Profile: Amy Choi

I value implementing creative solutions. For example, when people learn about climate change, they can feel overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. Others may be disinterested. I love hosting engaging events (Farmers Markets, etc.) with educational aspects embedded within them.

Before the school year began, I felt optimistic about expanding my school's Green Club. Throughout the summer, I created a list of goals that could be accomplished during the year, which included: a composting system, hosting events where people can write letters to their representatives, and even having a Farmers Market to encourage local shopping and bring attention to the emissions from the food industry. However, when the year began, recruitment for the club proved difficult. My few club members and I would scour the halls, mentioning that the club does not demand a lot from its members and that climate change is nearing the point of irreversibility. We met with little success. Joining the FXB Climate Advocates would improve my recruitment skills, in addition to providing me with more experience in hosting projects to further the climate justice cause. I want to help my school realize the urgency of climate change, and hopefully, create an eco-conscious mindset within the Las Vegas community. The FXB Climate Advocacy program provides an opportunity that I would be grateful to take part in and spread the knowledge that I gain to the community.

When I read that the recycling industry had crashed, my heart sank. The thought that most of the recyclables ended up in landfills due to contamination completely changed my past perspective on the industry. To combat this, my sister and I began to reduce our overall use of plastic. We stopped using plastic water bottles and encouraged our parents to do the same. Whenever there is a plastic container of food, my sister and I rinse out the container before putting it in the recycling bin. At school, my friend and I were thinking about how we could encourage people to empty their plastic bottles or wash food out of recyclable containers before disposing of them. Although we are still in the process of this change, small changes such as increasing my consideration of recycling provide me with a sense of optimism.

When I first joined the local CCL community, I was warmly welcomed by a woman named Joanne Leovy, who immediately reached out, and recommended that we call to get to know each other. I learned that not only was she a strong environmental advocate but also a family doctor, and was able to balance a demanding work environment with her advocacy plans. I later decided to ask her for advice in starting a composting program at my school, which she answered enthusiastically She had been composting for quite a while and was even willing to give an educational presentation to my school. Within the first ten minutes of our meeting, she had presented herself as an inspiration that I could not wait to work alongside. I hope to eventually achieve a zero-waste lifestyle in the way that she does.