NO FUELLING AROUND
Step up to save the planet. MARION McMULLEN looks at famous eco-friendly faces
Prince Charles is doing his bit to save the planet and revealed he converted his car, an Aston Martin he has owned for five decades, to run on what he described as “surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese process”. The vehicle now runs on a fuel blend made up of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. 2 Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan installed solar panels at his Los Angeles home and has a solar-powered compost turning mechanism. He has been involved in a number of campaigns including work to stop the US Navy using sonar systems that can be deadly to whales, dolphins and other marine life. 3 Harry Potter star Emma Watson revealed her love for app Good On You last year and says it helps her decide which fashion brands to support. She told fans on Instagram that the app was her “benchmark” when it comes to sustainable fashion, as it gave her reassurance that her clothes “do not harm our precious planet or its people”.
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio set up a foundation which supports more than 35 conservation projects around the world when he was 24. He once said: “I like to help the whales, the otters and the dolphins. When I’m acting and take a break, the first thing on my list is spending time by the sea.” 5
TV presenter Ben Fogle backed a farming initiative in partnership with dairy co-operative Arla, to highlight the importance of eco-friendly muck-spreading. He says: “It’s impossible for seven billion humans to live on Earth without having an impact, so we need to make changes
collaboratively.”
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Model and activist
Arizona
Muse launched biodynamic farming charity,
Dirt, to support biodynamic agriculture, to regenerate soil. She says: “The slogan of the charity is ‘Foundation for the Regeneration of Earth’, because that is what we need to do – work on rewilding and regeneration – and biodynamic farming offers the most effective way of doing this.”
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Fashion designer and environmental activist Stella McCartney takes care with all the material she uses in her designs. She never uses leather and has led the way with sustainable faux furs and fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. 8
Springwatch TV presenter Michaela Strachan lives in an energy-efficient home in Cape Town, South Africa. She says: “We’re off the grid with water, we’ve got solar panels and I’m fanatical about not using singleuse plastics. My walks on the beach often end up with me spending more time picking up litter and I always have an eco coffee cup, straw and fork in my bag wherever I go.”
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Kill Bill’s Daryl Hannah, who has been arrested while supporting environmental causes in the past, founded the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance and set up DHLoveLife on Instagram offering green ideas. She once said: “If people have information, they will make wise decisions.” 10 Oscar-winning actor Matt Damon was ‘bourne’ to help the planet. He is working to curb the global water crisis thanks to the work of Water.org, a non-proft organisation he co-founded with Gary White over 25 years ago.
Its goal is to help people around the world get access to clean and safe water.