Green Celebrities - Natalie Portman

You probably saw Ricky Gervais taking a fair amount of grimacing celebrities to task at the Golden Globes, and as a green celebrity himself, he makes no apologies for calling out the rich and famous on their lavish lifestyles. But some celebrities use their fame as a platform from which to talk about serious environmental issues that are close to their hearts.

Natalie Portman talks the talk and walks the walk as a green celebrity. She doesn’t just endorse a cause here and there because it sounds or looks good, she lives and breathes an eco-friendly lifestyle.

She lives the Vegan life

An animal lover since she was young, Natalie Portman has received recognition for her advocacy of animal rights and commitment to sustainability. She believes that living a vegan lifestyle is just one way that we can protect the planet for the future.

When she was given an award from the Environmental Media Association, she said in her speech that factory farming was a huge cause of air, water, and land pollution. She added that everyone can make decisions in their daily lives that will benefit the planet, and that includes choosing not to eat meat or animal products for even one day each week.

In her speech, she went on to say that we are all so busy that we often choose the foods that are fastest and cheapest, and these aren’t always the best choices for us, or the planet. Our health, she said, will benefit from caring about, and being more conscious of, what we put into our bodies. She also acknowledges that not everyone will find it easy to cut down on meat, or cut it out completely, but adds that ensuring the survival of our planet is a job for all of us.

She is so passionate about the vegan lifestyle that she made a documentary film about it called Eating Animals, which brought home the stark reality of how meat, dairy products, and eggs are produced.

And it doesn’t end with a Vegan diet

Like many vegans, her lifestyle choices aren’t restricted to her diet either. She admits that she did stop being vegan briefly during her pregnancy so her baby wouldn’t miss out on any nutrients, but she remained vegetarian, and continues to avoid wearing leather, fur, or feathers. One thing she felt she was missing out on though, was being able to wear great shoes (all the best ones are made from leather), but not to be deterred, she partnered with a fashion firm and created a line of vegan shoes. She donated profits from the sales to The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit organisation that works to protect the environment. Founded in 1951, the organisation now has one million members and works with over 400 scientists on environmental projects in 79 countries.

The organisation focuses its efforts on 4 key areas:

Climate change

In the face of the destruction of the rainforests, droughts, and extreme weather events, The Nature Conservancy has been working to restore forests from Brazil to Indonesia, and on clean energy innovations to help tackle climate change.

Protecting land and water

The organisation has worked hard to protect over 100 million acres of land and thousands of miles of river, as well as working on over 100 marine projects.

Sustainable food production and water use

With a growing population, the global demand for food is set to rise dramatically over the coming decades. The organisation is working with communities across the world to teach them how to use resources more efficiently and promote sustainability.

Building green towns and cities

The organisation is working with city planners to create sustainable towns and cities by developing urban gardens, parks, and wetlands.

Definitely a worthy cause for a green celebrity!

Animal conservation

Speaking of conservation, Natalie Portman took part in a documentary for Animal Planet in which she travelled to Rwanda to look at the threats to gorillas and their habitats in particular. The programme focused on the ways that conservation groups were working hard to prevent gorillas from becoming extinct.

Global Green USA

Natalie Portman also lends her support to Global Green USA, a non-profit organisation that is working to fight climate change through green affordable housing initiatives, a National Green Schools Initiative, national and regional green building policies, advocacy, and education.”

Global Green USA has been the driver behind billions of dollars of green and sustainable construction projects and millions of people have been educated on climate change via its annual events, including the famous Pre-Oscar Party, touted as the ‘green event of the year’. Most notably, Global Green USA led sustainable rebuilding efforts and gave assistance to devastated residents after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.

And finally, even her jewellery is reported to be sustainable!

It appears that when it comes to the environment, Natalie Portman can do no wrong. Even her engagement ring is apparently fit for a green celebrity like herself. The stones and diamonds were sustainably and ethically sourced and produced, and the ring itself is reportedly made from recycled platinum!