Celebrity activism often has a pejorative connotation with Twitter crying whenever said awareness seems to have come out of nowhere but some social activists reckoned that celebrity endorsement is actually one of the most powerful ways to draw attention to social problems.  Here are five celebrities who have captured the public imagination on climate change in a big way and help inspire millions to take action.

Emma Thompson

This celebrity is hailing from the UK, you might have seen Emma Thompson as one of Harry Potter’s professors in the movie franchise.  But outside of Hogwarts, Thompson is schooling climate deniers in government about dragging their feet when it comes to action: “We’re perfectly capable of sorting this out, we just need to get it done.”

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep’s move towards activism began in the 80’s when the 17-time Academy Award-nominated actress began advocating for the Natural Resource Defense Council to raise awareness for environmental issues. After NRDC published the ignominious Alar report, which detailed the dangers of toxic pesticides, she worked with Wendy Gordon to create Mothers & Others, a campaign to rally citizens in the fight for tougher pesticide standards.

Rosario Dawson

In 2019, the actress dropped The Need to GROW, a documentary about saving the Earth's topsoil, which is on pace to disappear in 60 years. "To say that we care about the future of this planet, to say that we care about the survival of our species, and not take action, is simply no longer an option," Dawson said in the film, which she narrated and executive produced.

Shailene Woodley

Long an advocate for herbalism, clean eating, and a generally hippy lifestyle, Shailene Woodley is a hugely visible figurehead in the alternative living movement. Woodley has been known to discuss the benefits of drinking clay and tanning her vagina on live television, and she is also a big environmental advocate. She has been awarded by the Environmental Media Association for her involvement in environmental activism movements like protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline and lead poisoning cases like what happened in Flint, Michigan.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has been acting since the early 1990s (remember the Nickelodeon classic The Secret World of Alex Mack?). As co-founder of The Honest Company (which specializes in eco-friendly products), she’s shown that businesses can play a powerful role in the climate movement. It’s possible to put people and the planet first, all while making a profit.