Post written by Arushi Surve, OEEC Summer 2024 Intern and Founder and President of Mission Green Global
My name is Arushi Surve, and I’m the Founder and President of Mission Green Global, an environmental nonprofit. From conducting elementary school workshops around Fairfax County, to hosting animal awareness and ocean impact days, we try to uphold our two goals of educating and advocating through fun and engaging activities.
I’m a rising senior at Chantilly High School and passionate about the environment. I grew up in Fairfax County, but also moved a lot, across two continents, several states, and nine cities. It was through the acclimations to these different places that I started seeing one common issue: the environment. Pouring through National Geographic magazines about climate and endangered species might’ve also helped spark this love in me. I knew I wanted to create change and give a voice to wildlife. I started small, initiating recycling in my family and vowing not to take a bubble bath unless absolutely necessary in first grade.
I continued small efforts throughout the years, but it wasn’t until last year I realized I could spread my ideas through creating a nonprofit.
Mission Green Global (MGG) is now underway in its 501(c)(3) status and along with me, is run by a board of eight talented students. To change it from a thought to a platform for change, I had to fully-fledge my idea, thinking about important parameters, such as funding, outreach, goals, event ideas, and building my team. It took much planning to build MGG ground-up, but this would not have been possible without meticulous thought, tremendous support and hard work from my board, and immense passion in creating environmental change. 
We focus on a wide range of topics such as plastic pollution, sustainable engineering, deforestation, and wildlife preservation. Recently, we collaborated with local animal shelter A Forever Home Rescue Foundation to host a ‘Pawsitivity Day’ where we raised awareness for rescue pets. I’m excited to say that we’re in the process of expanding to different chapter locations.
Conducting such a project in high school would’ve been considered difficult and unmanageable, but in reality, has been absolutely rewarding. I was able to take my passion and desire to advocate and turn it into a catalyst for change, demonstrating with my team that age has nothing to do with the ability to create change. Youth voice is powerful, and as we get more youth engaged through volunteering programs and our global competition, ENVision, we are determined to spread our passion. The impact we’ve created through families has been tremendous too, as we educate Fairfax County community members on electric vehicles and solar panels to make sure that we all do our part in saving our slowly breaking ecosystem.
To anyone afraid to start making change, remember that change starts with you. A little planning, a little support, and a whole lot of passion can move thoughts, ideas, and words, which in turn, moves mountains. The climate does really need our help, and whether it’s starting your own nonprofit (or Mission Green Global chapter), recycling, or not taking frequent bubble baths, we can always do something to help our beautiful planet. Remember — it’s fragile, too. I can’t wait to see where Mission Green Global takes me. And where this takes you.
Arushi Surve is a student at Chantilly High School and will be graduating in the spring of 2025. She is a 2024 summer intern at OEEC and the founder of Mission Green Global, a non-profit organization aimed towards educating and advocating for environmental issues.
Climate Matters is the blog of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, where we share stories, insights and information related to climate change and environmental sustainability. Posts are written by knowledgeable and passionate OEEC staff members and guest authors. To read all blog posts, visit Climate Matters.