Famous Environmentalists Of All Time

Leonardo DiCaprio is a name every movie lover reveres. An Oscar, a BAFTA, and 3 Golden Globes does not do justice to DiCaprio’s immensely skilful performances and his top-notch portrayals of addicts, historical figures and business tycoons. From epic dramas and romances to crime and political thrillers, DiCaprio has constantly left a mark in each of his films.

Counted among the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry, Brad Pitt is an actor and film producer who has appeared in many big-budget productions. He was cited as the world’s most attractive man for several years. He is also involved in various philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors.

The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is generally ranked as one of the five best presidents of the country. A man of many talents, he was a politician, conservationist, naturalist, and writer. He supported  Progressive Era policies in the early 20th century and championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies.

Best known for her comedic and romantic film roles, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams is a very popular figure in Hollywood. Rising to fame in the 2000s, she has worked in many critically acclaimed movies. A socially responsible person, she believes in leading a lifestyle that is eco-friendly and sustainable. She is actively involved with several charities.

Considered one of the most prominent filmmakers in the history of animated films, Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki has gained worldwide acclaim as a maker of animated films and a masterful storyteller. Miyazaki has served as an inspiration to several world-renowned animators and directors, including James Cameron and Wes Anderson.

Actress and model, Pamela Anderson, is known as a sex symbol. She featured regularly in the Playboy magazine and acted in television series Home Improvement, Baywatch and VIP. Baywatch was hugely popular and gave her international recognition. Pamela Anderson has also acted in several films. She is an active member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the animal rights organisation.

Irish-American actor and film producer Pierce Brosnan is best known for playing secret agent James Bond in the Bond film series. As a young man, he trained at the Drama Centre London and made his acting debut soon after. First gaining fame as a TV actor, he didn’t take long to enter films as well.

English musician, Thom Yorke, is the main vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. He is a multi-instrumentalist as well. Active in the music industry for over 35 years, he performs both as part of his band and as a solo artist. He is a human rights activist and also supports animal rights, environmental and anti-war causes.

Rachel Carson was a conservationist, marine biologist, and author. She is credited with authoring an influential book titled Silent Spring, which played a significant role in advancing the global environmental movement. Carson is also remembered for her book, The Sea Around Us, which earned her a U.S. National Book Award. She was posthumously honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

A singer-songwriter, actress, and comedian, Bette Midler is one of the most decorated American celebrities of her generation. She has won prestigious awards like Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, and Tony Award. Also known for her charity work, Bette Midler founded a non-profit organization called New York Restoration Project in 1995.

Legal consultant, environmental activist, and consumer activist Erin Brockovich is known for suing California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging them of contamination of water with hexavelent chromium, in 1993. Her story inspired the Julia Roberts-starrer 2000 movie Erin Brockovich. She has written two books and hosted TV shows, too.

Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, tagged as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century by the Dutch public, gained spotlight with his debut film, Turkish Delight, the most successful film in the history of Dutch cinema. Moving on, he gained international recognition with other Dutch films like Spetters, and etched his name in Hollywood with films like Nighthawks and Blade Runner.   

John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, environmental philosopher, glaciologist, botanist, zoologist, and author. Nicknamed Father of the National Parks and John of the Mountains, Muir was an influential proponent of the preservation of wilderness in the US. He is credited with co-founding the American conservation organization, The Sierra Club. Muir is considered a hero by many environmentalists around the world.

Peter Garrett is an Australian musician, activist, environmentalist, and former politician. Renowned for his eccentric dance style and signature bald head, Garrett is best known for his association with the popular rock band Midnight Oil where he performs as the lead singer. A football fan, Peter Garrett supports the Essendon Bombers of the AFL.

Anita Roddick was a British businesswoman and human rights activist. She was also a passionate crusader for environmental issues. She founded the British version of The Body Shop, now The Body Shop International Limited. Her company was among the first to prohibit the use of ingredients tested on animals in some products. She was also involved with Greenpeace.  

A global adventurer and environmentalist, David Mayer de Rothschild is a descendant of the Rothschild banking family. He once crossed the Pacific in a vessel made of plastic bottles, to raise awareness about ocean pollution. His Sculpt the Future Foundation supports environment-friendly innovations and sustainable initiatives.

Judith Wright was an Australian environmentalist, poet, and campaigner for Indigenous land rights. Wright is credited with founding one of the earliest environmental conservation movements in Australia. Best remembered for her poetry skills, Judith Wright won the prestigious Christopher Brennan Award in 1976. In 1991, she was honored with the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.

The son of British financier James Goldsmith and socialite Lady Annabel Goldsmith, Ben Goldsmith serves as the CEO of Menhaden Capital Management. An avid environmentalist and philanthropist, he co-founded the sustainability-oriented WHEB Asset Management and the JMG Foundation, which focus on environment-friendly business opportunities. He also co-established the UK Environmental Funders’ Network.

Jean-Michel Cousteau is a French environmentalist, oceanographic explorer, film producer, and educator. He is also an ardent advocate of a world without nuclear weapons. Cousteau is also credited with founding an education organization and marine conservation called Ocean Futures Society. Inspired by his documentary Voyage to Kure, President George W. Bush took measures to safeguard the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Lewis Mumford was an American sociologist, historian, literary critic, and philosopher of technology. He made significant contributions to American literary and cultural history, social philosophy, and the history of technology. His works also influenced a number of thinkers and authors like Jacques Ellul and Amory Lovins. Lewis Mumford also had a strong influence on American cellular biologist Barry Commoner.

Indian environmental activist and physicist Vandana Shiva is known for her anti-GMO campaigns. The Gandhi of grain is the founder of RFSTN, which promotes sustainable agriculture, and is against globalization. She developed an interest in environmentalism after witnessing a forest at her hometown being cleared for a project.

British environmentalist Daniel Hooper, also known as Swampy, is widely famous as an eco-warrior. He was quite a rage in the 1990s, when he would often occupy tunnels and trees, to protest against developmental projects that harmed nature. He lived with his girlfriend and children in a tent in Tipi Valley.

A former broadcast journalist, Loren Legarda was known for anchoring shows such as The World Tonight, before she stepped into politics and rose to be the President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines. The former senator is also a prominent environmental activist.

Sunderlal Bahuguna was an Indian environmentalist best remembered for his involvement in the Chipko movement. The movement, which aims at conserving forests, received a major boost after Bahuguna created the slogan ecology is the permanent economy. The movement inspired similar movements across India. Sunderlal Bahuguna is also remembered for leading the anti-Tehri Dam movement.

Indian polymath and environmentalist K. Shivaram Karanth, who enriched Kannada literature with his novels and plays, was named the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India" by Ramachandra Guha. He had quit college to join the Non-Cooperation Movement and later returned his Padma Bhushan to protest against the Emergency of the 1970s.

Sugathakumari was an Indian activist and poet who played a major role in Kerala's feminist and environmental movements in the late-1970s. She is credited with founding organizations like Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi and Abhaya, which work towards protecting nature and safeguarding women and the mentally ill respectively. During her lifetime, she was honored with several prestigious awards like the Padma Shri.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt is an Indian social activist and environmentalist best known for founding the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS) in 1964. DGSS gave rise to the famous Chipko Movement for which Bhatt was honored with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982. In 2005, he was awarded India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan.

Pradip Krishen is an Indian environmentalist and filmmaker renowned for directing the 1989 TV film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones which has acquired a cult status since its release. Starting from 1995, Krishen became known for his work as an environmentalist. He is currently leading a team of horticulturists to restore a set of sand dunes in Rajasthan.