Featured Youth Activist: Shannon Murphy, Kaiser High School

Many passionate, young environmentalists in Hawaiʻi are dedicating their time and energy to issues around plastic. Shannon Murphy is a senior at Kaiser High School and President of the Wipeout Crew, a club that has cleaned over 10,000 lbs. of marine debris from local beaches in the past four years. She also helped her school switch from foam lunch trays in the cafeteria to compostable ones. On top of this, Shannon coordinates Kaiser High School’s annual Earth Fest to celebrate Earth Day, and even started an organic garden and compost bin on campus.

“I became empowered and politically involved by testifying at the Capitol for the polystyrene foam ban. I learned that it only takes one person to start a movement and create change, and this is the message I have been sharing with my peers and the rest of my school,” Shannon said.

Shannon is also passionate about advocating for marine life, ending dolphin and other animal captivity, and promoting the use of reef-safe sunscreen.

Shannon loves hiking, freediving, drawing, and painting in her free time. She will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to study Global Environmental Science & Sustainability, and hopes to teach, travel and write to continue to inspire others to make the world a better place for future generations.