Reflection

I have always used art to share the efforts of youth fighting for ecological change. Inspired by the ‘I Am’ bibliography book series I’ve always enjoyed reading as a kid, I created a flipbook honoring an environmental hero. ‘I Am Boyan Slat’ unravels the tale of climate hero Boyan Slat, a young entrepreneur who founded one of the world’s largest nonprofit organizations targeting ocean waste. Intent on fighting a foe taking over the planet, Boyan Slat invented a passive concentration system to catch and concentrate plastic in oceans and rivers, showing promising results in collecting 108,526 kilograms of plastic. His bold actions of dropping out of school to found the Ocean Cleanup at 18 taught me that anybody could make a difference– no matter their age or experience. We should invest in educating the youth about climate change, expand environmental curricula nationwide, and push future leaders like Boyan Slat to take environmental action. All it takes is one idea and courage to become the next climate hero.