TAMSIN STRINGER

Bloomington High School South, Bloomington, IN

“Through PGC, I have discovered many things about myself. I learned that I am more determined than I thought I could be and that changing the world isn’t just about big changes. They can be as simple as choosing organic food, carrying a reusable water bottle, or spreading the word about unfair trade. We can all consume less and live more sustainably. Small changes add up to huge impact.”

My name is Tamsin. I am 16 years old and a junior at Bloomington High School South. My mother is from France and my father is from England, so I am bilingual. I was born in the UK, spent my early childhood in Japan, and have now lived for ten years in Indiana. At school, my favorite AP classes are Environmental Science, Spanish, and History. I play soccer for my high school, and spend time outside practicing everyday. I have played the piano for 10 years and have a passion for music. I do theatre and love the whole atmosphere of putting on a play. Ever since I was little, I have loved being creative, especially in art. I am always coming up with innovative ideas, plans and projects. However, only in the last few years have I developed an overall vision of what I would like to do. Through the school, I joined the club Students Advocating for a Greener Environment (SAGE), and this soon changed my life for the better. As a student leader of SAGE, I have participated in many engaging projects. One highlight was being the first school in the nation to install Pavegen tiles. So when my teacher, Ms. Figolah, talked to us about Project Green Challenge, I was enthusiastic to start my journey from conventional to conscious. I found inspiration in many of these challenges, but especially in learning the truth about fast fashion. I have enjoyed every second of this experience, and I’m already looking at the world in a different way.

Inspiration. Motivation. Change. Sustainability. Community.

Through PGC I found my true passion, and I found myself. Before the month of October I had no idea what USDA organic meant, or about the harmful effects of GMOs, or the millions of micro beads polluting our oceans. I didn’t know how to shop sustainably, eat sustainably, or live sustainably. I had glazed over the fact that 40 million plastic bottles end up in landfills every year, and I was contributing to that waste. I had never heard the words fast fashion or realized the negative impact of this industry. How did I not know about the millions of workers, living poverty stricken lives, with factories crumbling around them who were struggling to find food, water, and shelter while making my clothes? And there I was, window shopping for all the best sales, mad I couldn’t find what I was looking for. These realizations were at the heart of my journey.

What I needed was a complete lifestyle change. And that’s what PGC did for me. I have grown passionate about the environment, and I am hoping to remain engaged in the years to come. Over this past month I have learned so many things, and dug so much deeper into environmental issues than I ever had before. I have reduced my ecological footprint on earth. I have learned how to eat and live more sustainably. I have explored my health and fitness, and I have learned how to shop sustainably. I have learned about the importance of clean water, and the benefits of non GMO, USDA organic foods. I understand a little more about the economic aspects of the environment and the many forms of renewable energy. PGC has inspired and motivated me to become conscious of the world I live in, the people I meet, and the things I do. Every day I was presented with a new opportunity to learn, take action, and change my conventional habits. From day one I put so much time and effort into each challenge to try and become more conscious. I designed drawings, I researched for hours, I met so many new people, and I began to have a different perspective on the world.

These are just some of the milestones on the incredible journey I went through for Project Green Challenge. And for me, the journey does not end this month. This creative experience has opened my eyes to the world around me, and through it I have gained such an enriched definition of what it mean to turn green. I now know more how to live sustainably, be zero waste, shop green, cook homemade, conserve water, dress ethically, choose natural body care products, buy fair trade, and support local farming. But most of all, I can now start educating others with this knowledge, and make my community, and the world, a greener place.

Through PGC,I have discovered so many things about myself. I learned that I am more determined than I realized. It was very hard to balance my SAT preparation and schoolwork with the daily challenges of the project. But my high levels of motivation kept me going.

I also learned that changing the environment doesn’t only have to be about huge changes-It can be as simple as biting into an organic apple, carrying a reusable water bottle, or spreading the word about unfair trade. This means that even I can change the world, because many small changes can make a big difference.

I have also come to realize that my problems are not as bad as I thought when I think about things from a different perspective. I was very moved by the images of factory workers, the same age as me, making the kinds of clothes that I buy.

I learned that I have the capability to create real change in the world.

MARIA PEREZ

Pajaro Valley High School, Watsonville, CA

“Project Green Challenge opened my eyes to living a sustainable life. I discovered my community, and myself and learned that while simple changes are important, the real change occurs when you engage others to do the same. I was able to meet the most incredible people on the planet, including amazing student leaders from different backgrounds, but with the same vision for a better world. This experience gave me the power to understand my passions and fight for them.”

