"Words of Great Encouragement + Bio Remedies for the Planet"

Written by Landon Mortimer, 2026 Summer Intern for The Sustainability Alliance

I would love for everyone to know that they can play a major role in sustainability and helping the Earth, no matter their age. Every person who helps by planting a tree or prairie grass, educating the public, or volunteering for a service opportunity is making a difference, and I truly thank them.

Sustainability means a lot not only to me, but to many people in the youth category as well. To be sustainable is to be environmentally friendly while also being cost-effective and efficient. Often, sustainability brings benefits beyond the environmental ones. People can save money by reducing energy consumption or spending, become healthier through more physical activity, support local farmers and growers, and much more.

For example, while I love sustainability because it helps our Earth, I also appreciate the added benefits it can bring. I am going into Environmental Geoscience at Oklahoma State University this fall, and I have been working on research to reduce concentrations of heavy metals by using biodegradable materials. The idea is not just to use biodegradable materials as filters, because once they are full of heavy metals, what happens next?

Instead, the goal is to place them in an acidic liquid, such as vinegar, and electrowin them so the adsorption properties of the banana peels can be reused and the heavy metals can potentially be made into batteries. This is a sustainable method because it helps filter water while also creating energy and money at the same time. That is what sustainability means to me. It is not just about how we help the planet; it is about how we can be clever and create efficient, environmentally friendly solutions to problems so that both people and Mother Nature benefit.

Want to test water for yourself? Try a pH indicator test using red cabbages! (Here)

I encourage other students and young people to get involved, even if it starts small. Every project matters, every volunteer hour matters, and every effort to help the Earth adds up. We do not have to wait until we are older to make a difference, because the future of sustainability starts with the choices we make right now.

I first became involved with the Sustainability Alliance when I was a junior at Owasso High School. By that time, I had already spent two years working on science fair projects focused on water quality with my sponsor and mentor, Mrs. Chatwin, and I was ready to take on something new. We eventually shifted our focus more toward our outdoor classroom and restoring it. The Sustainability Alliance was a great help in organizing volunteer days to plant trees, move rock for pathways, trim vegetation, build insect hotels, and much more.

Over time, I became even more involved with the Sustainability Alliance by attending two of their Bellmon Awards and many of their events, such as Green Drinks and B2B. I enjoyed meeting different people and organizations there, and I am thankful for the connections they helped me make with others who care about sustainability.

I also had the opportunity to work on rivercane, mapping, and gardening projects throughout the summer, and it showed me what it is really like to be part of a sustainability project. It takes time, effort, and a lot of communication to make things happen. People need to know what is going on, what the plan is, and how everyone’s ideas can come together.

I am very grateful to the Sustainability Alliance for all of their help, encouragement, and support throughout my journey. I have learned a lot from them, and I am very hopeful for the future of the Sustainability Alliance. I wish them the very best, just as they have wished the best for me.

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Meet Landon: Our Summer Intern

landon@thesustainabilityalliance.org

A recent graduate of Owasso High School, Landon Mortimer is a passionate environmental advocate whose interest in sustainability began through water quality research as a student. He joined The Sustainability Alliance's First Steps program as a Junior and has contributed to projects involving outdoor classroom restoration, rivercane conservation, mapping, gardening, and habitat creation, gaining hands-on experience in environmental stewardship and community engagement within the program and externally. This summer, Landon's internship has been spent building upon these efforts as he gears up to study Environmental Geoscience at OSU this fall.