Who’s Your Favorite Solar Celebrity?

Green is the new “black” in Hollywood these days.  It is hard to check out at the grocery store without seeing numerous magazines emblazoned with photos of the latest environmental efforts of the silver screen’s biggest stars.  While kudos go out to all those people who buy eco-friendly clothing and drive hybrid cars, the biggest bang for the environmental buck results from switching over to solar energy.

The following solar celebrities have made a big investment in installing solar panels on their homes and spreading the word about renewable energy choices.  Some are even helping less privileged people go solar as well!  Is your favorite celebrity on the list?  Did I miss any solar celebrities?

First up is the lovely Cate Blanchett.  The Academy Award-winning actress lives in Australia with her husband and children in a home that is entirely off-grid, powered by solar panels.  Famous for her roles in the Lord of the Rings triology and Elizabeth, Cate and her husband Andrew Upton also work with the Sydney Theatre Company as co-directors.  Green suits Cate well.  Not only does she live in a solar-powered home, but she and Andrew led the effort to have solar panels installed at the Sydney Theatre Company, and also set up a system to collect rainwater for re-use.

Daryl Hannah is another solar celebrity that is very well-known, even if she is less seen these days following her famous relationship with JFK, Jr.  It shouldn’t be too surprising that Ms. Hannah has gone green at her home in the Rocky Mountains.  Like Cate Blanchett, she lives off the grid and receives all her electrical power from the solar panels installed on her home.  Daryl gets around in her car that is powered by biodiesel from recycled cooking oil.  I found her so endearing in Splash, starring with Tom Hanks so many years ago.  She continues her successful career directing and occasionally starring in movies.

Very impressive is Edward Norton, who not only has installed solar panels on his home, he is helping less privileged families do the same.  Norton established a non-profit called BP Solar Neighbors.  Every time a celebrity installs solar panels on their home through the program, BP Solar Neighbors donates a solar system to a low-income family in California.  The actors that have participated in the program include:

Edward Norton, Ed Begley, Jr., Don Cheadle, Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman, Roland Emmerich, Larry Hagman, Daryl Hannah, Rob Thomas, Ben Goldhirsch, Carlos Santana, Alicia Silverstone, Buck Henry, Wendie Malick, John Densmore, Robin Williams, Naren Shankar, Anthony Keidis, Eric and Tania Idle, Peter Reckell, Owen Wilson, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, Jack Johnson.

I just love Edward Norton!  Such a successful actor with an amazing gift in bringing his characters to life (my favorites are the Painted Veil and Kingdom of Heaven).  I love him even more for his significant efforts to help people switch to solar energy!

Two of my favorite actors from Pirates of the Carribean appear to have made a secret solar pact.  Orlando Bloom (Will Turner) is reportedly building a home in London using solar technology.  And Johnny Depp (the adorable Jack Sparrow) apparently made out with quite a bit of pirate loot.  He owns an island in the Bahamas (yes, an entire island). Depp plans to install solar panels to power his little get-away, instead of diesel generators.  No word on whether he’ll be fighting pirates that drop by his island…. Stay tuned for the next in the installment.

Another famous solar celebrity is Woody Harrelson, the once cute sidekick on the Cheers sitcom and now very-busy serious film actor nominated for numerous Academy Awards.  Harrelson lives in a community in Hawaii that is entirely solar-powered.  Says Harrelson:

“Everybody in the neighborhood has solar power for homes,” he says. “People get the concept that it’s like a commune, but this was a neighborhood that’s been there long before I got there. They just never wanted power lines.”

Living off solar power may be the least of Harrelson’s green activities.  He campaigns tirelessly to protect animals, participates in activist campaigns to save the redwoods and also drives a biodiesel car.

Can you believe that Larry Hagman of Dallas fame is a solar celebrity?  Indeed, its true!  In fact, some people have claimed that Hagman is actually the “son of solar” because he owns one of the largest residential solar power systems in the United States.  Could it be that its also because he owns one of the largest homes?  Hmmmmm…..

Anyway, Hagman is quite proud of his switch to solar energy.  His home generates an astounding 150,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar energy per year.  This amount could power at least 10 times as many regular households!  Hagman saw his annual electric bill drop from $37,000 (yes, 5 figures!) to only $13.  I could care less who shot J.R. when faced with amazing figures like this!

A list of solar celebrities would not be complete without mentioning two of renewable energy’s biggest proponents, Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Gore.  DiCaprio is almost as well-known for his environmental activism as he is for his amazing acting.  He has appeared with Al Gore to raise awareness about global warming, and tries to “walk the walk” in his own life, having solar panels installed on his home and driving a hybrid car.

Now some would claim that Al Gore is not a celebrity in that he does not fit in with the Hollywood actors on this list.  However, as the former Vice-President, Presidential Candidate and also the director of an Academy-Award winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, he is definitely as well-known as any other celebrity.  Mr. Gore has won many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and is famous for his efforts to save the environment. Oh yes – and he has solar panels installed on his house, as well.

Why should we care about solar celebrities, you may ask?  Well, with their greater media exposure, they have an opportunity to lead by example.  Many people emulate celebrities and wish to adopt similar lifestyles.  I’m glad to see so many in Hollywood going solar.

So I asked who is your favorite solar celebrity…. I think its a tie for me:  Edward Norton and Leo DiCaprio. Nah…. their good looks had nothing to do with it.

Tags: al gore, edward norton, leonardo dicaprio, solar celebrity