I couldn’t tell you when I first started caring about the environment, but there are a few moments that stand out to me.
A Chemistry class in Year 9, learning about how plastic can only be recycled 2-3 times before it ends up in landfill.
Geography in Year 10, finding out how much waste Bristol produces, and in contrast how Freiburg facilitates a sustainable lifestyle.
In Primary School, being encouraged to engage with nature as much as possible, believing it would stay like this forever.
Even before all this when, at least for me, caring about and connecting with the environment was innate.
I decided to pursue a career in conservation when I was around 15, and now I can’t imagine anything else. To me I feel compelled to observe and protect this beautiful planet, and the people in it.
After completing my work experience with Vision 21 in February of 2020 I stayed in touch with them, and when they reached out about a new ‘Youth Ambassador’ scheme I was instantly interested.
Planet Cheltenham is a group dedicated to creating a local space to centralise the sustainability efforts in Gloucestershire. I have worked with them as a Youth Ambassador to create a video to show the council at a local Climate Conference, as well as to talk on BBC Radio Gloucestershire about a Youth Climate Survey we conducted.
I have also talked on BBC Radio Gloucestershire about Fast Fashion: what it is, why it’s bad and what we can do to avoid it.