Known as the “Green Machine,” due to her great passion for the environment, Arushi Madan (17, Sharjah, UAE) takes every opportunity to spread awareness about the need to protect the environment and reduce waste. She is addressing the issue of climate change by spreading environmental awareness through environmental protection. The campaigns and workshops she runs educate and encourage community members to take action. Believing in actions more than words, Arushi works at the grassroots level to set an example for others to follow. She is on a mission to inspire and empower more eco-warriors to lead a green future.

Arushi aims to promote environmental values by setting positive examples. She has set up an effective waste segregation system in her building that sorts and recycles about one ton of paper every month. Each ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees and 4000 KW of energy. By recycling about one ton of paper monthly since June 2014, Arushi has saved about 782 trees and about 184,000 KW of energy. This has contributed to the reduction of the carbon footprint, but most importantly it is educating the residents of her community on the simple actions they can take to improve the environment. Her goal is to set up the waste segregation systems in at least 10 more buildings in her community. She aims to divert maximum waste from landfill by changing people’s attitude towards environment and showing them how they can make a difference everyday.

Arushi has diligently influenced many in her community about environmental protection through her campaigns, workshops, and self-initiated projects. She visits schools to spread awareness and interact with kids using environmental videos, games, quizzes, and “Green Talk” sessions. She teaches students about the benefits of organic farming and organizes educational trips for youth to sustainable buildings and other “green” UAE sites. She campaigns at food courts, malls, cafeterias and she gives motivational presentations to educate women, laborers, and children.

Arushi has put together several successful environmental campaigns. “Save Paper, Save Trees, Save Planet” motivated about 70 people to recycle one ton of paper while learning tips that help reduce their carbon footprint, as well as save trees and energy. Through her “Earth Hour” campaign in India, students learned the true meaning of Earth hour and got energy saving tips such as, candle-lit dinners, LED lamps, and unplugging idle appliances. She involved hundreds a campaign called “A Dose of Help” that collected more than 1000 unused medications that were donated to the Emirates Red Crescent, in order to help patients in need. She mobilizes and engages youth and adults in tree planting and community clean-up campaigns. Her projects have drastically reduced waste going to landfills, energy consumption, and inspired youth to take lead when promoting sustainability.

Arushi’s efforts to minimize waste in her own building have not only inspired the residents around her to take part in the movement, it has inspired community members to implement waste segregation systems in their own buildings. With the sponsorship and help of environmental agencies and corporations she has mobilized youth to work towards environmental protection. Through leading newspapers and magazines, she shares her concerns about the environment and offers sustainable tips.  Her efforts are appreciated by local government and municipalities who have honored her on World Environment Day. Arushi is truly a role model for those who follow her practices and most importantly the youth she inspires in her community everyday.