High Schooler takes on Environmental issues
Sara Ma, 17, wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to ride her bike 40 minutes to school every day including in the winter. She doesn’t own a car, has no license and has no plans to get a learner’s permit. As a youth spokesperson for iMatter in Utah, Ma is working to create a healthier environment for everyone. Riding her bike is a part of that effort that has the added benefit of personal health.
“I would never want to be behind the wheel and put harmful toxins in the air,” says Ma.
Ma got into the environmental movement during a photography assignment. She was downtown with a friend when they saw a group of people outside of the courthouse and thought that they could get some great photos there. The group was supporting Tim DeChristopher during his trial, and Ma’s experience was a turning point in her life.
“I am glad I got off Trax,” says Ma of that experience.
Ma attends West High School where she has inspired the National Honor Society (NHS) to take care of the classroom recycling bins. NHS students go from class to class removing non-recyclables from the bins. She would like to get an environmental club started at West High School but has been told by the vice principal that it would have to wait because more students want a Quidditch club.
“A lot of kids expect to see something right now,” says Ma, but she is aware that environmental change “is going to take a lot of convincing and a lot of fighting.”
Ma has her own garden at home and participates in a community garden with a plot as well. She has gone from vegetarian to vegan and says that she feels happier because of it. Even with all of her iMatter responsibilities, Ma still finds time to play the piano competitively with American Northwest Piano Studio and gets good grades as an International Baccalaureate student. When she graduates from high school, she is thinking about going into political science.
This article was originally published at examiner.com. Links updated Feb. 2017.
“I would never want to be behind the wheel and put harmful toxins in the air,” says Ma.
Ma got into the environmental movement during a photography assignment. She was downtown with a friend when they saw a group of people outside of the courthouse and thought that they could get some great photos there. The group was supporting Tim DeChristopher during his trial, and Ma’s experience was a turning point in her life.
“I am glad I got off Trax,” says Ma of that experience.
Ma attends West High School where she has inspired the National Honor Society (NHS) to take care of the classroom recycling bins. NHS students go from class to class removing non-recyclables from the bins. She would like to get an environmental club started at West High School but has been told by the vice principal that it would have to wait because more students want a Quidditch club.
“A lot of kids expect to see something right now,” says Ma, but she is aware that environmental change “is going to take a lot of convincing and a lot of fighting.”
Ma has her own garden at home and participates in a community garden with a plot as well. She has gone from vegetarian to vegan and says that she feels happier because of it. Even with all of her iMatter responsibilities, Ma still finds time to play the piano competitively with American Northwest Piano Studio and gets good grades as an International Baccalaureate student. When she graduates from high school, she is thinking about going into political science.
This article was originally published at examiner.com. Links updated Feb. 2017.