Derek Nguyen

2024 Youth Climate Activism Award - Essay

Derek Nguyen — is a 19 year old from Ontario.

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There can be no Plan B because
THERE IS NO Planet B

My uncle raised an eyebrow when I plucked his muffin liner out of the trash and put it into the compost instead. "There can be no Plan B because there is no Planet B," I quipped. I must have sounded like a know-it-all eleven-year-old, but I was sincere. I had been inspired by teenage activists and felt that environmental volunteer projects could help protect Earth.

A short time later, my brother and I saw our mother recycle used pens at home. Thinking we should do the same for schools and offices, we launched Operation EcoPen to collect used writing instruments. Eventually, we engaged school boards, municipalities and businesses across Southern Ontario, salvaging tens of thousands of pens. Later, I expanded Operation EcoPen's services to recycling crayons. We have also launched a program to recycle used greeting cards and deliver them to seniors in assisted living. Beyond promoting novel forms of recycling, I am very proud that Operation EcoPen has served as a call to action for my generation to combat the climate change crisis.

Follow Operation EcoPent on Instagram

My passion for volunteerism extends to my participation in other organizations. In high school, I was Co-President of the EcoTeam at Marc Garneau. Under my leadership, our EcoTeam maintained its prestigious EcoSchools Canada Platinum certification by pivoting to virtual audits of home recycling amidst the pandemic lockdown. As a member of the Ontario Nature Youth Council since 2020, I have organized networking events, such as the annual Youth Summit for Mother Earth in 2022, and replenished native plant species in the wild. I was able to support Ajax’s Indigenous Community and Healing Garden in 2023 by providing hundreds of seedlings. My involvement deepened my appreciation for Indigenous ecological knowledge. In 2023, I secured a Sprout Ideas Fellowship and a Young Nature Leaders Grant to grow plants to enhance green spaces and mental well-being. I donated native pollinator plants and sustainably grown houseplants to schools, Ontario Tech’s Windfields Farm and the Baagwating Indigenous Student Centre.

As a youth member of the Durham Environment Advisory Committee, I advocated for the designation of conservation lands and greener homes and promoted the preservation of native plant species. Now an undergraduate at Western University, I have expanded Operation EcoPen’s initiatives to various campus locations. From a more academic perspective, I collaborated in developing guidelines for more sustainable healthcare as an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Toronto’s CASCADES program.

In the coming years, my Plan A is to develop the knowledge and skillset to become a more effective environmental and social justice advocate. I am inspired by the passionate voices of my compatriots who are already entrenched in our mission to save our planet. With my science background, I hope to contribute to developing the innovations that will give us the upper hand. Most importantly, I hope to interact with many others who share my vision of a sustainable future for Earth--because, as I said to my uncle, there is no Planet B.

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As part of the submissions application we asked participants to answer these 3 questions in addition to their essay or video.

What future goals do you have around your environmental and climate work, and do you have any future projects in mind?

Operation EcoPen’s next novel enterprise will interweave my favourite sport, tennis, with environmental stewardship: collecting used tennis balls and distributing them to local schools for use as chair and desk leg protectors. I also hope to use Operation EcoPen as a platform to mentor future youth climate activists. In the long term, I hope to engage in opportunities that integrate my passions in both health sciences and environmentalism. The health industry contributes substantially to the climate crisis. My aspiration is to conduct health and environmental sciences research that will lead to initiatives that reduce the carbon footprint imposed by the healthcare system and that can be widely adopted. By immersing myself in a field where environmental and health sciences intersect, I hope to pursue endeavours that improve the lives of individuals and help to ensure the longevity of all of Earth’s inhabitants.

“Our main problem is a lack of understanding of what it means to be human and that we are not separate from nature.” - Jacque Fresco.

If you could share with us one message of hope for our planet, what would it be?

I am heartened to see many in my generation becoming increasingly aware of how interconnected we are with each other. We are going through a very challenging time at the moment with a global unleashing of extreme weather that is only a forewarning of things to come. However, life itself has always been about challenges and change. Beneath the surface of the encumbering challenges of obstacles posed by climate change, there is a tremendous opportunity for human civilization to come together and grow. All life on earth has adapted to survive, and so shall we. Evolution has never been straightforward. It happens through disruption of order and chaos and breakdown. Out of the chaos, a new higher order will arise – stronger and more resilient.

Who or what inspires you to work on climate change?

My little brother and young cousins inspire me to rush to the front lines to combat climate change. I see their innocence and feel a duty to make this world liveable for them. My generation has to rise to the challenge where past generations have fallen short. The sheer and complex beauty of Earth, as seen from space, encapsulates what is at stake if I do not take every action in my power to fight climate change. Seeing the passion of other climate activists, I realize I am not alone. We are all interconnected, and it is that communality that will spark change. I am optimistic that we will reach a critical mass where we, as environmental defenders, will push back the encroaching tides of climate change. As global citizens united, our collective actions can and will make a difference. We’re not from Earth. We are Earth.