Haana Edenshaw, 16, a Haida Nation member and seasoned activist, is one of 15 Canadian youth suing the federal government for its role in the climate crisis. Her deep commitment to environmental and Indigenous rights, rooted in ancestral knowledge of land stewardship, has seen her organize climate strikes, speak with Greta Thunberg, and address the UN.

The lawsuit argues that Canada's continued support of fossil fuels violates the youth's rights to life, liberty, security, equality, and public trust. This action is part of a global youth movement, supported by Our Children’s Trust, holding governments accountable for climate change. Learn more: Brower Youth Awards

At 16, Alexandra Collins discovered Sterigenics had emitted levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), a known carcinogen, near her Hinsdale, Illinois, community for decades. Her neighborhood's high cancer rate (nine times the national average) spurred Alexandra to cofound Students Against Ethylene Oxide (SAEtO) to ban EtO emissions near schools and homes.

SAEtO educates the public, advocates for safer sterilization, and organizes campaigns. Alexandra's advocacy, with allied groups, led to the 2019 closure of the Sterigenics facility near her home. She also launched EtO-Free, a project whose all-girl team created a website reviewing EtO-free beauty products, empowering women to demand manufacturing transparency.

Learn more at broweryouthawards.org.

Eighteen-year-old Diego Arreola Fernández founded Green Speaking after learning about plastic pollution at the 2019 Ocean Heroes Bootcamp. His campaign uses in-school engagement, social media, and motivational videos to encourage Mexican children, schools, and businesses to combat plastic pollution through habit and policy changes. He also delivers talks to diverse audiences, from young children to business leaders, and postponed a 2020 conference to 2021 due to Covid-19.

Despite Mexico's challenges with violence, poverty, and inequality, environmental awareness is crucial. Diego aims to transform Green Speaking into an environmental organization. Its mission will be to cultivate more leaders, empowering them to advocate for the planet and inspire a sustainable future.

http://www.broweryouthawards.org/

In 2016, 18-year-old Chander Payne addressed his school's fresh produce shortage by connecting its food pantry with a local farm, delivering 20 pounds weekly. Inspired by regenerative agriculture, he founded Urban Beet farm in his high school courtyard. He invited youth from the Washington DC–based Homeless Children’s Playtime Project to grow vegetables, and his team partnered with True Food Kitchen to provide 20 children with farm-fresh meals.

Urban Beet has since provided 2,500 pounds of produce to underserved families and people experiencing homelessness, replicating its model nationwide. During the pandemic, they also donated 200 Free Little Farms—windowsill planters complete with soil, seeds, and support notes. Learn more at Brower Youth Awards.

Diego Arreola Fernández delivered a speech at the 2020 Brower Youth Awards. This prestigious event celebrates young environmental leaders.

The awards ceremony was held virtually on October 15. For additional information about the Brower Youth Awards, please visit their official website: www.broweryouthawards.org.

Unngoorra Harbour, an alum of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF), congratulates the Class of 2020 on their achievements.

Unngoorra attended Queensland University of Technology and St Joseph's Nudgee College, graduating in 2015.

Danat Tekie's TEDxUiO talk, "Demystifying 'sustainability'," explores youth as a driving force for a sustainable future and encourages self-reflection. It's a must-watch for anyone seeking clarity on sustainability.

Danat, an "earthpreneur" passionate about making sustainability business as usual, is Chief External Relations for Young Sustainable Impact (YSI). YSI solves global sustainability challenges by fostering youth entrepreneurship and innovation, creating impact startups. She previously helped build Future Leaders Global, a leading youth leadership program in the Nordics.

This talk was presented at an independently organized TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland visited Columbia for a World Leaders Forum event, offering students and faculty an 'extraordinary experience' with a leading sustainability figure. The event was hosted by Alex Halliday, director of Columbia’s Earth Institute, and moderated by Karenna Gore, director of the Center for Earth Ethics.

Columbia has long tackled climate change through cutting-edge research and grassroots student movements. A new series, 'Columbia on Climate,' now highlights the university’s central focus on climate and sustainability within its community.

Q'orianka, a Peruvian-American filmmaker and actress, leverages her platform to highlight human rights and environmental injustices. She focused on Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum, which discharged 800,000 barrels of toxic wastewater, containing contaminants like cyanide and mercury, into the Corrientes river basin in the Peruvian Amazon.

This pollution severely impacted the Achuar and other Amazonian communities, who rely on the river for survival and have endured 35 years of conflict. During a trip to Peru, Q'orianka directed media attention to their plight. She invited indigenous leaders to a red carpet event, toured affected areas, interviewed residents for a documentary, and collaborated with Amazon Watch to advocate for change.

