EPA California Winners of the Presidential Environmental Youth Award Honorable Mention (2023)

Created a youth-led, non-profit organization that promotes closed-loop recycling while protecting owls. It is well known that owls keep ecosystems in balance by keeping populations of small mammals and insects in check; however, habitat destruction, the use of pesticides, and collisions with human infrastructure threaten their numbers. To address this issue, Smart Recycling Now (SFN) partners with the nation’s only mask recycler to transform single-use, disposable face masks—a burgeoning source of waste—into plastic lumber for owl boxes. The organization reaches over 300 schools, distributing educational materials along the way and informing the public—including members of school clubs, libraries, and nature walk programs—about the benefits of recycling and the dangers of declining owl populations. SRN also offers mask collection receptacles alongside prepaid boxes to mail the masks for repurposing.

So far, more than 150 owl boxes have been built, and volunteers have collected over 484 pounds of plastic waste. More recently, the group has also built an autonomous recording unit for each SRN box; these collect increasingly vital data about owls to help researchers study their populations and behaviors. Looking ahead, SRN continues to grow by partnering with businesses and other non-profit organizations. By joining forces, we can work smarter toward a more sustainable future that advocates for a low-waste economy, owl population health, and well-informed youth.