Edward Norton is one of my favorite actors, but he is also a proponent of green issues. But, then green runs in his family. His father is the director of the Nature Conservancy’s Yunnan Great Rivers conservation project, his sister got her graduate degree in environmental policy, and his brother is a professional guide who has taken whitewater trips through the Grand Canyon.
Norton got his start in 1996’s Primal Fear and earn a Best Supporting Actor nod for his performance. Since then, he has combined acting with activism. He has been on the board of Enterprise Community Partners since 2000. The goal of Enterprise Community Partners, which was co-founded by Norton’s grandfather James Rouse, is simple – affordable green housing for the poor. Norton has also appeared before Congress to lobby for green housing.
Norton supports public transportation and even rides the New York subway. However, he discarded transportation completely when he ran in the 2009 New York City Marathon to benefit Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. Norton became interested in the cause, which works to preserve the East African ecosystem, after visiting Kenya. He ran alongside three Masai warriors he invited to join him in the run.
Norton is also a board member of Friends of the High Line. The High Line is a Manhattan public park and the Friends of the High Line work to help build and maintain the park as well as preserve its history.
Norton served as the host of PBS’ “Strange Days on Planet Earth.” This series, produced by Sea Studios Foundation, looks at the affect humans have had on the planet. The series was originally divided up into four 1-hour episodes: Invaders (about invasive species and how they affect the ecology and economy), The One Degree Factor (about the changing climate, including the drought in Africa), Predators (how predators affect the natural ecosystems), and Trouble Waters (about the polluted waters around the world). The success of the original show lead to a partnership with the National Geographic Society and additional episodes were filmed.