Manuela Barón: An Environmental Activist Fighting for a Sustainable, Zero-Waste Future
The color green makes its home in Manuela Barón, a 25-year-old, Florida-based environmental activist who reaches thousands of people across the world as “The Girl Gone Green” on social media. Manuela is devoted to a “zero-waste” lifestyle, one that involves reducing consumption. Wholeheartedly embracing the idea of sustainable fashion, Manuela often shares ideas on social media to inspire others to revamp their own wardrobes without harming the environment.
While traveling, Manuela observed the effects of environmental pollution, which pushed her towards sustainable living. “I was traveling to all of these different countries,” she recalls, “and I kept noticing the overall theme of waste and trash, and of the lack of proper waste management. No matter where I went, there was litter: cigarette buds, plastic bottles, and a large accumulation of trash.” Manuela was compelled to take action. She realized that it was up to ordinary people like herself to begin working towards change. “I started wanting to put the blame on other governments, on different things, but I realized later that I was part of the problem, so I needed to be part of the solution. That’s what really kind of catapulted sustainability [into] my world, realizing ‘what can I do as an individual to be more eco-friendly?’”
As “The Girl Gone Green,” Manuela regularly uses her social media platforms to share her zero-waste lifestyle and inspire her followers to pursue green practices themselves. Still, Manuela does not see herself as an activist on social media. “I never intended to become a content creator or to become a figure in [the social media space]. For me, social media was a way to find people that were like me in a world that wasn’t.” As she increasingly embraced sustainable practices, she found herself somewhat stranded in a world that values consumerism. She remembers thinking, “Wow, I’m really weird! Like, is there anyone else in the world that’s just as weird as I am?” But Manuela’s passion for change and commitment to sustainability soon resonated with others who shared her passions. “Social media really helped me connect to those people—not only locally, but around the world—and make friends with people who are interested in change… It made me feel like I was less alone.” The engagement she receives on social media gives her hope for what humanity could do in the near future to protect the planet. Now, she views social media as a valuable outreach tool that she can use to spread her eco-friendly messages and build a community around creating change. “You get to create something, you get to learn about something and share it with this amazing community, and you have no idea what they will do next. You have no idea who’s watching and who’s listening, and I think that’s a beautiful thing that really connects us.”
“I started wanting to put the blame on other governments, on different things, but I realized later that I was part of the problem, so I needed to be part of the solution. That’s what really kind of catapulted sustainability [into] my world, realizing ‘what can I do as an individual to be more eco-friendly?’”
For Manuela, a zero-waste lifestyle entails making specific changes to both your mindset and actions. “Personally, for me, zero-waste is a goal. It is something that we should all be striving for, personally, individually, and systematically.” A lot of thought goes into Manuela’s day-to-day choices, “I might buy an apple from the supermarket that has no plastic, but what consumption went into that apple? What waste was in the system? Zero-waste is thinking of that, seeing how I can tackle that and getting creative of what tackling that looks like, whether it’s shopping locally, buying from online or in-person stores, buying resale, or buying package-free items, just trying to find: What can I do today?” She also agrees, however, that the term “zero-waste” is flexible; she finds that, depending on her circumstances, she can embrace it in different ways. “There were years that I was so extreme [during which] I didn’t own a trash can, and produced basically no trash, and would obsess over any little thing I brought home. Now, I’m in a more relaxed sense of the word. I try my best every single day to reduce my waste, whether that’s packaging or simply asking, ‘What’s the waste I don’t see from this?’”
One particularly unconventional aspect of Manuela’s work is summarized in her Instagram bio: “I make art out of trash.” The inspiration for the project came one Halloween. Upset over the wastefulness of Halloween decorations and costumes, Manuela sought to find ways to make the holiday more sustainable. She began by dressing up in hundreds of plastic bags for Halloween. After the holiday, she continued to find alternative uses for the plastic bags in her closet, sparking a creative journey to find ways to reuse and recycle the materials she had at home. “I called it circular art: I kept using the same materials over and over again, and I eventually created different things that allowed me to say, ‘Hey, you’re scrolling on Instagram, isn’t this really beautiful?’... Then you have to stop and think for a second: Wait, that’s made out of trash?” In this way, Manuela demonstrates how “waste” can be transformed into something valuable, convincing others that a zero-waste lifestyle not only is feasible but also can be beautiful.
