Rebecca MacFarlane
Our Earth is so rich with natural beauty. Animals and Nature are a gift to us, and should be treated as such. It is sad then that not all understand the importance of Animal and Environmental Conservation. In a society where so many look up to celebrities as role models, let us take a look at some who are portraying the right image.
1. Charlize Theron
South Africa’s own Charlize Theron is not only a pretty face, or talented Oscar winning actress. She is also a campaigner for animal rights and self-proclaimed dog lover. Owing her appreciation for animals and nature to her upbringing on a South African Farm, she has been a loud voice in the campaign against the wearing of fur and other cruel treatments against animals. Charlize has also offered her support to Best Friends Animal Society, a sanctuary that seeks to home abandoned and sick animals.
2. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is a favorite of many. He is famous for his gorgeous baby blue eyes and smooth, honeyed voice. But there is so much more to him than that. As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to love him- he is also a major animal and environmental activist. Keeping a strict Vegan diet, Brad has campaigned against the killing of animals for food and promoted the ideal of organic living. In doing so, he has inspired many to follow in his footsteps. As well as this, he is also involved with organisations such as UNICEF, of which he has been a supporter alongside Angelina Jolie for many years.
3. Ian Somerhalder
This gorgeous actor has stolen the hearts of many as the dark and mysterious Vampire Damon Salvatore on the wildly popular series “Vampire Diaries”. I bet you didn’t know he is also an avid supporter of animal rights. He is the proud owner of 6 dogs, 2 cats and 1 Horse, all which he has adopted from rescue shelters. He also has his own foundation, called the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which strives to educate people regarding the importance of animal and environmental preservation. He also currently has plans to build an Animal Sanctuary which will be closely related to the ISF.
4. Kesha
Kesha is known for her love of animal symbolism, even referring to her fans as her animals. Kesha has stated that her primary goal in life is to help animals, and is the Global Ambassador for The Humane Society. She is outspoken regarding issues such as trophy hunting and wearing of furs, cruelty free cosmetics as well as Ocean Conservation.
5. Ellen Degeneres
Ellen is an extremely comedic host that can get anyone giggling, even on a bad day. We love her jokes and her skits, but what we love even more about her is her dedication to the welfare of animals and nature. Ellen is a major promoter of green living as well as cruelty free products. Ellen has used the popularity of her talk show as a platform to promote these values and call for others to do the same. In 2014, Ellen donated 200 000 meals to shelter animals during the Oscars and urged others to donate to their own local animals shelters as well.
These dedicated Celebs show us that just being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves can make a big difference to our world. Let us all take a leaf from their books and strive to uphold these principles ourselves.
