Last year, George Clooney wrote about the charitable efforts of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. This year, Leonardo DiCaprio hit the keyboard to praise green jobs-pioneer Van Jones as part of Time Magazine’s “Top 100 Influential People” for 2009. His words are below:

“When Van Jones was tapped to serve as special adviser on green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality earlier this year, the appointment was heralded as a significant development for the green movement. And for good reason. A pioneer in fusing economic opportunity and social justice with environmentalism, Jones, 40, represents an important progression in our country’s perception and thus our approach to combating global warming.”

“At the center of Jones’ vision for socially uplifting environmentalism is the creation of “green collar” jobs, a phrase he helped extend beyond advocacy and policy circles into mainstream conversation. Jones insists that these jobs not only contribute directly to preserving and enhancing environmental quality but also provide either family-supporting wages or a career ladder to move low-income workers into higher-skilled occupations.”

“In less than two years, Jones has risen from local grass-roots organizer to shepherd of a national movement to build an inclusive green economy — one that connects the people who most need work to the work that most needs to be done. His organization, Green for All, has helped deliver on the promise and potential of his vision with real jobs for real people, especially those who need new avenues of economic advancement during these challenging times. Steadily — by redefining green — Jones is making sure that our planet and our people will not just survive but also thrive in a clean-energy economy.”

For many years now, author/activist Van Jones has been at the forefront of promoting green jobs throughout the U.S. — especially as it relates to bringing sustainability and environmental justice to poor areas. He has founded incredible organizations like Green For All (which promotes green-collar jobs and opportunities for the disadvantaged), as well as appearing regularly on television and at green conferences around the world.

And yesterday it was announced that Van Jones will be joining the Obama administration as its Green Jobs Adviser. Congratulations!

According to Green For All, his duties will include: “helping to shape and implement job-generating climate policy; working to ensure equal protection and equal opportunity in the administration’s climate and energy proposals; and publicly advocating the administration’s environmental and energy agenda.”

How great is it to actually have a green jobs adviser position in a government administration? We look forward to seeing what change Van Jones may now bring on an even larger scale. Fantastic choice for the job!