Leonardo DiCaprio Is On A Green Mission

Hollywood Heavyweight Producing, Narrating Documentary "The 11th Hour"

(CBS)  Leonardo DiCaprio is not only a Hollywood A-lister, he is also a passionate crusader for the environment.

He is the star power behind a new documentary, "The 11th Hour." The film informs but also warns of ecological disaster when humanity is on a crash course with nature.

From hurricanes to record rainfall, global warming to species extinction, producer and narrator DiCaprio explores the precarious state of the earth's ecosystems. He chose the title to convey a sense of urgency.

"This is last moment where we can implement a lot of these changes as far as green technology is concerned," he told The Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen. "And this film deals with the fact it's up to our generation."

Determined to continue the environmental wake-up call ignited by Al Gore, DiCaprio searched out experts from around the world, including Kenny Ausubel who founded the group Bioneers. Their message is clear and foreboding: the time to go green is now.

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Photos: "The 11th Hour"

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"Hurricane Katrina was the first urban extinction," Ausubel said. "This is just the beginning of a trend: masses of ecological refugees, mega droughts, mega floods — extremes of all sorts."

So Oscar-nominee DiCaprio has decided to take personal action and make changes in the way he lives his life.

"I try to live a green lifestyle, quote unquote," he said. "I've done the things I can do in my house to make it green — energy efficient appliances, I drive a hybrid car, I have solar panels."

DiCaprio's passion, he says, comes from watching documentaries about the environment as a child and then later visiting places like the Brazilian rainforest.

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Photos: The Greening of Hollywood

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"And then learning more and more about human impact and they way we're treating our planet and wanting to do something about it," he said.

DiCaprio began campaigning for environmental causes shortly after "Titanic" made him one of the most popular stars on the planet a decade ago.

"Time does fly by pretty fast," he said. "It doesn't seem that long ago."

And after 10 years of waiting, fans will finally get to see DiCaprio and his co-star, Kate Winslet, reunite on the big screen. Their new film, "Revolutionary Road" will debut in 2008.

"It's set in the 1950s and it's about a couple in suburbia and dealing with moving from the big city to a suburban lifestyle, and the effects it has on their family and the loss of the dreams and aspirations of what they wanted to do with their life as they're living in a conformed environment," DiCaprio said. "It's a real sort of actor's piece and I was really happy to do it with Kate again, who is one of my dear friends, and such a great actress with her husband, Sam Mendes, as director."

With four films in the works, DiCaprio remains one of Hollywood's busiest actors. But he also finds time for a rather unusual hobby. He was actually in a bidding war for a dinosaur skull.

"I suppose my liking natural history and things of that nature," he said. "That's part of the reason I became an environmentalist. (I'm) sort of a nut about different species and the variety of life that we have — have on this planet, and evolution and all of those things. I didn't get it, anyway."

In addition, DiCaprio has turned his official Web site into an ecosite. Along with news about his latest films, are updates about the Leonardo DiCaprio foundation. To get more information on how you can make a difference on environmental issues, visit LeonardoDiCaprio.org.

[olebd]

Another celebrity to the rescue!!! Oh, thank you Super Leo!!! I guess Scientology or Karbala isn't as much fun for him.

[extremophil]

If he wanted to convey a sense of urgency with the title, wouldn't "The 23rd Hour" seem more appropriate?

[olebd]

Because he is cute....we shall listen. WE SHALL LISTEN!!!

[mnelsonix]

I'm always puzzled by what CBS deems to be, "SciTech News"

[maiingan]

I was surprised the conversation didn't include the "green rebuilding" of Greensburg Kansas and the upcoming "Planet Green" series. I want to know when he's going to get with the program that tornado-resistant construction comes first there. http://www.geocities.com/maiinganikan/.

[mitch0927]

maiingan,
A tornado resistance house is one built underground. Other than that, there isn't anything structurally strong enough to withstand a devastating tornado

[rushman71]

"Leonardo DiCaprio Is On A Green Mission" Leo, focus on legalizing herbs!!! It's greener than the grass in your backyard, man!!!

[hypnotoad72]

To continue it or to cash in on it?

And if Al Gore can say one thing and still find time to do the opposite, what does little Leo Greenhorn think he can do to really look credible?

[blazercoach1]

I commend him for doing some things on his own to live "green".

Editing note: Take a look at the picture for this story...then look at his picture on the CBS video. Notice anything about his hair?! It's BACKWARDS on one of the shots! Which one is reversed? Only his barber knows for sure....

[stezzer]

Just what we need, another concerned "star" telling the rest of us what to do.

Don't you just wish you could leave your carbon footprint on his backside.

[huanaco]

DO I DETECT A TOUCH OF ENVY REGARDING MOST THE BLOGGERS ABOUT DE CAPRIO ? IT DOESN,T MATTER WHO WARN US ABOUT THE ENVIROMENT, WHAT MATTERS IS PLANET EARTH.

