flown to his home in Britain, it wasn’t shipped. The carbon emissions equaled traveling the globe at least three times,  Gary Rumbold, the director of the British branch of co2balance, says.

The green dream team was built by a select few who are actually living a green existence.  While others are semi-green. They’re eco-friends in public but eco-foes in private. Regardless, these are the key players who are making green go mainstream, ultimately affecting the way the public swings.