SUSTAINABILITY HEROES: EIGHT EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE!
The curtain has finally fallen on Cop 27 and events in Sharm El Shiek have evinced a mixed reaction, with some expressing frustration at a perceived lack of progress, while others appear quite satisfied with how things went.
image: Africa News
All eyes now will be turned to November 2023 and Dubai where COP28 is due to take place.
In the meantime, and to mark the recent event, STS publishes our latest blog celebrating the work of eight extraordinary people, from around the world, who have dedicated their lives to making a difference!
Amy & Ella Meek
Siblings in Sustainability
Image: Paul Tonge/Daily Mail
These implacably plastic-opposed sisters from Nottingham developed a deep appreciation of nature while exploring the country’s national parks with their parents.
Startled by the overt and disfiguring misuse of plastic that was blighting their beloved countryside, this resourceful pair set about doing something positive to counter the polymer pollution they were increasingly confronted by.
At the ages of 12 and 10 respectively, they founded their own charity Kids Against Plastic, in 2016, with the initial goal of collecting 100,000 pieces of discarded single-use plastic.
They achieved this major milestone in 2021.
Couched with clear, simple, and inspiring words (while being engagingly illustrated) Be Plastic Clever the book they published in 2020, has proved a key tool in getting their message disseminated broadly and effectively.
The Sisters have worked tirelessly, launching campaign initiatives with over 1000 schools, and have also worked with cafes, other business establishments, and festivals to raise awareness and promote participation, encouraging others to join with them in their vision!
They have engaged with Politicians, Academics, and Entrepreneurs and have spoken at a number of events including Yestival (three times), addressed the United Nations’ Young Activists Summit, and have also undertaken a TedX talk!
Their work has even been praised in a debate in the Houses of Parliament!
Deserved recognition began to arrive when they were named as the inaugural winners of the Environmental Champions title at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2021.
Hot on the heels of this accolade came the news in December that they had been included in the New Year’s Honours List.
The girls (now 18 & 16) were both awarded British Empire Medals (BEM) for their voluntary service to the natural environment.
Image: The Day
The award came as a total shock to this unassuming pair, and a delighted Amy told local news reporter Anna Whittaker “It is such an honour and a privilege at the age we are, but it is just a passion to protect the environment. We were not expecting recognition or any awards.”
This crusading couple seems truly set to make a significant and lasting impact in the battle against environmental harm, and STS wishes them all the very best as they forge ahead with their remarkable agenda!
https://www.kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/
Paul Polman
Sustainability Passionate and Pioneering Business Leader
Image: The Daily Telegraph
The ancient nursery rhyme declares that “Wednesdays child is full of woe” but delving more deeply into the meaning behind the proverbial prophecy, the import seems to be that those coming into the world on a Wednesday are born with a great amount of empathy and compassion.
If they are considered to be a bit gloomy or “full of woe” it’s because of their feelings of empathy and pity for others, and the desire to do something to help!
This characteristic of caring about civilisation certainly seems to sum up the life of Paulus Gerardus Josephus Maria Polman who was born on Wednesday 11th June 1956.
He grew up in the Dutch city of Enschede, raised as a catholic with his three brothers and two sisters by his company executive father and schoolteacher mother.
His initial ambition to become a doctor was thwarted when he missed out on the lottery of a Medical School placement offering, and he studied Economics and Marketing instead, completing his MA in Economics and MBA in Finance and International Marketing in 1979 at the University Of Cincinnati.
He then embarked on a 27-year career with Proctor & Gamble, beginning with a role as a cost analyst. He rose through the ranks of the organization to become MD of P & G (UK) in 1995. Further promotion followed in 1998 when he was appointed President of Global Fabric Care, before assuming the position of Group President for Europe in 2001.
In 2006 Polman terminated his relationship with Proctor and Gamble to take up a post at Nestle as Chief Financial Officer, before being promoted to Vice President and Head of the Americas in February 2008.
The next big career move came on New Year’s Day, January 2009, when Polman succeeded Patrick Cescua to become CEO of Unilever.
It was here that he was able to implement his vision for a sustainable future, setting on an ambitious program for Unilever to uncouple business growth from the overall environmental footprint produced, throughout the decade of his tenure.
The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan was introduced to facilitate this initiative and enhance the company’s social impact!
The result of this enlightened approach was remarkable!
Unilever vastly outperformed its rivals over the ten years from 2009 to 2019, with a return that was more than double that of the FTSE index.
The Financial Times lauded him as “a standout CEO of the past decade”.
In 2019 he co-founded Imagine https://imagine.one/with Jeff Seabright & Kees Kruythoff, with the stated aim of helping businesses "eradicate poverty and inequality, and stem runaway climate change”.
