Sriranjini Raman’s Pluriversity received $6,000 for developing an online leadership program that empowers Indian Indigenous youth to be climate justice leaders. Justin Succar’s led Drop Point Waste Solutions was awarded $2,000 for seeking to address the issue of excess waste entering traditional disposal systems in high-density residential buildings by implementing a unique ID entry system and weight scale. In addition, Nurture led by founder Sriranjini Raman and co-founder, Jackie Kinney was awarded $1,500 for helping to foster positive mental health among youth by making Waterloo Region a Sustainable Food Forest.
The event celebrates the exceptional accomplishments of the GreenHouse students throughout their social innovation journey.
The students discussed the impact of the win and the next big steps they are taking to establish their ventures.
How do you feel about the win?
Sriranjini & Jackie: The win is a reminder that we are on the right track toward our goals for the project. It is a celebration of the fact that the Nurture team is surrounded by environmentalists and entrepreneurs who are as passionate about this as we are. We feel very thankful for not only the support of the Social Impact Fund but for the mentorship GreenHouse has offered us. We look forward to working with GreenHouse to further Nurture as a social enterprise.
Justin: I was ecstatic when I heard my project won the award. Feelings of excitement and joy were quickly replaced with further interest in taking this project to the next step, past ideation. While I am grateful and happy with this win, I am equally reminded of how much more needs to be done with this venture. This win has not only provided motivation for me to continue working on such a project, but funds to be allocated to next step resources. I look forward to the journey ahead and am even more excited to see where this project would go.
How did your experience at Waterloo influence your project?
Sriranjini & Jackie: Growing up, the two of us spent a lot of our childhood in nature, in both Canada and India. Through courses taken in Environment, Resource, and Sustainability, we learned that access to environmental spaces and connection to land is a privilege that very few young people have, especially through the climate crisis and pandemic. Clubs and courses at the University of Waterloo gave us opportunities to add purpose to our passion of working with youth, land stewardship, and intersectional climate justice. By introducing us to stakeholders, Co-op gave us the opportunity to turn our dream into a reality. This support has been furthered by GreenHouse, whose encouragement we can always count on.
Justin: My experience at Waterloo has played a crucial role my project. Surrounded by innovative group of peers, curious about how sustainable concepts can be applied into real world issues, my passion for this project has been driven constantly through conversations and questions posed by people. Courses that have particularly sparked passion into this project have been ERS 317 taught by Professor John Jackson, and ENVS 274 taught by Brock Dickinson. Both have provided immense expertise on the problem space as well as motivation to pursue such a field. Ultimately, my experience in a Co-op placement with the Region of Waterloo’s waste management division had given me the opportunity to view the large scope of waste management issues present in our community – a catalyst in my initial action to begin this project.
What’s the impact of the project on the community?
Sriranjini & Jackie: We surveyed over 100 youth, aged 14 to 22, in the Waterloo Region and found that most believed they do not have adequate access to environmental education and lack a connection to nature. According to surveys conducted by the Waterloo Region, 1 in 5 youth do not report positive mental health. Nurture acts as a solution to these problems by organizing engaging and interactive programs that enable youth to grow their own food and connect with nature. Nurture tackles environmental education, connection to land and food literacy. In addition, research shows that spending time in nature is beneficial for improving mental health and overall wellbeing.
Justin: The Drop Point Waste Solutions project currently seeks to inform community members with real-time accessible data on disposed waste. The use of this data varies between individuals. However, the main goal is to provide an understanding of personal waste disposal tendencies and use this information to make progressive change of disposal habits. Through awareness of how much one is disposing, community members may begin to make behavioural changes with their relationship to waste. Disposal data may not only influence an individual to make sustainable choices but may collectively encourage an entire community to follow in each other’s footsteps and strive towards a zero-waste future.
What is the next plan for your venture?
Sriranjini & Jackie: Over the next 6 months, we will be running pilot projects across the region in collaboration with community centers and schools. Currently, we are in the process of co-creating a curriculum in collaboration with an Indigenous youth group from the region. Our curriculum combines stories of the land and harvest celebrations with seasonal produce to teach the art of gardening, harvesting, cooking, and composting. Based on our pilots, we hope to formally collaborate with Waterloo Regional schoolboards so that every youth has access to Nurture.
Justin: I plan on completing more research through stakeholder engagement and begin small-scale prototype designs. For the next 4 months, I plan on conducting waste audits on local buildings to gather baseline data and further understand current disposal tendencies. Near the end of this year, I plan on implementing a working prototype into a buildings disposal system to trail a pilot program.