Love is in the air! Say hello to our ten powerhouse conscious couples who are saving the planet, together. If this isn’t #CoupleGoals, we don’t know what is.
Forgive us. We’re not usually into all the forced lovey-dovey BS of Valentine’s Day. However, we can’t help but be inspired by these fierce eco-activist power-couples. Proving that your vibe really does attract your tribe (or, at least, your partner), here are the conscious couples doubling down on saving the planet. We heart the love they have for each other and the earth.
1. Nadya Hutagalung and Desmond M Koh
She’s a television host and eco-activist who founded Let Elephants Be Elephants, an ivory-reduction campaign, and is a United Nations Grasp (Great Apes Survival Partnership) ambassador. More recently, Nadya also helped launch #cleanseas, a global campaign to eliminate major sources of marine little by encouraging governments to pass plastic-reduction policies. And he’s a 3x Olympian swimmer and Mindfulness practitioner, actively exploring consciousness and the human potential. Not only is he the Managing Director at BNP Paribas Wealth Management, the world’s best bank for sustainable finance in 2019 (according to EuroMoney), he’s also the current president at Centre For Responsible Future (a non-profit charity in SG supporting people and organisations to make more sustainable choices). Together they are a powerhouse duo on the sustainability scene. Move over people; they have a planet to save.
2. Melati Wijsen and Gary Bencheghib
18-year-old Melati is a force to be reckoned with. A sustainability changemaker since the age of 12 (when she founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags with her younger sister, Isabel), she led the youth-driven movement that resulted in Bali banning plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam. More recently you may have seen her speaking at the UN Youth Climate Summit or, y’ know, that little thing they call Davos. We’re not sure what you were doing at 18, but we certainly weren’t holding global business leaders and politicians to account. Go Melati.
No wonder then, that her beau Gary is also an inspiring activist. Growing up on the island of Bali, he witnessed the devastating effects of the island’s waste problem first-hand. His viral videos draw attention to some of the most polluted areas on the planet. In particular, his nine-part series profiling the world’s most polluted river, the Citarum in Indonesia, sparked a two-year emergency cleanup project supported by Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo. Thanks to these two, the future looks a little brighter (which is why they’re both Green Warriors).
3. Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara
OK, so Joaquin got a bit of stick for his latest Oscar speech. But we can’t help but love him for it. And over the last year, we’ve seen him become increasingly vocal in his climate activism. Even his next big film project urges action on the climate and ecological emergency. Entitled Guardians of Life, it acts as a PSA for the plight of the Amazon and its indigenous communities. Plus, he’s been a vegan since the age of three and has worn the same suit to every red carpet event this season in a stand against fast fashion. Joaquin: we salute you. And so does his fiancee, Rooney Mara. The animal-rights campaigner launched her vegan-fashion line, Hiraeth, back in 2018. Vegan for the last eight years, she got pi***d at not being able to find animal-friendly clothes, so created a brand for those wishing to make more conscious choices. What a team.
4. Paul Niel and Esther Roling
This inspiring duo are cleaning up Hong Kong’s vast swathes of coastline, one adventure at a time. Paul has mapped the trash pollution of Hong Kong, capturing the process in the award-winning film “The Loop”. While Esther is the co-founder of the Adventure Clean Up Challenge: the first multi-disciplinary sports event with an environmental purpose. During the most recent challenge, 1327 bags of trash were collected, two tonnes of bulky items were removed, and over 840 volunteer hours were clocked. Now that’s what we call making an impact! And did we mention they are both 2019 Green Warriors?
5. Jack Harries and Alice Aedy
YouTuber turned climate activist Jack, has used his platform (and nearly 4million followers) to share stories from the front lines of climate change. His work has seen him travel to Greenland, Somaliland, Bhutan, Borneo, Kiribati and more. He’s also a global ambassador for WWF, an Antarctic Ambassador for Greenpeace, and is associated with UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Phewf. His bae Alice Aedy is also a whizz behind the camera. The 25-year-old documentary photographer, filmmaker, and activist focuses her work on migration, women’s rights and, of course, environmental issues. You’ll find her work in the likes of The Times, Vice, The Guardian, Monocle, BBC, and more.
6. Venetia and Max La Manna
If you don’t follow this loved up pair on IG, then you need to fix that right now and get swept away with their inspiring content. Venetia is on a self-proclaimed climate activist on a mission to slow fast-fashion, while Max is a best-selling and award-winning chef-cum-author. His debut, dubbed the UK’s most sustainable cookbook, encourages a more plants, less waste approach and takes vegan eating to the next level. His creations will delight even the most hardcore of carnivores. Together, they inspire millions across the world to rethink their approach to consumption.
7. Adrien Desbaillets and Renyung Ho
We couldn’t compile this list without a nod to the founder of one of our favourite sustainable fashion brands: Matter. If you want to know the who, how, and where behind your clothes, Matter has got your back. We all know that fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries, but through Matter, Renyung proves it doesn’t have to be this way. And Renyung’s partner in crime is none other than Adrien Desbaillets; the entrepreneur behind SaladStop! Sustainability initiatives are woven into the DNA of the brand, from reducing plastic and encouraging BYO containers, to championing plant-based menu items and composting food waste, SaladStop continues to take #LittleGreenSteps that makes it a breath of fresh air on the APAC f&b scene.
8. Tom Peacock-Nazil and Pamela Correia
Take a trip to the Singapore coastline, and you’ll likely see husband and wife duo Tom and Pamela, plus a tribe of volunteers, cleaning the beach. Founders of Seven Clean Seas, this pair are leading the fight against ocean plastic and empowering local communities along the way. What started as a community project has morphed into monthly international beach cleanups. And since launching, they have recovered over 50,270kg of plastic from our oceans.
9. Sean Lee Davis and Katrina Razon
Sean Lee Davis is the brains behind and founder of Project C:Change; a social enterprise and media platform creating awareness about climate change and conservation. Since 2010, he’s been engaging media and celebrities to help elevate consciousness of the natural world while empowering local communities to protect their natural resources. Not to mention the thousands of dollars he’s raised for conservation charities through auctions at high-profile events. Last, but not least, he was also a 2018 Green Warrior! His hot other half is none other than Katrina Razon: Director of WonderFruit, the festival that’s a “celebration of music, art, food, and ideas to catalyse positive impact”. It’s our favourite festival championing sustainability like no other (aside from our Conscious Festivals, of course!).