FX.co ★ Five most eco-friendly billionaires

Alice Walton

Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart’s founder Sam Walton, is one of the most vocal environmentalists among billionaires. Her net worth is estimated at about $65 billion. Walton donates millions of dollars every year to environmental organizations. She focuses on conservation and rational use of water resources worldwide, as well as on reduction of food waste.

Phil Knight

Another eco-friendly billionaire is Phil Knight, the co-founder and former CEO of Nike. Under his management, the shoewear company focused on environmental protection and implemented a Move to Zero initiative aimed at minimizing production wastage. Knight also donated $400 million to the Stanford University’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars scholarship program aimed at combating climate change. It was the biggest donation in the university’s history.

Jensen Huang

The net worth of Jensen Huang, the co-founder of NVIDIA, is estimated at $19 billion. His company is one of the leading players in the GPU and AI markets worldwide. In 2022, Huang donated $50 million to the Oregon State University’s climate simulation supercomputer project. Researchers believe the supercomputer could help ecologists model, predict, and prevent potential climate disruptions.

Joe Gebbia

Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb, is another notable eco-activist. In early 2023, the businessman, who is valued at $8.3 billion, donated $25 million to the nonprofitc organization Ocean Cleanup in the Netherlands. It is developing new technologies aimed at extracting plastic pollution from oceans and other bodies of water.

Robert F. Smith

Robert F. Smith, founder of Vista Equity Partners, has long worked hand-in-hand with executives from major US companies, such as Amazon, Chevron, and General Motors, to support market-based carbon pricing and develop effective strategies for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The billionaire, whose fortune is now estimated at $8 billion, has already spent several million dollars on these goals.