Profile: Jack Feinberg

My name is Jack Feinberg, and I am currently a junior at the Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, New York. Despite having grown up surrounded by tall buildings, traffic and concrete I have always been drawn to the beauty of the natural world.

I am an avid scuba diver and love exploring our oceans. My interest in environmentalism and climate change was sparked after a dive where I encountered my first Whale Shark. To swim next to this gentle giant of the sea, close enough to see its beautiful distinctive white markings was an awe-inspiring experience. When I got back into the dive boat, I heard the species was endangered. They suffer from boating collisions, loss of habitat, and overfishing. I was upset thinking that future generations might not have the opportunity to see such a unique creature. In that moment, I decided to get involved and began to do research on government policies that affect ocean health and the greater climate.

I also read about the devastation of our coral reefs, the warming ocean temperatures and perhaps most alarmingly the prediction that within 20 years there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. I joined the marine biology club at my school and started to write articles for our school’s science magazine. My goal was to build awareness about climate change and what my generation could start to do to have a positive impact. Whether it is the fact that oceans absorb 50 times more C02 than the atmosphere or that they produce over half of the oxygen we breathe. They must be protected.

I learned about the FXB Climate Advocates from a friend my sophomore year and joined immediately. I have loved meeting other students who share my interest, researching climate change data and interviewing environmental leaders. Currently, I am working on a project to introduce more American Sweet Gum Trees in the Bronx. The species is one of the best when it comes to absorbing CO2 from our atmosphere. I look forward to continuing my work with FXB and encourage all young adults to get involved.