By Sung Bin Park
Sixteen-year-old Ally Maize is the founder of The Green Youth Movement (GYM), a non-profit organization whose goal “ is to educate kids all over the world on living green, and to one day establish this very important information as part of the curriculum in our schools.” At 15, she started GYM and has already made a big difference by helping other teens become more eco-conscious and eco-friendly.
RelateMag.com: What does GYM do?
Ally: GYM is raising visibility for its LIVE GREEN campaign with today’s youth to educate and inform students of what simple steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprint, be more eco-conscious and responsible for the environment for their future. Through educational materials, GYM branded products such as the Green Kit and the LIVE GREEN bracelets, funds are being raised for the development of a curriculum for students on environmental awareness.
RelateMag.com: What is it like be the founder of a non-profit?
Ally: It’s a lot of work and I am lucky I have my family helping and supporting me in my goals. I love that my friends can feel free to ask me for information about the environment and how they can help. I am constantly learning more and eager to share it with the world.
RelateMag.com: How involved were your parents in the start up?
Ally: Together we came up with the idea to start GYM. Having my parents involved as supporters has been invaluable. I could not have gotten this far with out them.
RelateMag.com: On your website you supply lists and resources for youths to explore. What are some of your favorite places to seek out information?
Ally: I am always searching for eco-friendly products and well, I love to shop. I scour the internet, go to eco conferences, trade shows, and product launches and I am always looking for new products that help me help the environment. I’m now launching a program to encourage the FDA to remove the lead from lipstick. I feel that if I’m a kid and I like the product, than so will other kids. The reason I want to provide green recommendations and add them to the GYM site is to allow people to purchase items online so it prevents them from driving all over to find the things they want or need. This is eco-friendly shopping!
RelateMag.com: What would you say is the one thing teens could do right now that would make a big difference?
Ally: Talk to each other and the adults in their lives about the positive impact they can have on the environment with just a few easy lifestyle changes that I list on my website.
RelateMag.com: Who, in the environmental field, do you personally look up to?
Ally: Al Gore’s passion about global warming really impressed upon me the need to take personal action and do something, anything that could help. We simply cannot ignore the fact that future generations may not have the luxury of enjoying our world the way we have been able to. We must respect and protect our environment, which sounds like a massive undertaking and really hard to do. I try to simplify the process by identifying actions that are easy to do for anyone. I also look up to my mom & dad for helping me with the non-profit. They have guided me and supported me 100%.
RelateMag.com: What advice would you give to other youths about starting a non-profit or who are interested in doing something to help the environment?
Ally: First of all, as my mom always told me, follow your passion! It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to your cause to be successful in getting it started, building awareness and securing financial support. Running a non-profit is something you can’t do alone, but any youth who wants to help can join the cause and support a non-profit they believe in. It might be from this involvement that an idea for another youth’s personal non-profit is born.
