Admittedly this is a very difficult list to make. When you awaken to the crisis the planet is in, you immediately start looking for solutions, and absent that, for little rays of hope that can reassure you, including people who work in the field and stay hopeful. It’s when you go looking for inspirational earth heroes to tell you what needs to be done.
Where are the people who are genuinely living out their beliefs and sharing advice on how to be less of a burden on this fragile planet? I have stopped looking at the so-called traditional media outlets, because they just offer insincere crumbs of clickbait information (their focus, after all, is to sell theirs and their advertisers’ products).
As someone who is always on the lookout for people who are living out the ideals that I believe in, I know there are loads of inspirational people around the world. These heroes, listed below, are a few of the top inspirational and wonderful people that I follow, who work in and/or blog/vlog about conservation, sustainable living, veganism, animal rights, and more. Let me introduce them to you (unless you know about them already, in which case, high-five!).
Grab a hot drink and cozy up – you’ll be busy for a while!
Earth Heroes on YouTube
1. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
I discovered CPG fairly recently, and it felt like I was thrown a lifebuoy while drowning in a sea of external criticism and judgement, and self-doubt. I’m glad I’m out of that phase, but I’m never going to get enough of CPG. She’s truly a giant presence in my life, and I’m sure in many, many people’s lives.
2. Ellen Fisher
Ellen was my first glimpse into the vegan world (that I remember, at least). I stumbled on to her youtube channel back when it had a few thousand subscribers, and was hooked. Now, she’s got nearly half a million subscribers! But she’s still the same sweet, honest and down-to-earth vegan mama, and I love that about her. She’s shown me a world of possibilities, and gotten me thinking about the terrible way we treat our bodies, each other, and the planet, even when it stems from love. I’ve seen every single video she’s uploaded, heh.
Oh, and her family is adorable!
3. Lauren Toyota
Cool and chilled out, Lauren makes some excellent vegan food with just stuff she finds left over in her kitchen.
4. Kristen Leo
Another youtuber who’s grown leaps since I first discovered (hehe, I’m making it sound like I’m the reason their growth got exponential!). Something about her makes me relate a lot, and she very nicely addresses the unethical aspects of the fashion industry.
Inspiring Conservationists
5. Sylvia Earle
The grand dame of the ocean. Among the earliest humans to ever scuba dive, Sylvia Earle is the quintessential hero, and at the age of 82, she still dives, she still travels to speak to people about conservation, and she still has hope that the humans will clean up our act.
6. Liz Clark
Freedom looks like this! Captain Liz Clark sails around the world on her own, and is one of the most inspiring humans ever. I adore her and her gorgeous cat (Tropicat!), who sadly died in January this year. (Check out Liz’s heartbreaking letter to Amelia here.)
7. Celine Cousteau
Scuba diving royalty, socio-environmentalist, ocean advocate and explorer in her own right.
8. Madison Stewart
Wow, she’s so AMAZING! Do Australians eat something special (like Madison and Jade Hameister) that makes them grow up and get so awesome? Madison is such an inspiring role model for just about anyone. Do follow her.
9. Jeffrey Ventre
I attempted to watch Blackfish and was unable to. I then furiously read up all I could about Tilikum and the other orcas at SeaWorld, about animals in captivity. I’ve been following Jeffrey Ventre since then, and have been learning so much every day.
Twitter
10. David Shepherd
David Shepherd is a wildlife artist and conservationist, and it makes my heart happy to see his stunning artwork.
Twitter
11. Ingrid Visser
Anti-captivity activist and orca expert. She totally rocks.
Twitter
12. Everyday Climate Change
Sustainability & Zero Waste Bloggers
13. Bea Johnson
Bea Johnson, along with Lauren Singer of Trash is for Tossers, really opened my eyes to the fact that zero waste is a goal worth seriously pursuing. She’s gotten really big now, but I still hold on to the initial lessons I learnt through her.
Website
14. Karen of Sustainable Daisy
Karen’s website is one of the blogs I refer to for eco-friendly fashion and vegan skincare. She’s an environmental scientist, so her content is usually solid.
Website
15. Alden Wicker of Eco Cult
A go-to source for ethical fashion and beauty. Plus, if you’re wondering how you can live sustainably in a city, Alden’s journey in New York will inspire you.
Website
16. Anna Hackman of Green Talk
For organic gardening!
Website
17. Wendy of Moral Fibres
A couple of years ago, I was very interested in starting an organic cotton homeware business. During my research, I came across a website called Moral Fibres, and, while it was not exactly about ethical cotton farming, it was cool enough for me to hang around and visit on and off since then.
Website
18. Hannah Theisen of Life+Style+Justice
Sustainable living with social justice, looking into the real humans behind fast fashion.
Website
19. Elizabeth of The Note Passer
I love art and graphic design, so I’m always on the lookout for sustainability concepts that are well represented by illustration and design. Enter Elizabeth’s website, which is a visual treat, and, coupled with her passion for the environment, I end up spending quite a bit of time on it.
Website
20. Barbara Lee
Very helpful and educational episodes, and she interviews really well!
Podcast
21. Jennifer Grayson
She does a fantastic job in delicately teasing out the complexities of our “civilized” world.
Podcast
Did you like the list? Do you want to add someone to it? Please share with your friends!
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