Growing up, I realized that children are products of their environment, so let me tell you a little about myself: I grew up in Secaucus, New Jersey, known as the “Gem of the Meadowlands.” My suburban hometown exists within the Meadowlands, a large ecosystem of wetlands through which the Hackensack River flows. But after agriculture, pig farm waste and debris from a decaying New York train station were dumped into the area, the Meadowlands became a gem that needed polishing.
Secaucus is working to reclaim natural wetlands by declaring them protected, so that fewer apartment complexes can be built and then drown after a few years, as has happened before. The city became environmentally conscious, and living within that environment, I did the same.
In high school, I worked with the Secaucus Environmental Department for over three years as part of the Next Generation Community Leaders, or NGCL, program created by the Lindsay Meyer Teen Institute. I had no idea how much this experience would impact my life. During that time, I learned about climate change, the planet’s environmental challenges, and the steps we need to take to reduce our footprint. I helped implement a plastic bag and Styrofoam ban, designed a food waste composting system at my high school and local gardens, and created eco-friendly living PSAs. I campaigned to promote eco-friendly living and educated residents on how to compost at home.
I also certified local businesses as “green,” depending on whether they followed practices set forth by the Sustainable Jersey Network. These practices included recycling, reducing food waste, not using Styrofoam, etc. My contributions to the environmental department helped Secaucus earn Recognition from durable jersey As a Silver Certified Community.
That experience showed me how local actions can make a difference. By educating residents in Secaucus, we changed their behavior little by little, so that they became more environmentally conscious. Residents began growing crops in community gardens, composting at home, and reducing plastic bag use. I saw how the humans responsible for harming the planet have the ability to make changes to fix it and make it better for future generations. From that day on, I carried that responsibility with me.
I’ll be honest: I don’t know what the current status is of the projects I worked on in Secaucus. I hope residents are still composting at home and that businesses continue their green practices.
I began my journey of learning about sustainability at USC with a Major in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a Minor in Law and Public Policy. Although these are not fields directly connected to the climate ecosystem, my advocacy at Secaucus made me realize that a systems mindset and policy knowledge would be strong tools with which I could make a difference in both government and the private sector by advocating for large-scale sustainability solutions. With the opportunities provided by USC, I knew I could get involved in environmentalism and sustainability even without majoring in Environmental Science.
“We’ve reached out to (local) youth … and found that their top environmental priorities are clean air, green space and green buildings,” says Alyssa Japersaud, a member of the LA County Youth Climate Commission.
(Michael Blackshear/Los Angeles Times)
If you asked freshman Alyssa what her ultimate career goal was, she would say, “Facilitate systemic change within the bureaucracy through ecology and climate-protection policies to make society more sustainably conscious.” I wrote this down on an index card and kept it in my backpack throughout college to constantly remind me of the goal because being an environmentalist can be discouraging given the current climate.
Since then, I think I would have made freshman student Alyssa proud. I was accepted into the USC Student Sustainability Committee and became a mentor to new members. The SSC serves as the student body’s representative within the Presidential Working Group for Sustainability. We work on projects like getting reusable takeout containers into the dining halls, making ongoing campus construction adhere to green practices, and creating a central physical space where sustainability-minded students can gather.
As a member of the SSC, I ensured that sustainability became a standard academic practice at USC and changed students’ behavior to respect their environment. I continued my education by pursuing a master’s in sustainable engineering at USC, and I earned the distinction of being a National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholar with a focus on sustainability.
Alyssa Japersaud poses for a portrait in the Exposition Park Rose Garden.
(Michael Blackshear/Los Angeles Times)
My environmental efforts resulted in me becoming the Los Angeles County Youth Climate Commissioner, the first such organization in the world. We reached out to youth in LA County and found that their top environmental priorities were clean air, green spaces, and green buildings.
Now, as a member of the Legislative Committee, I monitor all federal and state measures related to these priorities and bring them to the attention of the County Board of Supervisors so they can consider whether the legislation should be amended, supported, or rejected. We are actively working to support legislation currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate that would call for establishing opportunities for young people to be involved in policy development to ensure a healthy environment for themselves and those to come.
Since children are products of their environment, we must help provide future generations with a good environment to live in. The environment is constantly changing due to global warming, so future generations will only have a chance if we work to make the world sustainable starting today. Instead of forcing future generations to learn how to survive by correcting the environmental mistakes we are making today, they should have the opportunity to live without the consequences of the past.
I have seen the negative effects of mistreating the environment in my hometown, and I want to make sure that future generations do not suffer from the consequences of what we are doing. With a sustainability mindset, local changes can influence politicians and make the systemic changes needed to bring the biggest offenders under control. One of the key steps is behavior change, which can start locally and can be brought about even by people who have not studied in the environmental field, just like me.
Alyssa Japersaud earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering, as well as a degree in Law and Public Policy. At the U.S.C. And she is also completing a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Engineering. She has her sights set on a full-time role as a consultant or practicing engineer in the sustainability industry.
