It’s a beautiful thing to see musicians using their fame to create positive change. Five acts in particular have recently made significant strides to make the world a greener place. The following 5 bands are all part of the eco-movement and each of them contribute to that cause in their own unique way (they are also great bands to listen to).

Pearl Jam gave $100,000 to nine green organizations dedicated to climate change and renewable energy. Not only is Pearl Jam pretty generous in their donations but, the band proves to be hands on when it comes to the struggle to protect our environment. Instead of simply making donations, Pearl Jam has developed their own strategy to advance a green lifestyle. “Our Carbon Portfolio Strategy is the newest component of our ongoing efforts to advance clean renewable energy and carbon mitigation,” the group stated on their website.

The Roots are known for their down to earth take on the world attended the Pre-Grammy Jam and Green Carpet Bash this year. The event was organized to educate the public about environmental issues. The Roots teamed up with the organization, Global Inheritance and together they encouraged the use of composting by autographing compost bins and giving them to the public. Also, the band has become involved with the animal protection organization, PETA. “Stop the Violence: Go Veg.” is the name of the collaborative campaign.

Punk idols, Billy Joe, Mike Durnt and Tre Cool of the band Green Day make their stance on eco issues known through more than just their songs. The rockers united with the Natural Resource Defense Council to find alternatives to oil. They’re currently using stylistic YouTube videos as a platform to suggest the use of cleaner cars and biofuels to save oil and reduce oil emissions.

Like most surfers, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has a deep passion and respect for the planet. The native Hawaiian co-founded the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. The nonprofit raises awareness about the environment in Hawaiian schools. On top of that, Johnson also hosts an annual festival on earth day, which donates proceeds to environmentally friendly projects. His dedication and generosity is apparent through his contribution to making our world greener.

Not having enough to make huge contributions, the up and coming Grace Potter and the Nocturnals make as much impact as they can by voicing their opinion on the environmental issues at hand. Grace Potter sets the example. “We are really conscious of not traveling in multiple vehicles if we don’t need to…we don’t have a tour bus, but when we do, it will be bio diesel.” The all American blues band has made further efforts through their website. For every concert ticket sold through gracepotter.com, a tree will be planted in a third world country.

It goes to show that no matter large or small, every contribution has an impact. While, the action being taken by these musicians forwards environmental improvement, it is the message that they are sending to our youth that will in the end make all the difference. Stars like these often define what “cool” really is and there’s no doubt that our youth is listening and taking notes about a green lifestyle.

Environmentalists agree that the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in 1962 essentially ushered in the contemporary environmental movement. The book presented natural preservation causes previously undervalued by the public, and led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. John Muir, cofounder of the Sierra Club, has also been recognized for his devotion to Mother Nature, along with other historical figures.  But kings, presidents, and artists, in addition to their renowned accomplishments, too have taken part in the green movement, beginning centuries before Carson penned her opus.

As early as 1272, King Edward I of England decreed the burning of sea coal banned in London.  The massive air pollution problem resulted from an overabundance of smoke and smog, and would remain an issue during the Industrial Revolution, which marked the commencement of the modern pollution problem known today.

500 years later, and an ocean away, Benjamin Franklin, along with other Philadelphians declared their “public right” and petitioned the Pennsylvania Assembly to stop waste dumping and remove tanneries from commercial districts.  When the Transcendentalist movement in New England gained popularity in the late 1800s, author and leader Henry David Thoreau published The Maine Woods, which brought to light the need for federal protection of forests. This echoed well with the Transcendentalists, who revered and respected nature.

At the start of the 20^th century, US President Theodore Roosevelt visited Yosemite, a trip that influenced his later conservation work. In a 1910 speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, Teddy orated his favor of using America’s natural resources without overconsumption. But perhaps his greatest contribution to the green movement was creating 150 National Forests, 5 National Parks, and 18 National Monuments to conservation.  Two presidents later, Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service.

When the 1950s came about, artists and other laymen joined the green movement. Ansel Adams and other prolific nature photographers enhanced public awareness of conservation and the need to protect the land by creating the Sierra Club Exhibit Format.  These photo collections informed and encouraged people to join environmental movement organizations.

Mohandas Gandhi, the peaceful and political leader himself, also respected nature and influenced the 1970s’ Chipko movement in India, which protested deforestation by literally hugging trees, giving birth to the term “tree hugger.” The Chipko movement was admired for their peaceful protests and their slogan, “Ecology is permanent economy,” proved influential on later green movements and workers.

James Lovelock, a former NASA scientist, proposed the Gaia Hypothesis in 1979 with the publication of his book Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Lovelock proposed that life on earth should be understood as a single organism, which became the basis of the Deep Green ideology.

With common men and great leaders who were green revolutionaries as inspiration, the movement continues with unprecedented strength. Certainly history will look back on modern “tree huggers” such as Al Gore and Julia “Butterfly” Hill as equals with these historical luminaries who did their part to think and live green.

A lot of people want to live green or give to environmental causes, but they have trouble finding information or advice. Enter some of Hollywood’s hottest stars who use their celebrity status for good: to raise awareness about the need for global environmentalism. Here are five examples of true star power:

Leonardo DiCaprio not only flies commercially and drives a hybrid car, but in 1998, he started The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation which, “…supports efforts to secure a sustainable future for our planet and all of its inhabitants.” The foundation promotes global warming initiatives, fresh water and ocean conservation, and the need for fuel biodiversity.  DiCaprio also wrote and narrated The 11^th Hour, a documentary film that interviewed green leaders and discussed the challenges and changes facing our generation.

Actress and activist Daryl Hannah sat in a tree for 23 days in a bid to save L.A.’s South Central Farm, an urban community garden. She was arrested for her efforts, but this longtime environmentalist didn’t let the experience deter her. She drives a biodiesel car and runs her eco-blog dh love life, giving tips on living green and ways to get involved with green movements.

Brad Pitt parlayed his love of architecture into rejuvenating the 9^th Ward of New Orleans, a neighborhood devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Pitt founded the non-profit organization Make It Right and remains on the cutting edge of green architecture movement, which strives to build environment-friendly houses.  Because of Pitt and organizations such as Make it Right and Global Green, the Lower 9^th Ward is on its way to becoming one of the largest “green” neighborhoods in the nation.  Pitt also supports his former co-star and noted green guru Ed Norton’s Solar Neighbors Program, a joint project with BP that connects well-to-do individuals with low-income families who wish to go solar, but can’t afford it. Anytime a celebrity purchases a solar energy system, another family receives one for free.

Matt Damon lends his name to several green media projects. He narrated the National Geographic documentary Running the Sahara, which depicts the diverse cultures of the Saharan people while highlighting the need for clean water. Damon put his money where his mouth is and in response to the African water crisis described in the film, cofounded water.org. In 2007, Damon joined up with his longtime friend and writing partner Ben Affleck to raise awareness for the “Clean my Ride, Flex my Fuel” program, a campaign aimed at getting the US Congress to raise fuel-efficiency standards and provide more ethanol-based fuel stations across America.

Not only does she play a Hero on television, Hayden Panettiere is one teenage actress that can say she is one in real life. She’s the spokeswoman for Save the Whales Again!, an international conservation campaign for dolphins, whales, and other sea life. Panettiere even sold personal items online to raise money for the foundation. Most recently, Panettiere stars in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, which raised awareness about the secret slaughter of 20,000 dolphins in Japan.  As a result of Panettiere’s heroic efforts and the film’s success, many of the dolphins are to be released into the wild.

Even though you don’t have to be a movie star or a millionaire to make a difference, these movie stars and yes, millionaires, are doing their part, and have helped many find resources to live and give green.