“As a sophomore in high school, I remember learning about the newly formed UN SDG’s. I became fascinated with their vision and hope for a more equitable and sustainable world. Soon after, I read about @Xiuhtezcatl’s environmental activism and Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup project. I was deeply inspired because I knew that young people could make a difference in a field that too often neglected their ideas and voices.
Fast forward to now, as a business student at Rutgers, I was introduced to the idea of sustainable investing. The Climate Movement sparked newfound conversations in the corporate world around sustainability and ESG (environmental, social governance) investing. Therefore, I aspire to make these conversations more than vague talking points. They should be tangible solutions to fund climate research, divest from fossil fuels, and offer actionable plans toward a carbon neutral future.
I have also been lucky to travel the world and see greener futures not just as possibilities, but realities. However, these realities are not equal for everyone. The intersectional nature of environmentalism has made us rethink our approach to climate action in marginalized communities within the US but also in the developing world. I hope to some day use my political science background to work with international development organizations and advance the UN SDG’s which I grew up reading about. My advice to young people reading this is – do not think your voice does not matter, and this Native American Proverb saying : “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” reminds us of that.”
Swasti Jain
Junior (3rd year) undergraduate studying finance and political science with a minor in PPE in New Brunswick.