Sustainable living has become an important topic of conversation in recent years, especially with the rise of global warming.
It is crucial that people are informed about sustainability and the measures they can take to help contribute to saving our planet. That is why it is important that influencers and YouTubers have started to talk about this publicly and are using their platforms to raise awareness to a big group of people.
“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation. We need everyone to be talking about it, so high-profile personalities that raise the issue on their platforms are a great catalyst for conversations between followers and fans,” said Katie Archer, Chairperson of the Sustainable Living Society in DCU.
“Talking about sustainability is a good step, but it’s only the first in a series of essential steps we need to take. Action is necessary now, and people need to realize the seriousness of the situation to be galvanized to action,” she added
Many influencers and YouTubers have become increasingly aware of sustainability and have started to release content to show concern and awareness. They have accounts made on social media platforms, such as YouTube and Instagram that specifically release sustainability content. Most of them post things that are to raise awareness or give out information on the subject.
Some accounts that specifically publish sustainability content are Sustainability Illustrated, RobGreenfield.TV and AmazingEarth. Other accounts of people publishing how they live their lives, such as My Green Closet, Living Unjaded and EcoWarriorPrincess.
They are doing their bit to raise awareness to their fans, but there’s only so much that their following can do. This is because the most damage to the planet is done by big corporations and people in power, but what influencers and YouTubers can do is raise awareness about what companies and people are doing badly and help to sway public opinion to corporations and people who are doing good.
There are also many celebrities who use their fame to promote sustainability. One notable figure who raises awareness of climate change and sustainability is actor Mark Ruffalo. He has done many things and is still doing all he can to promote sustainable living, he wrote an article on ‘grist’ about climate change and what you can do about it and he took part in a documentary called ‘In This Climate’ a documentary about the environment and climate change, which also includes Sir David Attenborough.
Along with Mark Z. Jacobson, Marco Krapel and Josh Fox, Ruffalo founded ‘The Solutions Project’, which is an organisation established in 2011 with the goal of having 100 per cent renewable energy use in the United States.
Another actor who uses his fame to raise awareness about climate change is Leonardo DiCaprio, who famously used his Oscar acceptance speech to do so.
Their environmental activism is crucial towards sustainability – because of their fame, they have the ability to raise awareness to thousands of people because of their large followings and fan-bases.