“Personally, for me, zero-waste is a goal. It is something that we should all be striving for, personally, individually, and systematically.”
Growing up, Manuela was a fashion enthusiast. “I used to wear different outfits and skirts, and I would show up to school and people would be like, ‘Are you going to a job after this? Why are you so dressed up?’” Recognizing the power of unconventionally beautiful fashion to make a statement, she began making clothes out of trash. These fashion statements urged others to examine the environmental consequences of their unnecessary consumption. “My favorite is always going out in public in these big, elaborate outfits. People just don’t understand what’s going on, and I don’t think they realize it’s made out of trash,” Manuela says of how others respond upon first glance. Aside from making clothes out of trash, Manuela explains, “I try to refashion clothes as much as possible. I go to the thrift store, I try to take things apart and turn them into new things.” She challenges those who cannot physically go out to purchase recycled clothing to make use of what they already have. “Sometimes it’s just as simple as saying, ‘Hey, what’s something already in my closet that I can wear again in a different way? Or, how can I support thrifted, sustainable clothes, or companies that are moving towards more eco-friendly materials?’” Manuela supports avoiding fast fashion companies and those that produce excess waste, instead opting to find small-scale, innovative, zero-waste practices that are viable and can drive change in the long run.
“Sometimes it’s just as simple as saying, ‘Hey, what’s something already in my closet that I can wear again in a different way? Or, how can I support thrifted, sustainable clothes, or companies that are moving towards more eco-friendly materials?’”
However, at times, Manuela feels like the changes that she is making are insignificant. “There have been so many points throughout my journey where I feel low and down. I’ll just feel like, ‘Wow, there is nothing I can do to change this.’ But then there’s always a moment where I’m reminded, ‘Oh wow, this co-worker of mine from two years ago sent me a message showing her reusable bags that she brings everywhere.’ There’s always something that kind of brings me back.” It is the impact she has on others that rekindles her sense of purpose during a period of disheartenment. But other times, these challenges are political. After successfully pushing the city council to pass an ordinance that bans plastic straws alongside hundreds of other locals, Manuela was crushed to learn that just a week later, Florida had passed a state-level policy that prevented the banning of plastic straws, rendering the city ordinance meaningless. But through a months-long, tireless effort that included several court proceedings and phone calls to the governor of Florida, Manuela’s efforts helped make state history: The governor of Florida vetoed the bill, and a statewide ordinance against plastic straws was put into effect.
“I think in this moment,” Manuela says, “the most common misconception is that sustainability has to be perfect.” To her, there is no ideal or “correct” course of action to take to be more environmentally conscious. “We like to think that we’re superior or better than someone else for how much we’re able to accomplish, without realizing that everyone is able to to do their own thing at their own time, that your sustainability [practices] might not look like [another’s], and that my sustainability [efforts] might not look like the top influencers on social media.” She recommends that anyone who wishes to make a difference start by doing what works best for them. For young people who may feel as if they cannot make a significant impact, Manuela’s advice is to “live authentically yourself.” Through her own experiences, Manuela has learned that a single person’s passion is enough to turn another’s head. “When I was 19, I was an intern, a dork really interested in sustainability… and my coworkers started noticing. They were like, ‘What is this girl doing, bringing her green juice in a glass jar, or why is she on the elevator with a salad on a real plate that she got from downstairs, [not a single-use, plastic one], going up the elevator?’ And, as time went on, I noticed that they would use a real mug instead of a disposable one, or they would bring those reusable snack bags instead of plastic Ziplocs. My boss even came up to me and told me she got into recycling because this 19-year-old intern was so passionate about something.” Illustrating the power that passion holds as a driving force for change, Manuela continues, “When you do something with so much enthusiasm, people want to know what you’re doing, or why you’re happy, or why you’re so excited about something,” which can inspire others to join your efforts.
More than anything, Manuela seeks a world in which more people will begin directing their attention towards protecting our planet, one in which everyone finds a way, no matter how small, to promote sustainability. “It’s really easy to feel so small, especially in this world where everyone around you is wanting more and more, or consuming more and more,” she says, “but really, your voice does matter, and you can create change.”
STORY ISHITA SHAH
PHOTOS MANUELA BARÓN