Eleven-year-old Saskia Verhoef has been putting up homemade climate change posters around Williamstown to prompt people into taking action on the environment.
Saskia (pictured) cited her inspiration as father, Anthony, a presenter for Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project.
“Every week or so I’ll make a few posters, about five to 10, and I’ll go into town and hang them up,” Saskia said. “I know a lot about climate change and I feel like I should do what I can to help.
“I am quite worried, and I’m doing this because I think we really do need to change.”
A grade 5 student at St Mary’s Parish Primary School, Saskia said her school is very proactive and encouraging on environmental issues.
“Our school has a sustainability team and they’ve been wanting to do soft-plastic recycling, but they can’t find somewhere that will come and collect the soft plastics,” Saskia said.
“So our 5/6 grades have soft-plastic recycling bins, and I’ve been taking that down to Safeway where they do soft-plastic recycling.
“I do think individuals can make a difference.”
She urged people to watch YouTube video, The Story of Stuff, and take personal action, such as recycling, composting and growing their own food.
Anthony Verhoef said he was very proud of his daughter’s initiative.
“We don’t see rubbish as waste, but value waste as a resource to be recovered and reused,” he said.
