I wanted to put a woman on my list so I spent a pretty significant amount of time researching women who are making a committment to helping improve the environment. I chose to profile Hayden Panettiere from the TV show Hero’s on NBC. She is young and is not the leader that other people on the list may be but because she is young I think she is a possible front runner in the future of celebrity activism.
Hadyen is an active member of PETA (disclaimer: this blogger has some problems with PETA’s radical views). In a PETA2 post they talk about Hayden’s commitment to save dolphins. She paddled out with 5 other people on surf board to try to stop fishermen who were participating in the annual Japanese dolphin slaughter. An arrest warrant was even issues and eventually rescinded for her actions. She also happens to be a vegetarian. Some argue that defense of animals does not help the environment but this blogger disagrees so I think that having someone on the list that has a strong commitment to helping animals is important.
Voting was also an issue that was important to Hayden. She was one of many celebrities that participated in the Declare Yourself campaign to get people out to vote. She starred in an “home shopping inspired” model of the muzzler (which represented a non-voters inability to speak if they did not vote). She also appeared in print ads.
With all the clothes that a actress gets she has set up Panettiere’s Closet with the mission of: “Cleaning out my closet is just the beginning; and putting my stuff up for sale is the first step in a crusade that will go a long way to helping these majestic mammals. The money we raise together will bring a larger-than-life awareness to everyone who believes saving the world means living in a humane world.”
She uses her interest in animal protection and political action. She has personally delivered letters to the Norwegian and Japanese ambassadors in hopes that they would stop practices in their countries that are detrimental to ocean life.
I do think it is important to note some of the other women I considered profiling:
Daryl Hannah- while she has not been in the news recently she is famous true tree hugger. I would put her in the category with Ed Begley Jr…. being green before it was cool.
Alicia Silverstone- Famous vegitarian, animal rights activist and PETA member.
