When I was young I use to live in a seaside town in Italy, a place where I could hear the seagulls cawing outside my window and had the beach a few minutes away from my house. I remember spending the afternoons after school walking along the beach and playing with the sand.
Time passed by and I moved to a bigger city, but my family and friends cultivated my passion for the outdoors. I cannot forget the excitement of spending my weekends hiking, camping in the woods, cooking food on the fire and looking at the stars before falling asleep.
I loved the first 18 years of my life, in particular because of how much I felt connected with nature and its beauty.
Moving to London, where there is so much to do and so many great opportunities, made me forget how important is to look after the environment. I found myself falling into the habit of picking up a wrapped sandwich from a supermarket, buying disposable water bottles and a takeaway coffee.
But what about all the resources that I was using?
I never realised how much plastic I was wasting until I started looking into it. I did not really know that I could not recycle the coffee cups and I would always choose the cheaper option of buying vegetables wrapped around plastic, rather than going to a vegetable store. I got more interested in environmentalism when I started my master’s in marketing, two years ago. By studying consumer psychology and seeing how people make decisions based on what influences them, it occurred to me that I can really make a difference, if I wanted to.
I went back to the mountains last summer and, looking from the top, I saw so much beauty that I felt a very strong need to protect it.
That is how I started looking into groups where I could not only make a difference, but I could also meet people who really believe in the same values as me.
Friends of the Earth was up my street. Its friendly and welcoming social media, as well as the informative website, got me interested in finding out more about this group. I was so impressed by the work the team is doing around plastic reduction, that I signed up to the newsletter and I went to the first meeting in Camden Town. Everyone was extremely welcoming, shared my views, and had a great plan of action.
I cannot wait to work on the campaigns that the group has put into place and to shape new ones.
I really think that, all together, we can make this world a better place. If not now, when?
A bit about me:
My name is Ludovica, I am 24 and born and raised in Italy, moved to London to study and loved the country. Ambitious dreamer, sustainability supporter, art lover, adventure seeker, wanting to make the world better place.