He also became Vice Chair of the U.N. Global Compact. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ and has worked with, and as a member of, many other significant Sustainability Bodies.
One particular post worth mentioning (as an example of Polman’s whole ethos) is his Presidency of the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, a foundation he created with Erik Weihenmayer (a man who shares his passion for climbing) to benefit Blind Children in Africa!
https://www.kilimanjaroblindtrust.org/
Putting the sum of his thoughts, aspirations, and achievements down on paper, Polman has co-authored the book Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive By Giving More Than They Take.
He was recognized for his pioneering business ethics in 2014 by the University of Groningen, who awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in conjunction with their 400th Anniversary, and he received his Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from George Mason University on May 18th 2018.
A man of intense passion and unwavering commitment to his tireless work in support of causes championing the fight against climate change and inequality, Polman has become recognized as a leader in the drive for more sustainable and responsible business throughout the World!
His philosophy is summed up by his words “We cannot choose between [economic] growth and sustainability – we must have both.”
Polman was named an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for services to business and the environment in 2018.
Jane Goodall
Our Planets Premier Primatologist.
Dame Dr Jane Goodall (born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall) is a British primatologist and anthropologist.
Now aged 88, this remarkable octogenarian started out on her amazing journey at the tender age of 26.
With absolutely no qualifications other than a stout heart and a passionate zeal, Jane stepped fearlessly into the Tanzanian Jungle on a mission to research Chimpanzees.
And, as one might say on reviewing her long and productive life, in a sense, she never came back!
She later commented:
“When I look back over my life it's almost as if there was a plan laid out for me - from the little girl who was so passionate about animals who longed to go to Africa and whose family couldn't afford to put her through college. Everyone laughed at my dreams. I was supposed to be a secretary in Bournemouth.”
Izzy Lyons (The Daily Telegraph)
Challenging the societal norms of the time, Jane moved into the male dominated scientific circles of the 1960’s and succeeded in transforming the way we viewed and understood Chimpanzees, particularly emphasizing how similarly to humans they acted socially!
Adopting an innovatively nurturing and maternal approach to the objects of her studies, Jane imperceptibly and innocuously infiltrated their community and daily lives.
Little by little they began to lose their natural fear of her which eventually led to her forming links of an unprecedently close nature with these wonderful but wild creatures.
Calling the Chimpanzees by familiar names (as opposed to the accepted method at the time of numbering them) Jane forged close and lasting links with the likes of Fifi, Gigi, Goliath and David Greybeard!
To this day, Jane is believed to be the only human to be accepted into a Chimpanzee community.
Her unconventional approach, observing the personalities of individual animals enabled her to draw new and remarkable inferences.
Her research papers include the comment: "It isn't only human beings who have personality, who are capable of rational thought [and] emotions like joy and sorrow."
In 1977 she established the Jane Goodall Institute.
Now numbering over 25 offices worldwide, this organization focuses on the protection of Chimpanzees and other animals through supporting sanctuaries and working to strengthen law enforcement bodies tackling illegal trafficking.
Born in Hampstead, London on 3rd April 1934 Jane became interested in animal behaviour at an early age.
A gift of a stuffed Chimpanzee from her father at the age of one (called Jubilee) obviously awoke something in this young child that was to eventually propel her to the forefront of Primate Research on the world stage
Image: janegoodall.org
On leaving school she worked as a secretary and a film production assistant prior to getting the opportunity to travel to Africa in 1957.
This then lead to an opening to meet with and subsequently work for palaeontologist and anthropologist Louis Leakey.
In time, his connection with Leakey opened up the way for her to establish a camp in the Gombe Stream National Park, in June 1960, where she was able to embark on her life’s work.
Marrying Dutch Nobleman and wildlife photographer Baron Hugo van Lawick, (who had been sent out to Tanzania to film her in action) in 1964 Jane and her family spent practically all of the next eleven years on-site, she continuing her own studies while often simultaneously overseeing the fieldwork of other doctoral aspirants.
Jane pictured with Fifi, one of the Chimpanzees with which she forged a very close bond.
Her studies proved that Chimpanzees were Omnivores, and not, as had previously been believed, Herbivores.
She was also able to show conclusively that these remarkable creatures were able to make and use tools!
The author of a number of seminal works Including In the Shadow of Man (1971), and The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behaviour (1986) Jane recorded that Chimpanzees live by a set of highly developed and multifaceted social behaviours previously unrecognized by man.
Deciding to quit the fieldwork she had accomplished so well for so long in 1986, Jane continued writing and lecturing about conservation and environmental issues into the 21st Century.
A deserved recipient of multiple accolades and honours, she became a UN Messenger of Peace in 2002. She was made a DBE in 2003.
Further notable recognition came when she was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2021.
This remarkable and pioneering woman has been the subject of over 40 films including Jane (2017) a biographical documentary from the National Geographic Studios in association with Public Road Productions.
