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The accession of social and environmental awareness brings along a host of controversy with its popularity. People question the honesty and intentions of big business going the CSR route and people are even skeptical of certain remedies like microfinancing and carbon offsetting. However, I find celebrity endorsement to be the strangest of all these monsters. Movies, TV and music all have had their place in pushing culture towards social movements, whether it be Bob Dylan or An Inconvenient Truth, these mediums often become the impetus that compels society to take action. But now many celebrities not inherently associated with activism, unlike Bob Dylan, are on the forefront, speaking for various causes. An odd contrast to their causes is the fact that society tends to look down upon celebrity culture despite its popularity, even many that love and call celebrity gossip a part of their lives know it as “trash.” Like it or not, the more people that start thinking about social and environmental issues, the more likely that celebrities (who are people also!) will speak out about their own beliefs.

So why write about this? Because they are starting good. Celebrities are an example of how people can have an influence on the world at large. We each have our own strengths, which we can use to leverage and create change. Read the rest of this entry »