Living it Large & Green!
His over-the-top motivational speeches in ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ may have moved on screen employees to instantaneously convert into go-getters clawing at clients for skyrocketing profit making deals- but Leonardo DiCaprio’s humble narrative for a newly released short film on sustainable fuels is equally convincing. The Oscar winning star lent his voice recently to present a compelling case for renewable energy & a sustainable future in an eight minute film titled CARBON, the first of four in a series called Green World Rising. The film series hopes to draw attention to the importance of shifting from dirty energy sources to renewables and has been created with support from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. All four films will be released later this month leading up to the UN Climate Summit in New York on Sep. 23.
A committed environmentalist, Leo is known for his activism on issues of global warming, alternative and renewable energy sources, and the preservation of the planet’s amazing biodiversity. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation actively works to create awareness of environmental issues through participation with organizations such as Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green USA, the International Fund For Animal Welfare, and National Geographic Kids. Earlier this year the Foundation donated $3 million to Oceana-an international organization focused on ocean and marine life conservation. The four-time Academy Award nominee also recently addressed the US State Department’s Our Ocean conference, speaking of the need to protect our world’s oceans.
DiCaprio has made several films to educate the public about environmental issues, including 11th Hour. He joined ex Vice President of the US Al Gore at the 2007 Oscar ceremony to announce that the Oscars had incorporated environmentally sustainable practices throughout their planning and production processes. And in July 2007, DiCaprio presented at the American leg of Live Earth.
The ‘Titanic’ star’s philanthropy work goes back to the early phase of his rising career as an actor. In 1998, he donated $35,000 towards the ‘Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Centre’ at the Los Feliz branch of the Los Angeles Public Library- the site of his childhood home. Leonardo also worked with 24 orphaned children from the SOS Children’s Village in Maputo, Mozambique for his film, ‘Blood Diamond’. In 2010, he donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake and another $1 million to the Wildlife Conservation Society at Russia’s tiger summit. In 2011, DiCaprio joined the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s campaign to free Tony, a tiger who has spent the last decade at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana.
Other causes that are supported by Leonardo DiCaprio:
The 39 year old star who has been acting since he was child has just as long a list of causes and charities he supports as his riveting performances in films.
- Cinema For Peace
- Declare Yourself
- Feeding America
- Film Foundation
- Global Cool
- Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Onyx and Breezy Foundation
- Pediatric Epilepsy Project
- Stop Global Warming
- The Gorilla Organization
- TreePeople
- Unite for Japan
- WildAid
- GLAAD
- Reef Check Foundation
A firm believer of practicing what he preaches, DiCaprio owns an electric Tesla Roadster, a Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid, and a Toyota Prius. He has also installed solar panels on his house. More star power to this responsible ‘Green’ star, we say!
