Teen Starts Cleanup at 11,000 Feet, Grows Movement to 800 Schools

When Sawan Kanojia climbed to Budha Madhyamaheshwar at 11,000 feet, the Chaukhamba peaks looked majestic against the sky. But plastic bottles and wrappers littered the ground near the sacred shrine.

So the 24-year-old put on his Environment Club T-shirt and got to work. He quietly collected waste along the 1.5 kilometer trail and carried it down to a temple dustbin, treating the mountain not as a tourist but as a caretaker.

This mindset started when Sawan was just 14 years old in ninth grade at his Meerut school. He noticed taps running carelessly in the corridors while everyone else walked past without a second glance.

Sawan spoke up, though most ignored him at first. Then a science teacher recognized his passion and offered him the school assembly stage to share his message about water conservation.

That short speech changed everything. Students started shutting off taps, friends began paying attention, and Sawan realized he could turn concern into action.

He founded the Environment Club with a few classmates, driven by a simple sense of duty. What began as a student idea grew into a youth movement spanning 800 schools across India over the past decade.

The club teaches water conservation, places earthen pots for birds during summer, and encourages communities to reject plastic and dangerous Chinese manjha kite string. In 2022, Sawan received the Earth Day Hero Award for his work.

The Ripple Effect

But the real victory isn't the recognition. It's seeing habits shift, watching streets grow cleaner, and knowing that hundreds of young people now see themselves as environmental caretakers instead of bystanders.

From snow-covered mountains to school hallways, Sawan proves the same principle works everywhere. If you can see the mess, you can fix it.

His message is beautifully simple: you don't need a club or a title to make a difference. Just carry your waste back down the mountain, pick up one extra piece someone else left behind, and be the reason a beautiful place stays that way.