Many artists write songs about the environment. Fewer artists make environmentalism a foundation for their lifestyle and the undercurrent throughout their music.
Is Jack Johnson an Environmentalist?
Jack Johnson is one of those rare artists, and beyond being a platinum-certified recording artist on his own, he has also set a terrific example for being an environmental activist and a successful artist.
Beginning in the 1990s as a surfer in his native Hawaii, his understanding of how powerful the ocean can be has fueled his distinct appreciation for and respect for nature. In the mid to late 90s, he found his footing as a musician, opening for acts like the Dave Matthews Band and Sublime when they were relatively unknown.
The launchpad that sent him into the mainstream was his addition of vocals and guitar to G.Love’s 1999 album Philadelphonic. From there, he released his debut album Brushfire Fairytales and eight more studio albums as of writing.
His collaborations with Ben Harper have become well-known in the mainstream alongside his work as a solo artist and have received critical acclaim worldwide.
While his lyrics and themes deal with topics central to the environmental movement, such as coming together, protecting what we have, and saving our world while we have a chance, some of his most important contributions have been through his philanthropy.
He has founded two charities with his wife focusing on environmental, music, and arts education. Those two charities are the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, founded in 2003, and the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, founded in 2008.
Jack Johnson is a man who, not only in words but in action, cares about the environment. He runs his tour buses on bio-diesel, and he has encouraged concert venues to use reusable pint cups not only at his shows but at other shows as well.
Regarding artists worth supporting to inspire action, Jack Johnson is at the forefront of that list. If you want to contribute to his foundations, you can click the links here and here, and if you want to support his music or go to his shows, you can click here.
