5 Women At The Forefront Of The Eco-Friendly Movement

The eco-friendly movement isn’t just about remembering your reusable tote bag or feeling guilty about that single-use coffee cup. It’s about rethinking the way you interact with the planet and paying attention to how you consume, produce, and waste.

Although governments and corporations play a huge role, it’s individual people who have the potential to spark the biggest change.

You’ve probably heard a lot about the eco-friendly movement lately. It’s not just a trend, though. It’s become a big, global push to take better care of our planet. We’re talking less waste, more recycling, and finding ways to live and do business that actually help instead of harming the environment.

With all the talk about climate change, pollution and deforestation, it’s clear why society needs to make some changes. What’s incredible is women from all walks of life are leading the way. Activists, researchers and business owners alike are taking charge. They’re an example of how to be more sustainable and eco-conscious every day.

Whether they’re pushing for green legislation, making changes to traditional business operations or even doing some groundbreaking research on the topic, these women are leading the eco-friendly charge.

Rosalie Edge is one of those women you probably didn’t hear enough about in history class, but her impact is huge. Back in the early 1900s — when most people were focused on industrial progress — Rosalie was already speaking up for wildlife conservation. She was all about protecting birds, and in 1929, she founded the Emergency Conservation Committee.

Her goal was to start protecting species while they’re still common so they don’t become rare. Edge’s passion for the natural world sparked a larger movement for protecting wildlife.

Wangari Maathai was the definition of unstoppable. Not only was she a Nobel Prize winner, but she was also the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a Ph.D. in biology, which is already impressive. However, it was her Green Belt Movement that really set her apart, which encouraged women to plant trees on their farms, church and school grounds.

Over the years, the movement has led to the planting of over 50 million trees in Kenya alone. Wangari’s legacy is about developing forests worldwide, empowering women, fighting for human rights and showing the world that the health of the planet is tied to the health of its people.

If you’re into the intersection of sustainability and social justice, Susana Muhamad is your go-to woman. As the former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development in Colombia, she worked on creating policies that focused not just on environmental protection.

Some of Susana’s work involves advocating for clean energy, preserving nature and finding eco-friendly solutions that also promote social equity. These initiatives align with growing trends in local and worldwide business, like the increased focus on environmental impacts and the reduction of waste materials.

Vicki Saunders is the kind of leader we need in the business world. She’s the founder of Coralus — formerly SheEO — which is a group of women and non-binary entrepreneurs who donate to a $500,000 pool and vote on five recipients. The group prioritizes the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of lowering inequality, targeting climate change, bettering people’s education and health, and creating economic growth.

Vicki’s idea doesn’t stop there. On top of capital, applicants gain mentorship, new customers, follow-on funders and many other forms of support. Participants have said Coralus offers both a safe space to discuss issues and problem-solve, providing encouragement for these Earth-critical companies.

At City Developments Limited (CDL), Esther An is literally building a better, greener world. Esther is a chief sustainability officer who earned the United Nations Global Compact’s SDG pioneer accolate for pushing for greener building strategies for the last 20 years. She also helped it utilize its main office in Singapore to create worldwide baselines for sustainability and green construction.

Esther’s policies include yearly material, climate change scenario and risk analyses to manage CDL’s environmental toll. She’s also passionate about teaching others in architecture to adopt these sustainable practices, joining many sustainability committees and boards to do so.

These women aren’t just talking about sustainability — they’re out there leading the charge, making real changes that are helping our planet thrive. Whether planting trees, pushing for policy reform or creating sustainable business models, they’re proving that one person can make a world of difference.