Leonardo DiCaprio is not much for social media. He's active on his platforms, but it's not in the way that most celebrities are, sharing selfies and bathing suit pics (not that we'd mind if he did). The actor and environmentalist is much more interested in championing the many causes that he's passionate about. However, Leo just shared a rare selfie on his Instagram page alongside another environmental activist, the teenage sensation Greta Thunberg.
We've been seeing a lot of Greta in the news lately, as she continues to make her voice on climate change heard. Now, Leo has used his platform to call Greta "a leader of our time" in a powerful post, recognizing her exemplary efforts. At just 16 years old, Greta has already done so much to inspire people of all ages to take action. Clearly, she's inspiring Leo, as well. It's a really special moment to see the two activists together, smiling alongside one another and bonding over their shared passions.
Leonardo DiCaprio has long been known as an active and inspiring environmentalist. He is constantly working to help protect the earth through the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. It's dedicated to protecting vulnerable wildlife and helping to balance the ecosystem through a variety of projects and fundraising efforts.
It's not often that we so much as glimpse Leo's face on social media at all. When we do, he's usually accompanied by another activist like Jane Goodall. Someone has to be extremely special to appear on Leo's Instagram page. Clearly, Greta Thunberg makes the cut.
The actor posts often about issues that are going on around the world, though. He has been working hard to educate the masses on climate change both via social media and in his other projects. The actor has also produced two films on environmental issues, Before the Flood and his new film, Ice on Fire.
Leo has long been recognized as a powerful voice for this generation. He's always speaking out and using opportunities to bring attention to issues we may not otherwise know about. Greta, on the other hand, being that she's only 16, is a newer face, but we're absolutely seeing a lot of her.
Greta is the real deal when it comes to practicing what she preaches. Recently, she sailed across the Atlantic on an emissions-free yacht because she no longer takes part in commercial air travel due to the high emissions of gases. She arrived in New York to deliver a speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit after her 15-day sail.
One of Thunberg's other accomplishments is organizing the "Fridays for Future" climate strikes, where kids skip school to protest. The purpose is to begin treating climate change like an emergency — something she routinely says is so important. The strikes have taken off and turned into a movement, and people from all ages are stepping up and speaking out.
We've seen several celebrities begin taking action on climate change, too. Jane Fonda says she's been inspired by Greta and has been arrested several Fridays in a row for taking part in protests. Recently, she was arrested along with Ted Danson.
Greta Thunberg has been recognized greatly for her efforts, and while gaining a following is beneficial to her movement, it's clear the activist isn't looking for recognition. She simply wants change and is going to continue to fight for it.
She's extremely educated on the issues, too. She knows the science behind climate change and is always pulling straight from the studies that clearly document what is happening to the planet. In her speeches, she's constantly directing leaders to look at the science.
Greta recently turned down a huge environmental award from the Nordic Council. She made clear that she meant no disrespect but didn't see the point, either. “I want to thank the Nordic Council for this award," she wrote on Instagram. "It is a huge honour. But the climate movement does not need any more awards. What we need is for our politicians and the people in power [to] start to listen to the current, best available science.”
Greta has been nominated for and won other awards, too. She was nominated but did not win the Nobel Peace Prize. She declined the Children’s Climate Prize in 2018.
Leonardo DiCaprio calling Greta a leader of our time is just the latest pat on the back for the teen activist. It's encouraging to see her message spreading far and wide. Leo clearly wanted to do his part to help spread her message even further.
With these two environmentalists coming together, who knows what could be next? Perhaps they will team up for events, fundraising efforts, and other projects. Together, they'd be unstoppable.
Surely, as people begin to tune in and listen to the messages from incredibly driven people like Greta, we're going to see more action to ensure our planet remains inhabitable. Voices like Greta Thunberg's matter. It seems like we're going to be hearing a lot more from her, too.
