Celebrities have long used their influence to help raise awareness of global issues. Whether that may be raising money or sending support for a war-torn country, or sharing a political opinion, they’re able to grab the attention of a mass audience. The same could be said for Marvel star Mark Ruffalo as he’s using his influence to help save the world.
The Hulk actor posted a tweet where he raised awareness about the dangers of burning plastic for biofuel. Alongside the tweet was an article from The Guardian, which reported that gas company Chevron was given the green light by the Environmental Protection Agency to “create fuel from discarded plastic” as a climate-friendly alternative to petroleum. However, as mentioned by both the article and Ruffalo, the air pollution that comes out from this type of fuel production could cause cancer.
His followers supported him after he posted this, but many felt that there’s nothing much a normal person could do considering this is a huge gas company. People could blame capitalism and how “corporations own the government.” But unless people are well-funded and well-organized to create a massive uproar about this, there is nothing much individuals can do to stop this.
Ruffalo has never shied away from voicing his concerns about climate change and the environment. Back in 2021, he teamed up with climate activist Greta Thunberg to address the world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference with a letter calling for change. He also called out Northern Ireland, warning them about fracking – a gas collection technique that involves drilling into the earth with a high-pressure mixture of water, chemicals, and sand to release gas.
He may be playing a superhero in the fictional sense, but he’s also doing whatever he can to save lives in real life.