Stunning Australian ‘environmental warrior’ Jessica Lane wins the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines
A stunning Australian ‘environmental warrior’ has walked away with the title of Miss Earth.
Melbourne-born Jessica Lane was crowned Miss Earth in Manila, Philippines, beating 75 other contestants.
The event marked the first ever pageant for the 22-year-old, who attends university on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The Miss Earth pageant aims to highlight climate and environmental issues – something Jessica is passionate about.
“I want to be a voice for Mother Nature,” the beautiful blonde told the channel Herald Sun after her victory.
“I’m really here for the environmental advocacy side,” she continued.
A stunning Australian ‘environmental warrior’ has walked away with the title of Miss Earth. Melbourne-born Jessica Lane (pictured) was crowned Miss Earth in Manila, Philippines, beating 75 other contestants
She is assisted by the runner-up Miss Air (Hrafnhildur Haralds from Iceland). Miss Water (Bea Millan-Windorski from the US) and Miss Fire (Niva Antezana from Peru). All depicted
“I truly believe that pageants are a great platform for women to not only learn incredible life skills, but also have the opportunity to amplify their voices for a good cause.”
Jessica is the first ever Australian to win the title of Miss Earth and wants to continue her ‘environmental advocacy’ through this role.
She is joined by the beautiful runner-up Miss Air (Hrafnhildur Haralds from Iceland). Miss Water (Bea Millan-Windorski from the US) and Miss Fire (Niva Antezana from Peru).
It comes after Miss Earth USA appointed wellness ambassadors to recognize mental health crises among contestants.
The move followed the death of Cheslie Kryst, 30, who jumped to her death from a Midtown apartment building in January 2022 after losing her battle with high-functioning depression.
Following her death, Miss USA announced it would expand its mental health services in an effort to prevent another death after failing to protect Cheslie – who spoke openly about her struggle in the spotlight.
It started integrating new workshops to ‘help prevent depression’ and generate coping mechanisms.
Miss Earth USA followed in her footsteps, announcing what it says will be the industry’s largest mental health initiative. She stated that this is an election-wide issue.
The event marked the first ever pageant for the 22-year-old, who attends university on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The Miss Earth pageant aims to highlight climate and environmental issues – something Jessica is passionate about
Many contestants came forward to share their own struggles after Cheslie’s death, including Miss Earth 2017 and one of Cheslie’s best friends, Andreia Gibau, 27, from Brooklyn, and current Miss Earth Eco Emma Loney, 25, from Wisconsin.
‘[Her death] made me realize that it doesn’t matter how famous you are, what title you have, how famous you are, mental health affects everyone,” Loney told DailyMail.com.
‘And that the pressure of pageantry is real and that the expectations of being perfect or having to be perfect are real.
“I’ve certainly felt it myself and I’ve never been Miss USA.”
Laura Clark, the national director of Miss Earth USA, who currently lives in Switzerland, decided after Cheslie’s death that it would not happen again, not only at her own pageant, but at all pageants.
“After Cheslie’s death we said that this will be a goal of ours to make sure there is a clear initiative,” Clark told DailyMail.com.
“That was definitely the turning point for me personally, as a leader in the pageant community.
“To say it’s all our responsibility, to articulate this and make it a priority in your organization and to say, ‘What’s your plan?’ And to get it out there publicly and make sure that all of your state directors and everyone understands that this is our policy that we’re putting in place and this is the plan that we need to focus on.”
The initiative includes several seminars, mindfulness breaks during pageant week and the designation of 10 wellness ambassadors – who are not only within Miss Earth USA, but at all pageants across the US.
Beforehand, the Miss Earth USA pageant had offered backstage goodie bags and consolation services to the contestants who didn’t take home a “bigger crown.”
It has since shifted its focus to “integrating wellness and mental health into every aspect of our program,” Clark told DailyMail.com.
But in addition to the mindfulness breaks and wellness ambassadors, Miss Earth also hired a certified spiritual counselor to “develop a program” for the “entire pageant community” to eliminate the “go, go, go” environment and teach women how to score goals outside a shiny crown.
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“I want to be a voice for Mother Nature,” the beautiful blonde told the Herald Sun after her win. “I’m really here for the environmental advocacy side,” she continued