[olebd]

No envy here. I think he's a fine actor. I just wish these celebrities would stick to what they do best and quit preaching to others as if they know what is best for all of us thanks to the false bravado of a fat wallet. As far as I know, Leo barely finished high school. He does not have the education to talk to me as if he is a scientist. Same goes for Bono.

[grammawhamma]

He was actually in a bidding war for a dinosaur skull.

Hmmm...wonder how much he bid for that!? He should put his money where his mouth is and spend it on something to improve the environment like perhaps building a recyling center in a town that can't afford it.

[stop7997]

The reason this society needs celebrities to help focus its attention on matters of importance is that the politicians and corporate media have left a vacuum that somebody, ANYBODY must fill. America has its collective gob stuck in the teevee set, more concerned with the winner of American Idol and the shenanigans in the Big Brother house than the fact that the current administration is raping both the environment and the Constitution. Celebrities like DiCaprio are aware of the woeful state of affairs in corporate journalism; they know that the networks will only cover issues of importance if they, the celebrities, take up a cause. DiCaprio is a young, good-looking millionaire who could do most anything he wanted to with his time (he could be getting laid by a different super model 24 hours a day on some tropical island); and the fact that he chooses to put so much of his time and energy into such an unselfish endeavor speaks very highly of him. Until Fox decides to start airing "American Nobel Prize Winner" or "So You Think You Can Think", celebrities are all we've got.

[mitywhity]

I am a landscaper, master gardner, lover of wildlife, etc. but this is simply socialism through environmetalism. Bullets and bullying didn't work, so this is the latest device - victory through guilt. I am sorry, but I love freedom more than I love flora and fauna combined. Plus, I am too weel aware that the climate is not set on 78 like you would a thermostat. I admit that I got worked up about acid rain, but I was in high school and I haven't heard of it since. That was twenty years ago and in another twenty years we'll not hear about this either.

[envirophoney]

tHIS FRAUD REFUSES TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHEN FLYING WHICH WOULD SAVE MORE FUEL IN A YEAR THAN 10 FAMILYS WILL USE IN A LIFETIME. THIS IS AN ADDICTION TO SELF PROMOTION AND THE NEW DRUG OF HOLLYWOOD. PLAYING CHARACTERS IS NOT A BIG ENOUGH HIGH. PLAY LEADER, PLAY GOD, PLAY PLITICS AND USE MORE FUEL AND OWN GIGANTIC 20,000 SQUARE FOOT HOMES. DE CAPRIO IS AN ENERY JUCKIE WORLD LEADER IN WASTE.

[deborahcox05]

Okay, so I unplug my appliances when not in use. I've changed all of my light bulbs. I can't afford a hybrid car.

These things seem insignificant! What else can the "common" folk do to go green?

People with money are always so quick to say you need to change things. But people like me don't have the resources to do it. I can't go out and build myself a new home with all the bells and whistles to brag that I'm "green."

I do care about the environment but no one has offered much information on what someone can do on an individual basis.

[juwboy]

Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor, is posing as an expert on global warming, the bailiwick of meteorologists and other atmospheric scientists.

So, who do you think he should hire as his next acting coach?

A sewer worker?

A gynecologist?

[juwboy]

Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor, is posing as an expert on global warming, the bailiwick of meteorologists and other atmospheric scientists.

So, who do you think he should hire as his next acting coach?

A sewer worker?

A gynecologist?

[juwboy]

Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor, is posing as an expert on global warming, the bailiwick of meteorologists and other atmospheric scientists.

So, who do you think he should hire as his next acting coach?

A sewer worker?

A gynecologist?

[infidel_us]

Leo, Leo.....just shut the f**k up and ACT. Nobody is interested in your crusades, interests, pet projects, cause celeb, etc.

Why don't you and Sean Penn write a script and star in "Brokeback Mountain, The Sequal"? Or, better yet, just GO AWAY!

[infidel_us]

Hottest years are NOW the 1930's! Hope your "movie" is accurate - Mr. Global Warming, Carbon Offset hypocrite.

[octavianfdlr]

juwboy said: "Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor, is posing as an expert on global warming, the bailiwick of meteorologists and other atmospheric scientists."

Why shouldn't Mr. DiCaprio think that he, an actor, should pose as an expert on global warming. That's what actors do: pose as what they are not.

Do you remember Three Mile Island? Many people said that what scared them the most was the statement in "The China Syndrome" by a scientist about a meltdown destroying an area "about the size of the state of Pennsylvania."

No scientist ever said that. He was an ACTOR, portraying a scientist in a fictional movie! (One of these "scientists" also talked about the waste melting it's way down through the Earth "all the way to China." Seems the movie was set in another universe with different physical laws, in which China in in the center of the Earth! Or gravity pulls upward. People believed what the actor posing as a scientist said, none the less.)