Hot on the heels of Live Earth, let’s ponder the question of celebrity efforts to help the cause of nature protection and pollution control. After all, hardly a week goes by without a hollywood star lending their name to some nature protection or pollution control venture. In fact, there’s a serious blog devoted exclusively about this subject and they seem to have plenty of material. Global warming is the cause du jour, but some lend their names to Water Words topics specifically:

For example, Law & Order actor Sam Waterston joined Oceana’s Ocean Council in May. Oceana describes the council as “a select group of academic, business, policy and philanthropic leaders who represent and support Oceana’s efforts.” That means celebrity spokesperson, doesn’t it?

It’s hard to get people’s attention, and celebrities do help with that, but social research suggests that star power may not help much when you want to persuade people to to change their minds or behavior:

Source: MTV/CBS Environment Poll, 2006

When it comes to nature protection and pollution control, scientists have the most credibility, and civil servants and activists do OK… assuming people understand what you’re saying.

My advice, focus on first on speaking and writing clearly yourself, and second on finding local business and church leaders that will stand beside you and vouch for your position. Let somebody else spend their time trying to reel in those celebrity endorsements.

Hat tip to the Green Media Toolshed for this poll.