Oscars: Some celebrities who made green issues cool

Whether it's forsaking a gas guzzling limo in favor of driving a hybrid car to the Oscars, or fitting their homes with solar panels, many celebrities embraced green causes long before they became fashionable.

Just as a famous face can sell a perfume, stars of stage and screen can sell a cause and scores of them are doing more than merely putting their money where their mouth is.

I don't usually pay much attention to awards shows, but seeing as many people enjoy following the lives of celebrities, I think this is a great way to get people aware that they need to change their lifestyles.

"Early adapters, like Cameron Diaz, led the way and now with everyone from Kirsten Dunst to Maroon 5 to Will Ferrell driving hybrid cars, (it) sends the message that it's cool to think and buy green," Levin said. (emphasis mine)

Trends are possibly the greatest motivator in our consumerist society (I once teased this kid I worked with about his Livestrong bracelet, he swore that he would still wear it if it wasn't in style... if it wasn't in style, he would never have heard about it in the first place). If many big names (and this short article concludes with a list of celebs who are promoting environmental consciousness) are doing something to help the environment, many, especially the younger generations, will follow.

It's a good way to start a change towards "green" living, but at the same time we need education to shape the minds of people and promote a deeper reason for this lifestyle than "it's cool. Otherwise, people will get tired of conserving and lose interest.

I'm also really glad that Gore's An Inconvenient Truth won two Oscars.