Shreya Ramachandran is the founder of the nonprofit organization The Grey Water Project which promotes the safe reuse of grey water and water conservation as a way to battle droughts and climate change. (Grey water is lightly used water that makes up 60% of the used water in our homes). She was moved to action five years ago after witnessing the devastating effects of droughts firsthand in both California and India. She started out by doing research to see if grey water could be reused for irrigation. After winning state, national and international awards for her patent-pending research, she started her nonprofit to advocate her cause.

Currently, she does workshops and presentations at schools, libraries, community and corporate events to teach people how to use grey water in their homes and how to install a laundry to lawn system. She also runs water conservation challenges and has a grey water curriculum implemented aimed at school students to teach greywater recycling. “My goal is to have grey water reuse become like paper and plastic recycling - something everyone does,” Shreya says. She is launching a Climate Ambassadors Program for students to learn about climate change, implement a change project and receive recognition.

Shreya has won numerous awards including being a Top 20 Global Finalist at the Google Science Fair and 3rd place at the International Science and Engineering Fair. She is a National Geographic Young Explorer, Global Teen Leader, a recipient of the President’s Environmental Youth Award, the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes and the winner of the Children’s Climate Prize 2019.