In a country where the rhetoric on environmental protection seems inversely proportionate to public awareness (especially among young people!), celebrity environmentalism may be one of the more effective ways to get the message out. And aside from fur-wearing Gong Li (or Leo, on a recent stop in Hong Kong), few stars in China have become known for their green choices. Too bad. Star-powered campaigns can be a relief from the typical government initiatives, not least because they are cool (and hot, see below) in a way that China's apparatchiks just aren't (sorry guys!).
Zhou starred in The Banquet, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, and Suzhou River, among others. Get the bigger picture here.
Of course, it's worth noting that in Chinese cities, baths, like cars, are still mostly the province of the privileged; most of us still have to make do with showers and bicycles. Zhou said she wants to find "clever ways to communicate with people, and help people to protect the environment in clever ways." At a time when the standard of living is rising fast in China, and media scrutiny is increasing, the challenge of being a jet-setting green leader may be greater than usual. Forget the usual "turn off the faucet" message: if Zhou can demonstrate that a lavish, luxury-loving lifestyle like the one she and other stars exemplify is not ideal -- and show China's aspiring middle class how to keep a low footprint while keeping their Manolos on -- she would be sending the cleverest environmental message in China now.