Youth Ambassador To Join Expedition To Antarctica
Pure Advantage Youth Ambassador To Join Expedition
To Antarctica
Mission to Antarctica to engage
and inspire the next generation of NZ leaders
Auckland, 22 September 2011– Pure Advantage, the organisation championing a shift for green growth in New Zealand, today announced that Sarah Hall, Environmental Engineering student at the University of Auckland, will be joining Rob Swan’s 2041 team exploring the Antarctic Peninsula in February 2012.
Rob Swan, polar explorer and environmental leader judged the competition that awarded one young person the chance of a life time and said he was very impressed by the young people that entered.
“What we’ve got out of this competition is the next generation of leaders who will inspire all New Zealanders to commit to a more sustainable and prosperous New Zealand through green growth.
“Our dream over the next three years is to end up with an alumnus of five or more youth champions that have experienced what is going on in Antarctica and can share that not only with New Zealand but the world. “
“The time to act is now and these Pure Advantage Youth Ambassadors that have entered and been finalists in the Experience Antarctica Competition will help us educate others about climate change and how we as a nation respond.”
Sarah was selected from a group of ten finalists because she was best able to demonstrate to the judges that her idea for educating others was not only creative and original but actionable as well.
“People are aware of the radical changes happening in our environment and how it is under threat from climate change and global pollution but don’t take action.”
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the Pure Advantage youth ambassador to take the important lessons about sustainability and the environment from Antarctica and apply them back in New Zealand to help educate others about the importance of green growth in this country,” said Swan.
“New Zealand has strong ties to Antarctica and history of helping preserve and protect its environment. What I learn from the Antarctica experience I will apply in this country to help create a clean green economy and support Pure Advantage in its quest to turn our natural advantages into greater wealth for all New Zealanders,” says Sarah.
The competition encouraged people aged between 19 and 27 years to show the judges they’ve got what it takes to engage and inspire the next generation to create a green future. Videos of the ten finalists can be seen at http://www.pureadvantage.org/antarctica/gallery/
ENDS