Amira Odeh, a student at the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, observed peers buying disposable plastic water bottles due to inadequate campus fountains. Drawing from her personal experience with water scarcity, she initiated a campaign to address this wasteful habit.

Her successful advocacy led to the installation of new drinking fountains in every building and educated students on the environmental impact of single-use bottles. Consequently, more students now utilize the free tap water available on campus.

Odeh considers the university's commitment to maintaining fountain conditions and its consideration of a ban on non-reusable bottles her most significant accomplishment. This marked the first student-instigated environmental change campaign on a Puerto Rican college campus.

In 2008, fifth-grader Cassandra Lin founded Turn Grease Into Fuel (TGIF) after learning used cooking oil could be converted into affordable, clean-burning biodiesel for home heating. TGIF partners with local restaurants to collect kitchen grease, which is then recycled and distributed to charities assisting families with heating needs. This initiative has already helped offset over two million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

Lin and her team further championed environmental efforts by drafting Rhode Island's Used Cooking Oil Recycling Act in 2011. Passed into law in 2012, this legislation expanded TGIF's reach, establishing a robust network that effectively addresses community needs while significantly reducing waste and pollution.

Victor Davila, a New Yorker, was among the seven winners of the Earth Island Institute's 2011 Brower Youth Awards.

He teaches young people in his community about environmental and health issues, uniquely using skateboarding as his educational platform.

Michigan's Rhiannon Tomtishen and Madison Vorva are recipients of the Earth Island Institute's 2011 Brower Youth Award.

They successfully advocated for Girl Scouts USA to limit the use of destructive palm oil in their iconic cookies.

Chloe Maxmin co-founded "Divest Harvard" in September 2012, aiming to move Harvard University's funds out of fossil fuel corporations. Her initiative built on research into Harvard's past divestment campaigns against apartheid and Big Tobacco, galvanizing a broad student and community movement.

The campaign gained significant traction, highlighted by a campus-wide referendum where 72% of undergraduates supported fossil fuel divestment. This, combined with outreach to alumni and faculty, led to meetings with trustees and initiated a crucial dialogue about fossil fuels at the university. Maxmin's activism began at age 12, and in 2007, she founded "First Here, Then Everywhere," an online network connecting youth activists globally.

Childhood friends Erika and Kayla actively championed river health in their hometown. Through the Youth Tribal Council and a Salmon Run Relay, they raised awareness about the declining Klamath and Trinity rivers. Excessive water diversion for agriculture, requiring dams and heavy irrigation, had severely depleted water tables and fish populations like salmon, sturgeon, and trout.

The Salmon Run Relay, mimicking salmon migration, also educated the community on native diet and culture, featuring a ceremony based on Yurok, Hupa, and Karuk traditions. Erika and Kayla further organized town hall meetings and distributed pamphlets, aiming to unite cultures, promote health, and encourage political engagement for river conservation.

Inspired by a 2004 Wall Street Journal article on the E-Waste crisis, Alex launched Project WIN '05 with his Westerly Innovations Network team. This initiative achieved significant local impact, collecting 21,000 pounds of E-Waste and establishing a permanent town receptacle that has gathered over 60,000 pounds. Project WIN '05 also helped enact local and statewide E-Waste dumping bans.

Alex further integrated computer refurbishing into his school's curriculum, restoring and distributing 260 computers to students locally and in Sri Lanka and Mexico. His recent work includes building an Internet café in Cameroon, developing a UN Environment Program pilot for international youth, and launching a "Bridging Divides" program with U.S. businesses and schools.

Q'orianka, a Peruvian-descended filmmaker and actress, champions human rights and environmental justice. She drew attention to Occidental Petroleum's discharge of 800,000 barrels of toxic wastewater, laden with contaminants like cyanide and lead, into the Corrientes river basin in the Peruvian Amazon. This pollution severely impacts the Achuar and other indigenous communities, who rely on the river and have faced conflict for 35 years.

During a film promotion trip, Q'orianka leveraged her media presence for the Achuar's plight. She invited indigenous leaders to a red carpet event, toured affected areas, interviewed residents for a documentary, collaborated with Amazon Watch, and urged oil company representatives to visit the impacted region.

Shannon Lisa delivered a speech at the 2019 Brower Youth Awards.

The event took place on October 15 at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

The 2019 Brower Youth Awards were held on October 15 at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco. This annual event recognizes outstanding young environmental leaders.

A key moment of the ceremony was a powerful speech delivered by Lia Harel. Her address highlighted critical environmental issues and the vital role of youth in driving change.

Mackenzie Feldman delivered a speech at the 2019 Brower Youth Awards. This significant event, recognizing emerging environmental leaders, took place in San Francisco.

Her address was given on October 15 at the Herbst Theatre, a prominent venue for the awards ceremony.