Sophia’s Story
Sophia Skarparis aka PlasticFreeSophia, is a youth change-maker with a passion for combating plastic pollution.
At the age of 14, she mobilized and collected over 12,000 handwritten signatures, advocating for the ban of single-use and heavy retail plastic bags in New South Wales, Australia. She presented the petition to the NSW Premier and it was tabled in Parliament in October 2018. This pivotal moment revealed the negligence of certain leaders toward their responsibility to safeguard the planet and future generations.
Now she enacts change through grassroots activism, the empowerment of youth, engagement with parliamentary representatives, and dialogue with businesses. This along with other pressures led to the successful implementation of the NSW Plastics Action Plan in 2022. Her notable impact in raising awareness about plastic pollution earned her recognition at the Australian Geographic Society Gala Awards, with commendations from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Time is of the essence, and she believes that together, we possess the power to reshape the future for the better.
NSW State has now introduced legislation to ban single use plastic bags
instagram @plasticfreesophia