Famous American Environmental Activists

Legal consultant, environmental activist, and consumer activist Erin Brockovich is known for suing California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging them of contamination of water with hexavelent chromium, in 1993. Her story inspired the Julia Roberts-starrer 2000 movie Erin Brockovich. She has written two books and hosted TV shows, too.

Laurie David is an American environmental activist best known for producing An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary film that has been credited for reenergizing the environmental movement and raising public awareness on global warming. In 2003, she was honored with the Children's Nature Institute's Leaf Award for her efforts to educate young children about our environment.

Timothy Treadwell is best remembered for his work on Alaskan bears. He founded the organization Grizzly People and lived among bears in the Katmai National Park for 13 years. In 2003, he and his girlfriend were killed and eaten by a brown bear. He inspired the documentary Grizzly Man.

Isra Hirsi is an American environmental activist best known for co-founding the U.S. Youth Climate Strike, where she also serves as co-executive director. A self-described communist, Isra Hirsi was named in Fortune magazine's 40 Under 40 list in 2020.

Known for the documentary Ocean's Deadliest, which he co-hosted with Steve Irwin, oceanographer Philippe Cousteau Jr. also earned an Emmy nomination for his work in Awesome Planet. The grandson of naval officer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Philippe had lost his father, sailor and filmmaker Philippe Cousteau, 6 months before his birth.

Prominent environmentalist and world-class mountaineer, David Brower became aware of the environmental issues through his proximity to nature, eventually joining Sierra Club, serving it in different capacities over a long period before establishing several organizations of his own. Author of three autobiographies, he fought to keep dams out of the Grand Canyon and was thrice nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.