Good morning everyone,

Como amaneciste? And happy International Recycling Day! I have a Fem Fri for you which is somewhat about recycling, and a lot about environmental activism, and what ties all of these things together is that they are all in Colombia.

We start with Jenny Teasdale, former Fem Fri guest editor, who is now running the Green Apple Foundation on the tiny island of Bocachica off the coast of Colombia. I interviewed Jenny about her work, her current project and how she came to be living in Cartagena. There are also her top crowdfunding tips, if that is something you are thinking of doing. Jenny is one of the most interesting people I know and I'm so excited that you get to meet her today:

I'm really proud of the fact that we've set up a recycling operation. There have been many moments when we've not been sure it was going to work or be financially viable - and now we're starting to make a difference, have an impact, and link up with organisations that are doing what they can to combat climate change. We're right up against it here, so it's great to see people doing beach clean ups and learning how to take action for where they live. It's about finding solutions where you live - you can't solve the whole planet, but you can solve where you are.

https://medium.com/@Vincennes/interview-with-jenny-teasdale-ops-director-at-green-apple-677243f01066?source=friends_link&sk=b4cd84b17b0593f311ba0f83b1a27e3e

On to the crowdfunding campaign itself, if you have a line item in your budget for grassroots activism, strongly consider Green Apple's campaign:

With these new skills, the artisans can make a good living, while also promoting sustainable tourism and protecting our precious environment. Instead of using imported beads or shells and corals taken from the ocean, they will create art from previously unwanted glass bottles. And in using these bottles, they contribute to the reduction of dangerous waste that is blighting the gorgeous coast around Cartagena.

https://startsomegood.com/TurnWasteIntoJobs

Now here is Yassandra Marcela Barrios Castro, who is doing a degree in marine biology and also learning to dive, talking about the challenges and rewards of doing conservation work in and with communities. A warning, this site is extremely optimised for mobile, so perhaps one to read on the train home rather than your lunch break:

Once qualified, Yassandra will be the only marine biologist on the island. "I am part of a new generation that wants to protect my island," Yassandra says. "If I can find a way to join people together to protect our reefs, then our island is going to have a bright future."

https://m.dw.com/en/the-colombian-teen-fighting-to-protect-her-islands-coral-reefs/a-48527762

Please enjoy your day in our beautiful world,

Alex.