As I am in the Academy of Business and Finance at my school, I was most struck by the discovery that U.S. animal production incurs hundreds of billions of dollars in externalized societal costs, evident in our healthcare system and damaged environment. Within weeks of obtaining this haunting knowledge, I cut out meat from my diet completely and I eliminated dairy and eggs shortly after, becoming fully vegan.

For the past four years, I have been a leader of my school’s veganism club, Sprouting Change. By providing weekly meal plans for the annual Veganuary challenge, I have exposed participants to the fun and approachable side of veganism. Recognizing the need for ongoing year-round support, my team and I also compile comprehensive digital booklets featuring seasonal recipes with plant-based twists. At the end of my sophomore year, at my school’s first-ever climate summit, I gave a presentation of the wide-ranging impacts of animal agriculture with regards to deforestation, land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water footprint.

A reference for Greta said, “As the summer staff tossed ideas for superlatives for the program’s end of year awards ceremony, they came close to awarding Greta the title of “most likely to convert you to veganism.”  Another of her projects was her podcast called EcoThreads, which explores the intersections of sustainability with different economic, political, environmental, and social issues.

In college, Greta aims to combine her academic and personal interests through a double major in Economics and Environmental Studies.

Support Young Veg Activists

To send support for additional scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate or call (410) 366-8343. You can also send a donation to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Do you know an amazing vegan or vegetarian high school student? If so, let them know about our annual scholarship contest. The deadline for high school seniors is February 20^th of each year. To see scholarship rules and past winners, visit www.vrg.org/student/scholar