Wigan teenager’s campaign for a greener planet

Aneta Stofanova, from Pemberton, has set up the Green Geek online crowdfunder to combine her passions for a healthier planet and making sustainable products.

Up Holland High School pupil Aneta, 16, is looking for donations which she will use to create environmentally-friendly items such as hand-made organic shampoos, soaps and toothpastes.

She will then sell these in kits for going green along with objects like bamboo toothbrushes.

Green Geek will also offer eco dog treats sold in biodegradable bags, planting kits and cupcakes, with Aneta offering her products at local events such as markets and festivals.

The teenager described her passion for protecting the environment and the beauty of nature which was first instilled in her during her early years in rural Slovakia.

Aneta, who has lived in the UK for a decade, said: “I grew up in the middle of the countryside and from waking up in the morning and going outside the first thing you see are animals and plants. From there you have to have a passion for it, there’s no way around it.

“Green Geek was a last-minute decision. I was struggling to make decisions going through exams and wondering about college and what I’m going to do in the future.

“It just dawned on me that what I really wanted to do has been right in front of me. I’m quite creative so I started working on the logos and ideas started coming. I went through quite a lot of names because I wanted something a bit more quirky than your standard project. I want to make things that can help people get started and open the public eye to a sustainable future. I want to show small changes in everyday lifestyles can make big differences.

“People talk a lot about what we can do as a whole but if someone just for one day a week has a vegan meal that makes such a big difference, saving gallons of water which are used to produce meat.”

Climate change and environmental destruction have risen to the top of the news agenda in recent times, with public awareness increasingly rapidly thanks to high-profile protests and primetime programmes such as those fronted by Sir David Attenborough warning starkly of the damage being done to the Earth.

Aneta is looking to bring fellow nature lovers together, with plans for Green Geek to organise trips on public transport to do activities such as litter picks on beaches and tree planting. Aneta’s longer-term plans include expanding her project to protecting valuable wildlife habitat around the world, while she is also hoping to study animal management and embark on a career as an environmental officer.

To donate or find out more about Aneta’s project, visit www.gofundme.com/green-geek