Her life has also been celebrated by Lego!
To mark International Women's Day and Women's History Month the world’s favourite toy manufacturer issued a Jane Goodall Tribute set, featuring Jane and three of her favourite creatures.
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/jane-goodall-tribute-40530
In my view, if Lego makes a set in your name, you have truly arrived!
You are an incontestably worthy subject, Jane!
Malaika Vaz.
Film directing Conservationist.
Image: National Geographic.
Malaika Vaz is 25 years old.
She is an athlete, an accomplished windsurfer, a professional diving Instructor, a mountaineer, a National Geographic explorer, the youngest person to have reached both the Artic and Antarctic and she is an environmental activist who reaches out with her message through TV presenting and wildlife filmmaking.
Quite an extraordinary CV!
Her mission to document threats to the planet through her lens, and by this storytelling medium help to eliminate those threats, has thrust her into the public eye as an inspirational and charismatic adventurer.
Her daring, undercover exploits to investigate malpractice and delve into the dark and dangerous dealings of wildlife contraband criminals only add to her all-action aura!
Passionate in her advocacy for the more rarely discussed endangered species, Malaika has focused on, Himalayan black bear, purple frog, red panda, king cobra and slender loris as well at devoting significant time to working with higher profile creatures such as Elephants, Manta Rays (A particular Passion), Big Cats and even Bats.
Born in Goa, India in 1977, Malaika has already traversed some of the most treacherous terrain across all seven continents in her pursuit of the narratives that will support her crusade!
Her recent film about Manta Rays collected an award at the illustrious Jackson Wild Media festival https://www.jacksonwild.org/ and was shortlisted for the prestigious Whitley Awards or “Green Oscars”. https://whitleyaward.org/
Image: National Geographic
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/impact/article/malaika-vaz-explorer-story
Donning multiple hats in the world of Filmmaking, Malaika is a documentary director, producer writer and presenter for her production company Untamed Planet. https://untamedplanet.in/
Condensing the purpose of her remarkable mission, Malaika commented: “I’m a filmmaker, but I have to find a common thread of humanity that connects a policymaker in Washington, DC and a culture in India or a future in Africa,”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/impact/article/malaika-vaz-explorer-story
Mya-Rose Craig
Ornithologist Extraordinaire.
Image: The Independent
Mya-Rose Craig’s first birdwatching field trip was undertaken at 9 days old!
She began keeping records of the birds she had seen in the wild at the age of three.
At seven, she filmed the BBC Four documentary, Twitchers: A Very British Obsession.
It was while staying in an Amazonian Eco Lodge at the age of 8 that Mya-Rose first grasped the impact of climate change & biodiversity loss. It was this experience that set her on her activist journey!
She commenced her (now very popular) Blog, Birdgirl when she was eleven.
Her column in the Chew Valley Gazette “Birding Tales” was published when she was 12, and New Internationalist featured her work at 13.
At 17 years old she became the youngest ever person to have spotted half the worlds 10,000 (plus) bird species! She also became the youngest Briton to receive an honorary Doctorate of Science from Bristol University.
In an interview with Tim Lewis of The Guardian, she encapsulated her passion with inspiring lucidity:
“But the thing I find really hard to describe to people is, it’s not even that birdwatching is a hobby. I just am a birdwatcher at this point: I am constantly watching birds. I’m very often having conversations with people and watching the birds fly outside the window, or even just watching pigeons hop around. I’m always aware of the bird life around me, because it’s so intrinsically part of me and my identity”.
Born near Bristol, UK, this very busy young birder has already achieved a great deal!
The daughter of a Liverpudlian Dad and a Bengali Muslim Mum, Mya-Rose has recently launched her autobiographical Birdgirl, which tells the story of her remarkable life and work so far, as well as documenting her mother Lena’s battle with bipolar disorder.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birdgirl-Environmentalist-Search-Better-Future/dp/B09NP3W4Z4
She is the founder of Black2Nature a charity that works to encourage children from ethnic minorities to get out and enjoy nature.
Like the objects of her passion, she is soaring to great heights, and we will watch her future career as she combines her birding with her environmental and diversity activities with a keen interest!
Julia Butterfly Hill
Intrepid Tree Dweller
Image: encyclopediaofarkansas.net
When she was seven years old, Julia Lorraine Hill was hiking with her family when a butterfly alighted on her finger and stayed there the whole of the hike.
Her nickname became “Butterfly” from that moment on!
The other thing that happened was that she lived 55 feet up in a 180-foot tall, 1500 year old California Redwood tree (famously called Luna) for 738 days!
She did this remarkably unconventional thing to prevent Pacific Lumber Company loggers from cutting it (and some other trees) down.
