Despite the enormity of the task she has chosen, Mirella Ramsay is peppy, upbeat and optimistic.
Her enthusiasm is contagious, her outlining of plans punctuated with smiles and laughter.
Ramsay, 18, is taking on climate change.
But her enthusiasm is not born of naivet茅.
乌鸦传媒淩ather than, 乌鸦传媒楬ey everybody we乌鸦传媒檙e doomed, good luck,乌鸦传媒� why not, 乌鸦传媒楬ey everybody we can do something to fix the problem,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 she says.
Her plans were sparked during her first semester of university studies. Before class each day, her geography teacher would provide tidbits of information on what was going on in the world environmentally.
Read more: 乌鸦传媒�
Read more:
Sixty per cent of wildlife numbers decreasing. Carbon dioxide levels rising. Use of solar panels in other countries successful.
The ratio was about 80/20 good news to bad.
Yet outside the classroom, the big news would be what Donald Trump was saying, not that wildlife are disappearing.
As she was driving home one night listening to a podcast about environmentalists doing all kinds of good work but not able to make massive change, she made a decision.
Mirella decided to become an environmental scientist.
But the idea of running her own business soon eclipsed it, one that would incorporate her desire 乌鸦传媒渢o be part of the solution, not adding to the problem.乌鸦传媒�
Soon the idea to have a group dedicated to a specific issue with a set amount of time to come up with a course of action was born. It would be a two-year plan that would include a goal, a research period and an action period.
乌鸦传媒淩ather than researching for four years and then doing something, it would take six months to a year to start乌鸦传媒� So what we乌鸦传媒檒l start seeing is real change, rather than talking about it.乌鸦传媒�
Read more:
Read more:
In January, Mirella presented her idea to her advisor, Jenny Carter. Carter told her it乌鸦传媒檚 a great idea but she would have to write something down. Mirella did just that, creating a blueprint for the work. Carter dubbed it , a moniker that乌鸦传媒檚 stuck.
乌鸦传媒淲e want to re-brand climate change 乌鸦传媒� let kids my age know it乌鸦传媒檚 not impossible to solve. Well it乌鸦传媒檚 a lot of work but we乌鸦传媒檒l be working together.乌鸦传媒�
Tess Streicker is her co-founder. 乌鸦传媒淚 approached her with the idea 乌鸦传媒� she乌鸦传媒檚 like, yeah Mirella, you乌鸦传媒檙e not insane乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕
Mirella乌鸦传媒檚 enthusiasm has already ignited a passion in others.
乌鸦传媒淲e have a team of 11 girls absolutely on fire to do this work,乌鸦传媒� she says, adding one boy just joined them. Members of the youth-led team range from 16 to 20 years.
They are forming seven different groups, each focused on a two-year plan. The topics are: education; proper waste management; plastics; food; renewable energy; industry and habitat.
They乌鸦传媒檙e also open to working with other non profits.
乌鸦传媒淚f someone is doing the same thing, like Shuswap Solar, we乌鸦传媒檙e not going to just do it on our own.乌鸦传媒�
Regarding education, Mirella says they乌鸦传媒檒l be going into schools, creating programs for educating youth 乌鸦传媒� how they乌鸦传媒檙e able to save the environment, as well as helping schools reduce their waste and invest in more sustainable futures.
Read more:
Read more:
She says talking to kids at a younger level, providing options, will be a focus.
She points out that an 11-year-old messaged her.
乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 want the world to be a flaming ball of fire 乌鸦传媒� will you come and talk to my class,乌鸦传媒� was the message she recounts. 乌鸦传媒淧eople want a solution but don乌鸦传媒檛 know where to go.乌鸦传媒�
Mirella says inspiring just one person to act by the Mirella Project means so much to her.
乌鸦传媒淚 want little boys and girls to look up and say, 乌鸦传媒榦h, that can be me.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
She gave a two-minute speech to the Rotary Club that was met with a standing ovation.
Mirella points out that small actions can make a difference over the long term.
乌鸦传媒淚 made it my claim to fame that I will only have a drink if I have own mug with me. I want to hold myself accountable乌鸦传媒� When in doubt, go without.
乌鸦传媒淚 haven乌鸦传媒檛 had a latte a lot of days in a row because I forgot my mug. Do I look famished?乌鸦传媒� she asks, smiling.
Read more:
Read more: 乌鸦传媒�
On Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Mirella Project will hold a Clothing Shop and Swap at the First United Church GreenSpace, where people will bring in their clothing to shop or sell. For more information, go to or email: themirellaproject@gmail.com.
In the fall, the team plans to hold a six-week course on how to live 乌鸦传媒榸ero waste.乌鸦传媒�
Mirella says her aim is to have Salmon Arm become an 乌鸦传媒渆co-town,乌鸦传媒� practices that could then be taken around the world.
Her dedication to the project is unwavering.
乌鸦传媒淚 think what we乌鸦传媒檙e doing, I was put on this earth to do,乌鸦传媒� she says.
乌鸦传媒淥ur entire goal is to build community through saving the environment. We want to formulate relationships over an issue that requires a lot of attention and really matters.乌鸦传媒�
marthawickett@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
