Program on the Environment

In the face of modern environmental challenges, sustainability stands out as a crucial concept, offering a pathway to address pressing issues like climate change. I interned with Sustainability Ambassadors (SA). SA is a nonprofit organization that strives to get students on board and provide them with support and resources to accomplish sustainability in their schools and daily lives. Due to the potential of younger, highly-motivated individuals to combat major environmental problems, like climate change, bringing the issue to student engagement is crucial to building a sustainable future. This study investigates the motivating factors driving these high and middle school students to join SA and improve their engagement in sustainability projects within their educational environments and homes. To accomplish this task, I conducted surveys and Zoom interviews with the student ambassadors I worked with throughout my internship with SA. I investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that fueled their involvement in initiatives like Sustainability Ambassadors and took action through small-impact projects, leading to a more significant change. The research uncovers that the students’ passion for environmental activism resides in hands-on learning opportunities and a sense of community and belonging. Leveraging these insights, I propose tailored strategies to empower youth and foster sustainable practices, including the promotion of environmental stewardship, the promotion of youth engagement, and the advancement of community resilience. By understanding and harnessing students’ passion, Sustainability Ambassadors can use these drives to draw in more students to join their organization and cultivate a community of these changemakers in the future where sustainability is embraced as a shared commitment by all generations.