Earthsaver of the Month
What’s your SCA story?
I am a senior at Bryant High School in Queens. This summer I participated in the Greening Western Queens Summer Institute, where one of my instructors first introduced me to SCA. I heard about a service event SCA was organizing on Staten Island… and since I had never been to Staten Island before, I realized that it was a call for me to march into the wild! I went to the event and enjoyed it so much that I have attended every SCA service event in New York City since then!
Why do you serve the planet?
When I was a kid, my mother instilled the value in me that I should always help someone in need. The Earth needs help from all of her children. That’s what I’m doing, giving back to the mother who sustained my parents, their parents, and the rest of my ancestors for generations back. I’m serving her because she has been serving us for years innumerable.
What’s your favorite green space?
I grew up in a small town in Nepal. My uncle owned a farm where he raised cows, goats, chickens, pigeons, and other animals. I loved being at his farm and still do. I would help to plant rice and maize, pretend to drive the tractor, and pick peapods and eat them there and then. I loved doing farm work, and always felt closest to nature when I was working in the field with my family.
How do you serve the planet outside of SCA?
I believe in serving the planet holistically. Along with leading the environmental club at my school, I am also active with the youth organization Global Kids. At Global Kids, we are encouraged to work for the common good, advocate for justice, and consider ourselves as global citizens and not just citizens of one country. We work on campaigns relating to environmental and human rights issues around the world.
What’s your next earthsaving goal?
I’m planning to major in Environmental Studies when I go to college, while also minoring in Politics/Government and French. I also want to read a lot of books, get experience in the field, travel around the country, volunteer at more events, and continue my activism on behalf of both penguins and people.