Off-Grid goddess

Cate Blanchett’s hot off the set of “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”, but she won’t be indulging in any wasteful showering. Dailysnack.com reported that the 38-year-old Oscar-nominated thespian had a timer installed in her shower, limiting her shower-action to just four minutes.

“I heard something silly the other day that I’d stopped washing my hair to cut down on using even more water but that’s not true,” she said. “I’m just trying to do my bit. I do live in a desert called Australia you know.”

This environmental concern is nothing out of the ordinary for Cate, who lives in a solar-powered apartment in Sydney. And she recently announced plans to take the Sydney Theatre Company off-grid.

Her husband Andrew Upton, with whom she runs the group explained, “We are talking solar panels, [recycling] rainwater, the works. This would ideally generate enough power to do a whole season off-grid. This would be the first theatre company in the world to do that.”

An Aussie paper reported that Cate even takes pains to see that her ride home is green. She recently ordered an eco taxi to transport her and her sons Dashiell and Roman home from Sydney airport.

In London, she’s been spotted taking double-decker buses.

Cate has also been known to drape her lithe frame in Ciel, the sustainable fashion label that utilizes recycled fabrics, organic cottons, and alpaca knits.

Digging a little deeper, all the way back to August, Ms. Blanchett visited Lake Samsonvale, which was devastated by drought, to promote the Australian Conservation Foundation’s campaign whoonearthcares.com.

Like Julia Roberts and now Soleil Moon Frye, with her line of hip, sustainable babywear, Cate’s environmental motivation has gotten an extra kick by motherhood. ” I want a safe and sustainable future for my children .”

Other moves include cutting her driving by 20 km a week and having an efficient shower head installed in her solar powered home, with her timed showers.

Sheesh— the girl is serious. Even I, who gave up delicious cheese for three years, am loath to give up long showers…but if she can do it…why not all of us?