THE GREENHEARTS!

Do you know what Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, John Abraham and the likes do when they are not doing the jobs they are famous for? Guess not… Coz, these stars very discreetly don the green hats off stage to work on the mission 'green'

 When Willie Nelson sang the track What a Wonderful World, it did encourage viewers to 'reduce, reuse, and recycle.' Earth Communications Office (ECO), a Hollywood green group founded by Bonnie Reiss, had many stars support the tree-hugger campaign. With members like Pierce Brosnan, and Kevin Bacon, ECO made its mark with emotional public-service announcements shown in the movie theatres. The impact was overwhelming. People started to follow what the stars appealed for… The campaign acted like a wake-up call! 

While many stars associate themselves with some or the other eco-friendly group, there are stars that prefer to fight the 'green' battle all by themselves. Stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Redford have been upfront advocates of green policies, but they almost single-handedly carry forth their campaigns. While Leonardo lent his celebrity status to produce and narrate an eye-opening green documentary 'The 11th Hour', Redford has been personally pressing many US mayors to make climate change a priority in their cities. 
While the film fraternity is all out to save the planet, music stars too follow suit. When music star Madonna and rock band Smashing Pumpkins sang for the Live Earth series, it did sensitise people to climate change. The superstar Madonna's Live Earth event had nine concerts played over 24 hours across seven continents before an audience of two billion. The bid to save the world was a mastermind of former US vice president Al Gore - who helped focus attention on the environmental movement with his Oscar-winning film, 'An Inconvenient Truth'. During her big event, Madonna called for mass global change to reduce carbon emissions and to tackle 'climate crisis'. 
    Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney also took part in a hearing on global warning and food policy launching a campaign called ' Less Meat = Less Heat' (see pic on right). The aim was clear. McCartney and the associates wanted to stress on the fact that vegetarianism has to be the new way of living. The results it will have will not only benefit the present generation, but the future generations as well in the form of a clean, green and a healthy environment. 
    Leave alone Hollywood, Bollywood stars too have been quite active on the fronts that concerns the planet. So when Farhan Akhtar, Gulzar, Tom Alter and the likes came forward to sign in support of NGO Oxfam's message on climate change in Osian's Cine Festival, it didn't come as a surprise to anyone. In fact, it did force people to think about the need to take eco-friendly measures. 
    The Bollywood support for environment has been coming from all corners. While Bangalore saw Actress Vasundhara Das spreading awareness on save energy and planet by promoting (CFL) Compact Florescent Lamps, Bhopal witnessed Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor (see pic on extreme right) with film director Prakash Jha at a bicycle rally as part of an environment awareness campaign. 
    That the stars do work for a cause is nothing new, what is new is the fact that both Hollywood and Bollywood stars are now all out to work for the environment. They are doing all that they can to save the planet from the clutches of deadly global warming. 
    Such is the aura of stars that all mediums including electronic and print have been taking the help of glitterati to give away a strong social message. No wonder, Bollywood hunk Abhishek Bachchan was brought in as an ambassador of the 'Idea' campaign to encourage people to use mobile to save paper. Looking at the success of the campaign, government has also involved the actor to promote the 'Green Earth' campaign. The aim is clear—to sensitise people to the cause of Mother Earth and to encourage people to adopt habits that are environment friendly. 
    The biggie wiggies have also been strongly pitching in to save the dying animals. The fact that PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) has supporters from all over, including celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Keanu Reeves and our very own John Abraham (see pic on extreme left), goes to show that the stars are not just there to entertain. They mean some serious business too. 
    Fashion shows, special concerts, talk shows, road shows, rallies and star-studded nights organised exclusively all across the world for the cause of environment stand testimony to the fact that stars do make a difference; and that when these stars reach out, they do make an impact.

Leonardo DiCaprio 
actor 
"Global warming is not only the number one environmental challenge we face today, but one of the most important issues facing all of humanity. We all have to do our part to raise awareness about global warming."

Pamela Anderson 
actress 
"An action is needed to prevent Florida's roadside zoos from keeping apes and to ensure that these primates are transferred to approved sanctuaries to live out the remainder of their lives in suitable surroundings."

Arnold Schwarzenegger 
actor 
"We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear. The global warming debate is over. It is time for all of us to act now."

John Mayer 
musician 
"No thinking about 'offsetting your carbon footprint'. No rallies. No browbeating people who think the Earth just has a fever. Pick one thing to change this year, and keep the rest of your life the same."