GLOBAL RECYCLING DAY
This is my simple recycling concept in under 10 seconds!
You can change the world your own way. This is one way I feel liken making a difference and I have some super exciting news coming in a few weeks! So many more of these monofilament receptacles are going out with the help of individuals, grants and money I’ve made from recycling.
Although I didn’t win overall “Kid of the Year”, I feel extremely honored to have even made top 5 with so many amazing kids. There were thousands nominated and to be in the top for those kids, all trying to change the world in their one way and doing amazing things, was humbling.
I have never tried to gain attention for myself but just try to bring attention to our planet and what we need to do collectively to make a difference and heal our blue planet we call home. Everyone can make a difference, you have to decide if it’s good or bad.
Thank you to Time Magazine and Nickelodeon for considering me for such an award. Words can never express how grateful I am that the great state of Tennessee and the Tennessee River were brought nationwide attention that it so desperately needs.
#146 pounds of crushed aluminum cans will fill up the back of a standard pickup truck. These cans can be new cans or new aluminum is 60-90 days and will FOREVER be recyclable. The beauty of aluminum is once it’s been separated and drawn from the earths crust is stable enough to last indefinitely. Plastic, on the other hand, is generally only recyclable once or twice then is destined for the landfill where it’s toxic chemicals and microplastics contaminate our soil, water, and even our air. Plastics shouldn’t really the go to option as far as packaging. We are just adding to landfill waste over time.
The news is out and I am happy to announce I have been nominated and named in the top 5 for Time Magazine & Nickelodeon’s Kid of the Year! This is such a huge honor and I want to thank everyone who has taken time to help me along the way. I wouldn’t be here without my amazing family and friends who have always let me explore my passion and helped me in so many ways.
This won’t change my work or my motivation, actually, it will make me push even harder knowing people see what I’m doing and that I can make a difference.
January 1st, 2022, I hosted a cleanup with my good friend and State Representative, Greg Vital. I truly appreciate people who believe kids can make a difference!
Last year I met so many amazing people and have been so inspired that I know what I’m doing matters. I know my voice is being heard and my actions are being seen and they matter!
Starting the year off with a cleanup has become a family tradition for my family but being joined today by people who represent my state makes me so proud and happy!
This year has been busy but so fun! I’ve been scuba diving several times with my best friends! (Does it really get any better than that?!)
I have removed about 4,000 more pounds of trash bringing the total to 14,000! I hit the 1 ton mark in aluminum recycling! Ella & I won a few awards but best of all…. we were able to be together and meet Sylvia Earle!!!!
Stay tuned for next year….. it’s going to start off with a bang.
This morning I woke up to the news Winter the dolphin that has been at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium has died. This hurt my heart so much. I had the great pleasure to see Winter more than once and her story really touched me.
She was injured by a crab trap that was left behind and she was entangled causing irreversible damage to her tail which ended up having to be amputated. She was found and cared for by the amazing team at Clearwater Marine Hospital.
Their motto is rescue, rehab and release but a dolphin missing her entire tail flukes, is obviously unreleasable so that’s where she stayed for 16 years. So many people heard her story and connected with her on such a deep level. She touched so many human lives than and truly changed hearts towards ocean animals.
Winter was harmed by humans and was forced to be removed from her home but on the other hand, humans saved her and took amazing care of her so we learned humans can make things better and do our part to care for our wildlife. We can do better. We can come together and make an impact for good. Let’s do something today for Winter!
Ella & I were finalists for the Go Blue Award with Loggerhead Marine life Center. The Cleanup Kids is focused on cleaning up the planet of trash, plastic, bullying, air pollution, noise and and other for of pollution to make this planet better.
The keynote speaker was Sylvia Earle and hearing her speak was incredible. I had chills the whole time being in the presence of “Her Deepness”.
Although Ella & I didn’t win, we are all winners because we met and spoke with so many amazing ocean conservationists who inspire us and now we are more ready than ever to keep going and move forward with our work to make this world a better place.
If there’s something I love, it’s the Tennessee River so today, I am celebrating World Rivers Day.
The Tennessee River and it’s tributaries supply drinking water to about 5.1 million people. It’s also the nation’s fifth-largest river system and one of the most biodiverse rivers in North America. With that said, it’s also the tested higher for microplastics than any other river in the world to date. Why?! Landfill waste! We have got to do better with what we dispose of and where it goes. Our health and well being literally depend on it.
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This month has been super busy and it doesn’t look like next month is going to lighten up. I’m not complaining, I LOVE it. I love being able to raise more and more awareness for our great planet, for our waterways and our wildlife.
I was able to visit Yellowstone National Park as well as Grand Teton National Park and be immersed in wildlife and nature and it was such a beautiful time! Moose, Bear, Wolves, and Bison were all on my list and I saw all of them.
Ella & I, as The Cleanup Kids, were honored to be named in the top 25 for the prestigious Gloria Barron Prize for young heroes. When we hear if being just nominated for these awards, it confirms we are making a difference and our voices are being heard.
The same day, we also learned we are finalists for the GoBlue awards with the Loggerhead Marine Center in Florida. Ella & I have both been there and researched sea turtles and have even done full videos on turtles if you want to check it out in our YouTube channel.
I also have some other things in the works that I can’t say yet but it’s turning out to be an exciting year and I am so thankful for the support of my parents as well as the people who have given so much to help me learn and grow and pursue ocean and river conservation.
I know I’m just a kid, but we can make a difference! We can and WILL change the world!
The Conservation Kid 