When it comes to earth activists, there may be no one as dedicated and committed as Leonardo DiCaprio. The Hollywood mega-star has made it very clear that he absolutely loves this planet and is willing to do all that he can to protect it.
Mr. DiCaprio has spoken to presidents and used various platforms to bring awareness to the overall health of Earth. He has never shied away from taking major steps in the preservation of the Earth's environment, from purchasing an entire island to save its mangroves and then later turning it into an eco-resort, to sitting on the board of directors of the World Wildlife Fund and other environmental organizations.
He also donated a million dollars in 2010 to the WWF to help save tigers and their habitat. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has also raised more than 100 million dollars in grant making funds as of September of 2018. However, this is only a shortlist of the star's contributions to the cause that is Earth.
Now DiCaprio and friends are going above and beyond once again. Through his new environmental organization Earth Alliance, DiCaprio and his partners Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth, have announced a five-million-dollar fund to help combat the fires that are engulfing the Amazon Rainforest. The organization was launched in July of this year and said the fund will be aimed at financing "key protections needed to maintain the 'lungs of the planet.'"
Independent conservationists and scientists are the foundation of the alliance and they made an initial pledge of five million dollars and are urging people to donate.
"These funds will be distributed directly to local partners and the indigenous communities protecting the Amazon, the incredible diversity of wildlife that lives there, and the health of the planet overall," the organization posted on its website.
#EarthAlliance has formed an emergency Amazon Forest Fund with $5m to focus critical resources for indigenous communities and other local partners working to protect the biodiversity of the Amazon against the surge of fires. Learn more & donate: https://t.co/uG2WoEoKqx pic.twitter.com/IbcubQCO4v — Earth Alliance (@earthalliance) August 25, 2019
The local organizations that Earth Alliance is sending financial support to are, Instituto Associacao Floresta Protegida, Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon, Instituto Kabu, Instituto Raoni and Instituto Socioambiental.
The fires in Brazil have been raging for weeks now, and even though Earth Alliance did not make a reference in their announcement, many believe that far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, is to blame as he continues to roll back environmental protections, giving farmers and herders the misguided courage to burn back foliage for agricultural use.