Despite the challenges of freezing rain and the buffeting of 40mph winds, Julia withstood helicopter harassment, survived a siege by PLC Security Guards, and ignored the efforts to intimidate her by angry loggers!
She stayed heroically at home on her 6 x 4 foot platform with her sleeping bag and tiny propane stove until she had achieved her object of securing a favourable agreement with the livid lumberjacks!
Oh, and in between these two events Julia suffered a horrific motor accident which left her unable walk or even speak for nearly a year!
Image: BBC
You get the idea!
Julia is one of those people who lives a life less ordinary!
The severity of the accident (the steering wheel of the car penetrated her skull) changed everything in Julia’s life and this previously non-stop entrepreneur, who had opened her own restaurant at 18 years old, completely revaluated everything about who she was and what she was going to do!
She commented with remarkably perspicacious hindsight “The crash woke me up to the importance of the moment and doing whatever I could to make a positive impact on the future. The steering wheel in my head, both figuratively and literally, steered me in a new direction in my life”.
Refs: Dawn Fitzgerald and Don Oldenburg
Consequently, Julia embarked on a journey that has caused her to be regarded as one of the most dedicated and committed environmental activists of her generation.
Her legendary life (so far) has captured the imagination of many movers and shakers in popular culture:
Among many others, the Red-Hot Chilli Peppers, Neil Young and Casey Desmond have commemorated her name and deeds in song.
Julia is also the thinly disguised heroine of several books, and she was even the inspiration for an episode of The Simpsons.
Her world-famous tree sit transformed Julia into a much sought after motivational speaker and bestselling author, whose works include The Legacy of Luna (2000) and One Makes a Difference (2002).
She is also the co-founder of the Circle of Life Foundation, and the Engage Network.
She is a true Climate Crisis Champion who is well able to espouse her cause and has won widespread respect and admiration for what she has achieved.
And although she is certainly a gifted orator, she is the embodiment of the old adage “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”
https://www.juliabutterflyhill.com/
Greta Thunberg
The Unflinching Activist!
Image: The Cut
Greta is arguably THE FACE (and the Voice) of the climate change crisis conflict!
She was conspicuous by her absence at COP27, citing her concern around “Greenwashing” and the “lack of space for civil society” at the event among the reasons for her non-attendance!
Countless millions of words have been written about this remarkable young person and it wouldn’t be the best use of space to regurgitate her life story, we we’ll confine ourselves to highlighting a few facts about Greta that perhaps are not the very first things you come across when you google her name!
1: The artist Jody Thomas has created a very striking mural of Greta on the wall of a Tobacco Factory in Bristol. UK.
Image: https://www.lawlessstudio.com
2. Greta was Time Magazine’s “Person Of the Year” in 2019, the youngest ever recipient of this accolade, and also the first person born in the 21st Century to be named such.
https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/
3. The English Band “The 1975” got her to provide the voice-over to their 2019 track of the same name, the opening song on their album Notes on a Conditional Form.
4. All her speeches are comprehensively fact-checked (by up to five scientists at a time), which also ensures they are easily understandable.
5. When Scientist Dr. Michael Darby discovered new species of beetle, he named it Nelloptodes gretae after Greta.
Image: Tim P Whitby/Getty Images
6. Her mother is the renowned Swedish opera singer Malena Ernman. She represented Sweden at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.
7. She views her diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome as a blessing. She has been quoted as calling it her “superpower” and feels it helps her view the world and the issues it faces in black and white!
8. Greta’s father is a distant relative of Svante Arrhenius, a scientist who won the Nobel Prize. He is credited as being the man who first calculated the greenhouse effect caused by CO2 emissions (in 1896).
9. Greta has named Primatologist, Jane Goodall as her hero, and also reveres American Civil Rights champion Rosa Parks as a major inspiration in her life!
10. At the age of 11, Greta’s preoccupation with Climate Change caused her to fall ill. She couldn’t eat, or even talk for a while, and shed around 10kg of weight in two months!
11. Greta grows vegetables on an allotment on the outskirts of her home city of Stockholm.
12. Her full name is Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg. We reckon one of her namesakes would have been very proud of her!
Image: Tintin/Tintin Wiki/Fandom
Eight Extraordinary People, who have done extraordinary things throughout their extraordinary careers, in order to make a difference.
Who have decided to get to work instead of wasting words!
Who have gone boldly into uncharted territory.
Not afraid to act on their convictions in the face of sometimes seemingly insurmountable odds!
At STS we salute them, and, and draw inspiration from their extraordinary examples as we continue on our own Sustainability Journey.
We see the way they led courageously, believing in their own ability to drive change!
And whilst applauding, we look to learn, to increase in the knowledge of what we can do to join positively and effectively in the battle against climate change.
To make clear the pathway to Net Zero.