Erin Schrode: Teens Turning Green

At 22 years old, Erin Schrode has spent nearly half of her life advocating for the health of her peers and our planet. Erin jokes that she was “green” even before she was born. In Erin’s family it has always been accepted that the vast majority of chemicals in our cleaning products, beauty products, and foods are unnecessary so they are kept out of the home. Once Erin began exploring makeup in middle school she discovered that scientists had linked many of the ingredients in her favorite personal care products to cancer. It was then that Erin realized there weren’t widely available conscious alternatives for teen personal care and beauty products, and decided to make a change.

In 2005, at only 13 years old, Erin, her mother, and some friends founded Teens for Safe Cosmetics while sitting in her kitchen. They aimed to create a campaign to promote awareness of the toxins and chemicals present in the health and beauty products available to teenagers. Teens for Safe Cosmetics began working with companies that already promoted safe, effective products for teens. They worked with chemists to evaluate ingredients in products to establish a list of unsafe, toxic ingredients called “the Dirty 30.” They lobbied state legislators to pass laws demanding the regulation of unsafe chemicals in products and workplaces. “Teens for Safe Cosmetics” created standards for eco-“conscious” products. Their movement began small, but quickly blossomed in to a statewide and then national network of middle and high school clubs across the country, now called Teens Turning Green (TTG).

With Erin at the helm, TTG established a directory of approved cosmetics and products. School-based TTG clubs examined the food and janitorial services in their schools, promoted conscious products, and aimed to create a ripple effect in their local communities. As Erin grew older Teens Turning Green grew with her, examining every aspect of her life and looking for ways to do it better. New initiatives like “Project Green Prom,” and “Project Green Dorm” evolved to help young people make the most conscious decisions possible as they began  new phases of their lives. “Project Green Challenge” was born later, engaging over 2,600 students in one month of daily challenges to promote sustainable, conscious change in their lives.

Today, Erin and other young people are still the driving force behind Teens Turning Green. A dedicated network of students and interns work year-round in their local communities to spread the message of eco-consciousness, hosting events and promoting contests. The TTG Student Advisory Board constantly generates ideas to engage and empower even more youth across the country.

Erin currently travels the country with the “Conscious College Road Tour” and speaking and consulting for many different organizations. She says, “Teens Turning Green is who I am and what I love, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I live this, I breathe this, and I’ve committed my life to it.” She’s confident that youth across the country have the motivation and ability to change our futures for the better. Erin says, “Some of the best work is being done in small spaces,” indicating that movements do not have to be global, nationwide or even statewide. No matter what your cause or passion, Erin says, to reach out, connect with others, and create change, “there’s a great big, digital universe out there, you’ll find other people just as crazy as you - I did!”