You Should Follow These 9 Role Models of Environmental Protection (Part 1)

Living sustainably is uncomfortable, complicated and in any case means renunciation. Nobody said it was easy. However, these nine personalities from the worlds of sport and the outdoors prove that a sustainable lifestyle can be cool and inspires participation. Because their Instagram feeds are not only about action shots, but also about a real message. So it's worth clicking on the follow button.

The first one is professional snowboarder and passionate surfer Aline Bock. The freeride world champion is a Protect-our-Winters ambassador and is committed to combating climate change. She has probably attracted even more attention with her film "A land shaped by women", which she produced together with French snowboarder Anne-Flore Marxer. With wistful shots of surfing and splitboarding, the two sportswomen focused on the topic of equal rights and outdoor sports and shot exactly where, according to a study by the World Economic Forum, equal rights between men and women are already quite advanced: Iceland.

Instagram account by Aline Bock

Skier, model, environmental activist. Since the Sweet Grass Productions masterpiece Valhalla, I have been a fan of the likeable American woman. But she is not a classic freerider: she commutes between her life as a model, surfs in the Arctic or rides Big Mountain Lines. And all that with a lot of style. She inspires on her channel not only with pictures of her adventures, but also with her activities as an environmentalist. Her latest project is Plastic Free Fridays, which she founded with photographer Meg Haywood Sullivan and where she calls for the use of disposable plastic every Friday.

Instagram account of Sierra Quitiquit

One athlete I've been following on Instagram for a while is Caroline Gleich. The American not only climbed Mount Everest, did all 90 lines of the Chuting Gallery in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah and landed a cover shot on the American Powder Magazine, she is also involved with her sponsor Patagonia or organisations like Wilderness Society and Protect our Winters against climate change or for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Instagram account by Caroline Gleich

Happy laughter, good mood and lots of power. Anyone who has ever been to a yoga class of Sinah Diepold knows what I am talking about. But instead of posing on her Instagram channel in swirling yoga poses, the Munich native manages to keep her balance. Between dance parties and holiday photos, she also talks about sustainability, fair fashion and the importance of finding the right balance. Like in her studio Kale & Cake, which she runs together with Sophia Thora in Lehel, Munich. There, the two of them attach great importance to a resource-conserving working method and organize monthly charity events, the proceeds of which they donate to various charitable organizations.

Instagram account by Sinah Diepold

Intersectional Environmentalism. This term was coined by Leah Thomas or as she is called on Instagram @greengirlleah. The idea behind it: Most environmental activists are white, and Leah Thomas wants to change that and make it clear how Black Lives Matter and environmentalism are connected. Intersectional Environmentalism is an integrative form of environmental protection that works to protect both people and the planet. On her channel she provides facts, infographics, gives tips for a sustainable life and talks in live talks with guests about environmental protection and equal rights. And everything looks pretty good, too.

Instagram account from Leah Thomas