7 Hot Female Models Who Are Also Environmentalists

by Emma Grady, New York, NY

Credit W Brasil agency

When it comes to looking green and gorgeous, these seven female models are on top of their game. From Miranda Kerr, the face of "Australian Koala Foundation's "No Tree No Me" campaign, and Gisele Bündchen (above) who have both appeared nude in the name of the earth, to "eco-model" Summer Rayne Oakes and eco-cosmetic maven Josie Maran, who have signed up to find America's next top eco-model in Project Green Search, these models are raising awareness of environmental and social issues and marketing green as sexy and desirable with their beauty and bodies. Keep tuned for our next round, 7 Hot Male Models Who are also Environmentalists.

1. Gisele Bündchen: Flip Flops for the Forest

One of the first ways Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen showed eco-consciousness was with a water dress to promote water conservation (specifically the Xingu river, which flows into the Amazon and is suffering from deforestation). Later she launched her own green blog. Now she's back in the latest campaign for her Ipanema flip flop line, this time in a forest outfit to raise awareness on Atlantic deforestation and to support SOS Mata Atlantica. Specifically, she's helping project Forests of the Future, which seeks to recover gallery forest, the vegetation that surrounds rivers and streams participating in the protection of water.

2. Josie Maran: Green Glamour Queen

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After 10 years of having her famous face on magazine covers, print ads, and in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, motherhood inspired Josie Maran to develop her own line of non-toxic makeup, Josie Maran Cosmetics. The moisturizer, blush, eye shadow, mascara, liner, lip gloss, and more are made without parabens, petrochemicals, animal testing, or fragrances, and even the packaging is recyclable or biodegradable. Since launching her eco-empire, Maran has been crowned the Green Glamour Queen in the premier issue of Organic Beauty, has sold a thousand mascara wands, and triumphed in Elle magazine's 2009 Green Star Awards.

3. Summer Rayne Oakes: The "Eco-Model"

Credit Summer Rayne Oakes

TreeHugger regular, Planet Green contributor, business woman, activist and model, Summer Rayne Oakes has been a pioneer in the green movement using her passion for fashion and social good, to promote the causes closest to her heart. Oakes recently helped launch Zoe & Zac, the first eco-friendly line of shoes from budget shoe giant Payless, in addition to filling the spot as cover girl for the campaign, and authored her first book--Style, Naturally. The eco-fashion and beauty guide is aimed at women "who love style, but may not have 'environment' or 'green' in their lexicon," according to Oakes. And now, the search is on for America's next top eco-model.at through competition Project Green Search. Contestants will be judged by eco-luminaries including Oakes and #2 on this list, Josie Maran.

4. Miranda Kerr: Bares All for the Koala

Credit Ecorazzi

Australian Supermodel and Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr bared it all on the cover of Rolling Stone's green issue when she appeared nude and chained to a tree for the sake of the environment. Kerr specifically wanted to shine light on the Australian Koala Foundation's No Tree No Me campaign which aims to protect the koalas' natural habitat. Kerr told Rolling Stone: "I feel strongly about the need to protect our natural environment because it supports our life--it really is that simple." Via Ecorazzi

5. Lily Cole: Says 'No' to De Beers' Diamonds

Credit Pirelli

British supermodel Lily Cole, the face of luxury diamond jeweler De Beers, refused to work for the company after learning that Bushmen were evicted to make way for future diamond mining in Botswana. Cole allied with Western Shoshone and fellow environmental activists in the ongoing struggle to halt gold and diamond mining, which displaces indigenous peoples worldwide and creates excessive amounts of mining waste and toxins. Advocacy group Survival International is leading a campaign to urge De Beers to allow Bushman back onto their tribal lands.

6. Cindy Crawford: Her 'Eco-Awakening'

Credit Ecorazzi

This ex-supermodel is thirsty to make the world a better place: Cindy Crawford kicked her six bottles a day water habit and started drinking tap water. She has also announced that she’s working with water filtration company PUR, in order to design her own reusable aluminum bottle in the hopes to encourage others to cut back on plastic waste (proceeds benefit Children’s Safe Drinking Water). Crawford recently joined the Green Beat team on Vanity Fair's blog VF Daily, where she writes about her "eco-awakening" and the daily changes she has made, like unplugging appliances, switching to recycled paper towels and napkins, ditching plastic bags, and buying local foods.

7. Heidi Klum: Project Green at Home and on the Runway

Credit Creative Commons

Heidi Klum has taken Summer Rayne Oakes' lead in using fashion as a tool for social change. The host of Project Runway says, "You can make a lot of great things with eco-friendly material" and has contestants creating clothes out of unlikely materials. One of the contestants on season five, Leanne Marshall, even has her own eco-conscious clothing line, Leanimal. Klum is going greener on the home-front as well: Instead of tossing, she's donating her children's old clothes to Baby Buggy, a charity that distributes used clothing to children in need. Via Ecorazzi