Yael Stone speaks on the ‘big decision’ that kept her up at night

The Aussie actress shocked fans when she announced she was giving up her precious US green card and now she’s opened up about the decision.

Australian actress Yael Stone’s career was off to a flying start in the US after she made a huge splash in the hit Netflix series Orange Is The New Black.

However, earlier this year she made a huge decision to give up her all-important US green card, that allows non-citizens to live and work in the country – for a cause she is passionate about.

The Aussie star delivered the dramatic news on social media in January, announcing that she had made the move in a bid to combat climate change — a decision that would effectively end her acting career in that country.

Speaking exclusively to news.com.au ahead of Earth Hour tonight, the 34-year-old said it was a “big” move that “certainly kept me awake at night”.

RELATED: Star’s drastic decision after bushfires

Yael Stone, 34, said the decision to give up her green card was a ‘big decision’. Picture: Supplied

Stone shot to fame in the US playing inmate Lorna Morello in popular series across the show’s seven seasons, however, she wanted to move back to Australia permanently amid the Black Summer bushfire to reduce her carbon footprint.

Stone said she made the decision with her partner, Jack Bancroft’s support, whom they share a 19-month-old daughter.

“Jack understands what’s driving me and has always been supportive. That is incredibly important to me and it goes both ways,” Stone told news.com.au

“There was a much bigger public reaction to my decision than I had anticipated and it made me feel that these thoughts, these considerations were in a lot of people’s minds.

“Maybe other people are awake at night with these concerns too? It strengthened my resolve and really made me accountable for idea’s I was sharing. That was both an intimidating and exciting feeling.”

The passionate climate change activist said she is still auditioning for shows overseas and made it clear that if she ever did work abroad, that she would be offsetting any adventures by donating 50 per cent of the earnings to climate action groups.

“I’m much, much too stubborn for anyone to bother trying to talk me out of that,” she said about her decision to return back home.

“This is my home. I’m Australian, my partner is Australian and our child is Australian. Our family is here and we are all very close. Last but certainly not least, this is where our vote counts,” she added.

Stone found fame in the US as one of the stars of Netflix hit Orange Is The New Black. Picture: Instagram

At the time, Stone started her announcement by slamming Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for doing “absolutely nothing” while “our country is on fire”.

“The leaders we have are the people around us. We have to step up because this is war; this is a climate war. And for the first time, our enemy is not wearing a uniform that we’ll be able to recognise. Our enemy is our own behaviour … it’s corporate-wide, it’s government-wide, it’s systematic changes that must happen, and they must happen yesterday. It’s time to act.”

She told news.com.au that with “years and years” of reading reports and seeing “subsequent inaction or worse, misinformation” it’s not so much what triggered her big move, but rather what “finally got my head out of the sand”.

“It’s more painful to keep ignoring a hard truth than integrate it and work out what you can do to make things better,” she said.

“I don’t have a silver bullet and I’m far from perfect but it’s easier for me to try to do better than not.”

The mother-of-one is supporting Earth Hour’s #switchfornature sharing the five switches she and her family have committed in doing to reduce their impact on the planet.

1. Changing my banking and super to environmentally sound organisations

2. Opting for an electric bike instead of a second car

3. Engaging with local groups to understand what all this means for us locally and working on how I can be most helpful

4. Growing veg and keeping chickens to reduce transport and refrigeration emissions

5. Putting a heck ton of solar on our house

Yael is a passionate climate change activist who will be taking part in Earth Hour. Picture: Supplied

Stone is currently studying Sustainable Communities part-time at Wollongong University to better understand her place in the way “this paradigm shift can come about, where we prioritise the earths delicate balance”.

“I want everyone included in this shift, without leaving anyone out of what will be a brilliant transformation. We can all benefit from clean air, clean water and a safe place to live.”

Earth Hour is happening on Saturday, March 27 at 8.30pm.