Climate Action Projects take a solutions-based approach to real world environmental challenges on campuses and in communities. Students work with Turning Green to conceive, develop, and implement innovative, feasible, high-impact Climate Action Projects (CAPs) across diverse topics — in partnership with our Turning Green team, mentors, ambassadors, experts, teams, friends, advisors, teachers, administrators, and community members. Each year, high school, college and graduate school student leaders from around the world ideate, refine, launch, and actualize CAPs during Project Green Challenge, as well as through programs like Project Green Course and our internships and fellowships.
Following five months of hard work (between the November PGC Finals and the April CAP presentations), PGC Finalists present the measurable impact of completed CAPs before a panel of judges, as well as what comes next on their activism journeys.
Browse the PGC 2025 Finalists’ Climate Action Projects below. Watch their CAP presentations on YouTube. You can see more from past years in the Turning Green CAP database.
Aarush Mahajan, Team Action For World, Carbon Conversations 2.0
Carbon Conversations 2.0 is a youth‑led ecosystem transforming climate education into hands‑on, school‑based action. What began as a digital toolkit has evolved into a multi‑school Hub model that blends accessible climate learning with low‑cost, student‑built technology. Through a custom web platform, locally powered AI tools, and regenerative materials like seed‑paper kits and recycled‑plastic products, the initiative helps schools replace traditional waste streams with circular alternatives. Youth facilitators lead Carbon Conversation Circles, support peer learning, and guide schools in adopting sustainable practices. Now active across multiple cities and schools, the project demonstrates how open‑source tools and student leadership can build lasting climate infrastructure. Carbon Conversations 2.0 equips young people with the skills, systems, and community needed to turn climate awareness into sustained, collective action.
Anas Muhammad, Fair & Green Future Initiative
The Fair & Green Future Initiative combines fair trade and sustainability to promote ethical consumption and climate-responsible production. It addresses two urgent challenges: ensuring fair pay for producers and reducing environmental harm through low-carbon, transparent supply chains. The project expands awareness of fair-trade principles, launches a national map of verified ethical producers, and distributes Champion Toolkits. It also advocates for climate-responsible sourcing through guides and outreach to policymakers and businesses, while supporting producers through wage transparency and vocational training. By empowering producers, inspiring communities, and influencing policies, the initiative shows that equity and climate action can go hand in hand — building a fairer, greener future for all.
Awungafac Asongu, Roots Reborn 2.0
Roots Reborn 2.0 is a youth-led reforestation and environmental education project in Buea, Cameroon, focused on restoring degraded land and cultivating climate leadership. Through Eco Learning Circles, the project brings together students, farmers, and women for hands-on training in agroforestry, composting, and waste upcycling. The team will plant and sustain 500 Indigenous trees across three sites: the University of Buea, Molyko, and Bokwaongo. They will also train 50 students and 10 farmers in sustainable practices. A Green Track Dashboard will document progress and amplify stories through the #OneTreeOneStory campaign. With support from the University of Buea, Environment and Rural Development Foundation Cameroon, and the Buea Municipal Council, the project blends science, creativity, and community to make sustainability a shared culture. Every tree planted is an act of restoration — of land, of community, and of hope.
Carolina Svetlana Novillo Bravo, Save & Share
Save & Share is a youth‑led initiative in Cuenca, Ecuador, addressing food waste and food insecurity through a community‑centered redistribution network. The project collects surplus food from local businesses and organizations and delivers weekly food kits to families, patients, migrants, and students. Alongside food recovery, Save & Share integrates education on responsible consumption, resource efficiency, and social empathy, helping communities rethink waste as a shared resource. The initiative has expanded to include clothing recovery, rural outreach, and partnerships with universities, nonprofits, and local institutions. By combining environmental responsibility with social dignity, Save & Share offers a scalable model for zero‑waste cities and demonstrates how youth leadership can strengthen community resilience while reducing the climate impacts of food waste.
Cassandra Jordan, Earth Equality
Earth Equity is a youth‑driven digital platform amplifying environmental justice stories across South Florida. Through interviews, community connections, and accessible education, the project highlights how climate change affects residents, students, workers, and organizers — especially those on the frontlines of environmental and social inequity. Modeled after narrative‑driven platforms, Earth Equity uses storytelling to help Floridians understand what’s at stake and how they can influence policy change. The initiative has grown into a hub for local engagement, connecting students, organizations, and experts while fostering deeper participation in climate advocacy. By centering lived experience and pairing it with calls to action, Earth Equity builds a more informed, connected, and empowered community ready to push for a just and sustainable future.
Charles Amoani-Antwi, Team Sustainovators, EcoQuest
EcoQuest is a youth‑centered digital platform designed to turn environmental awareness into daily climate action. Built by university students in Ghana, the app offers simple, habit‑building “quests” that help young people integrate sustainability into their everyday lives. Through interactive challenges, learning modules, and up‑to‑date environmental information, EcoQuest provides structure, motivation, and a sense of progress for users seeking to make meaningful change. The project grew from a basic website concept into a fully developed app shaped by research, teamwork, and community feedback. By combining education with gamification, EcoQuest empowers students to adopt long‑term sustainable habits and lays the foundation for broader campus and community engagement. The platform reflects a new generation of innovators using technology to inspire climate action.
