By Katie Paul
Al Gore may be the green spokesman of the moment, but he and the rest of today’s environmental leaders stand on the shoulders of a long and diverse list of giants. Researchers, explorers, scientists, activists, conservationists, filmmakers, world leaders, and ordinary citizens have all made a case for how humans should best manage their interactions with the natural world around them, as well as how they should fix the messes they’ve caused along the way. Here, a look back at some of the most influential environmental leaders of the last century, from the highly celebrated to the unsung heroes of the movement.