My name is Maria Perez, and I am a senior at Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville, CA. I was born in Guanajuato Mexico, and came to the United States five years ago. I come from a low-income migrant family of Latinos, and I feel very proud of my roots. I enjoy being in programs where I can collaborate to create change. I am the farm and harvest manager at an organic farm, and a mentor to elementary and middle school students, I teach them about the wetlands. I am truly grateful for my education because back in Mexico I would probably not be able to afford it. I am also grateful for my education because a teacher introduced me to Nancy Faulstich who told me about Project Green Challenge. I signed up because I know that the health of the planet should be a concern to everyone. I also care for my planet and want to change the relationship between humans and the land, so that we learn to live in harmony with the natural world. Throughout the challenge, I was able to move outside my comfort zone and speak up representing mother nature and justice. The most inspiring challenge for me was food because that is essential to our health and well being. I know how it feels not to have enough food and the importance of access to healthy and delicious food. During the challenge I was able to create a sharing table at my school for those who didn’t have enough to eat. I want to be part of positive change, and help my community. When I graduate from high school, I want to study Sustainable Agriculture.

Revolutionary. Amazing. Exhausting. Eye-opening. Active leadership.

Learning about food, clothing, and body products have turned me into a person that has gratitude for what we are given. It was very exciting for me when teachers at school would say words of encouragement to our team. That made me happy, and being happy is what I want in my life. This challenge has provided me with happiness and a more sustainable life.

The most memorable challenge is when I saw the documentary Made In Bangladesh with my brother and sister. I shared time with my siblings learning about the negative effects of fast fashion, and how many people suffer from bad working conditions in these factories. I liked this challenge because it is one of the challenges that touched my heart the most, and because I saw the influence it had in my siblings.

I have learned that I am a person that cares for what is going on in the world, and hope to take part in the change. I have learned that I am not too insignificant to create change around me.

TAYLOR CARROBIS

The Derryfield School , Manchester, NH

“The commitment I made to PGC became a passion. It helped define who I was and changed my view of my ‘conventional’ life. But most of all, it helped inspire me to change my school’s future, my community’s, and my own.”

My name is Taylor Carrobis and I am a junior in high school from The Derryfield School. I live in Bedford, New Hampshire, a small town with around 22,000 residents. I originally joined PGC because my Environmental Science teacher, Mr. Dougherty, told us that he would like us to try a couple of the challenges in our free time to learn more about the environment. The first day of the challenge, I decided that I should try doing all three of them to see what the experience would be like. The second day, I completed all three again because I was interested in what my footprint would be, and, eventually, every morning at 9 AM I would be checking the website for the next challenge to light up. I can’t really say at what point I decided that I was going to complete every challenge every day, but around a week in it had become my driving force each day. I would talk to friends about what I had to do that day, tell my parents about the research, and constantly check emails for information. To me, it was fun, and it helped change my life every time a challenge came out.

Informative. Life-changing. Inspiring. Memorable Exciting.

Every single day I would enjoy learning about energy, or soil, or food, and many other subjects that I did not realize even existed. For me, one of the most enjoyable days was learning about the different types of energy because of how odd some of them were. For example, there are some researchers trying to use jellyfish for power. Another example of odd energy use is body heat from people in trains or crowded areas. It showed the many advancements and research that was happening in the field. I also really enjoyed learning about my school and the different environment initiatives Derryfield has. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how conscious my school was, most notable was their energy use. Derryfield, to my surprise, gets part of their power from the solar energy field nearby and from the solar panels that I did not realize were on top of the auditorium. This aspect of PGC, of the new knowledge that I would not have known, was very important to me throughout the month.

Because of my experience, I turned into a student that was aware of the environmental footprint of her school and started to take action to change it. My experience, as a learner and now a risk taker, has really defined my experience as a Project Green Challenge participant.

I have learned that I am capable of making a change within the community. Before PGC, I thought that it would be impossible for someone like me to make a change, but I have learned that it is possible for me to make gigantic impacts. I would not have interviewed a farmer before PGC, or email the Head of School, or even talk to people about what they were grateful for, but now, I am more confident in my ability as an environmental activist. This lesson, of my own strength as a leader, is the most important aspect I have learned about myself the last 30 days.