Darinka Lucy Cerna Oropeza, Team Green Tech, A Drop of Active Hope
A Drop of Active Hope is a youth‑led campaign in Lima, Peru, redefining beach cleanups through environmental justice and corporate accountability. Led by the GreenTech student collective, the project uses the Brand Audit methodology to identify the companies most responsible for coastal plastic pollution. Through citizen science, volunteer mobilization, and partnerships with university departments and environmental organizations, the initiative shifts the narrative from individual responsibility to systemic change. Volunteers collect and categorize waste, generating data that supports legal advocacy and institutional action. The project has grown into a recognized model for scientific, community‑driven environmental monitoring, inspiring other student groups to replicate the approach. A Drop of Active Hope empowers young people to protect marine ecosystems while holding major polluters accountable.
Diana Mazhari, Denge Org
Denge Org is a youth-led initiative focused on making climate education accessible and actionable. Named after the Turkish word for “balance,” Denge offers free courses on climate change and sustainable living, designed to ease the transition for those just beginning their climate journey. Recognizing that time, money, and capacity can be barriers, Denge provides free climate action consultations. After completing a three-month course, students and young professionals take a qualifying exam to become certified climate action consultants. These consultants then support new volunteers with weekly action plans — small, achievable steps — and offer ongoing guidance and motivation.
Isabelle Deon, Team What We Grew, Youth for Biodiversity
Youth for Biodiversity is a youth‑led initiative on Long Island dedicated to restoring local ecosystems and cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards. Through hands‑on gardening education, the project introduces children and teens to native plants, pollinators, soil health, and regenerative land care. In partnership with Rewild Long Island and regional Girl Scout councils, the team co‑developed a pilot program that blends workshops, planting activities, and creative learning experiences — culminating in a new sustainability badge that recognizes participants’ commitment to ecological care. By transforming schoolyards and community spaces into living classrooms, Youth for Biodiversity helps young people build a deeper connection to nature and understand their role in protecting it. The project fosters long‑term environmental awareness while strengthening community engagement around biodiversity and local conservation.
Joely Kim, Team Dandy Lions, The Abundance Box
The Abundance Box is a youth‑driven community food‑sharing initiative in California that connects home gardeners and community gardens with local families through volunteer‑powered distribution. Led by Joely, the project collects surplus produce, organizes neighborhood drop‑offs, and shares simple educational tools that help participants understand the environmental benefits of reducing food waste. The Abundance Box also highlights stories from growers and volunteers, building a sense of connection and shared purpose across the community. By transforming excess harvests into a steady source of fresh food, the project supports both climate action and community care. The Abundance Box shows how youth leadership, local networks, and small‑scale abundance can come together to reduce waste, strengthen relationships, and nourish families.
Monica Annim, Team Bigfoot, Step Green Initiative
The Step Green Initiative is a youth‑led project in Ghana transforming agricultural waste into climate‑smart products through circular design and community collaboration. Led by Monica and her team, the project repurposes discarded coconut husks into durable, sustainable footwear while creating opportunities for environmental education and green entrepreneurship. Through school outreach, workshops, and partnerships with local artisans, the team introduces young people to circular economy principles and demonstrates how waste can become a valuable resource. The initiative also fosters community engagement by encouraging students and families to participate in collection drives and sustainability activities. By combining innovation, environmental responsibility, and social impact, the Step Green Initiative offers a replicable model for youth‑driven climate solutions and highlights how local materials can support both economic opportunity and ecological care.
Purnima Kabir, Brick-to-Block Transition Hub
Brick-to-Block Transition Hub (B2B-TH) is a youth-led initiative in Sreepur, Gazipur, Bangladesh, working to replace polluting brick kilns with cleaner, safer building practices. Traditional kilns burn coal and destroy fertile topsoil, harming both the environment and the health of workers. B2B-TH introduces Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks — a low-emission, unfired alternative — and trains kiln workers in this sustainable technology. The project centers both environmental restoration and worker wellbeing, offering hands-on training and a pathway to safer livelihoods. The team will produce sample blocks, gather impact data, and build momentum toward a permanent hub for green construction. By combining climate action with care for frontline communities, B2B-TH is laying the foundation for a more just and sustainable future.
Sasha Gupta, Perfectly Imperfect
Perfectly Imperfect is a youth‑led initiative in Georgia that tackles food waste and food insecurity by rescuing cosmetically imperfect produce and redistributing it through local partners. Sasha’s project brings together students, community organizations, and volunteers to recover fresh fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be discarded, turning them into a reliable resource for families in need. Alongside weekly collection and distribution, Perfectly Imperfect fosters education around sustainable consumption, food systems, and community care. Through hands‑on engagement and accessible storytelling, the project helps young people understand the environmental and social impacts of waste while building a culture of shared responsibility. Perfectly Imperfect demonstrates how youth leadership can transform overlooked resources into meaningful climate action, strengthening both community resilience and environmental stewardship.
Sidhi Sareen, Team Ecovisionaries, Youth Climate Innovation Network
Youth Climate Innovation Network (YCIN) is a global, youth-led platform that connects young innovators, creators, and activists with mentors, educators, and organizations. Through innovation challenges, project incubation, and community building, YCIN helps young people bring climate solutions to life. YCIN is a collective of youth responding to a world shaped by floods, fires, and decisions made without them. It’s for those who are done waiting for permission. The network meets young people where they are, offering guidance, resources, and space to move from concept to implementation — whether refining a local solution or building something global. Through collaboration, experimentation, and shared learning, YCIN supports climate action rooted in lived experience.
