Then in 7th grade, Cassandra Lin of Westerly, Rhode Island was sad to learn that many in her community could not afford to heat their homes in the winter. So she joined forces with four other 7th-graders and local biofuel companies to recycle used cooking oil from local residents and restaurants, and refine it into biodiesel. Turn Grease Into Fuel (TGIF) collects about 36,000 gallons of used cooking oil each year worth $60,000 of renewed energy that provides heat for nearly 100 local families each winter. The project also has helped create green jobs in the community, influenced local environmental legislation, and resulted in a statewide mandate that all businesses which use cooking oil must recycle the grease.
Now 13 years old, Cassandra says, “I want to make an impact. It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, anyone can make a difference.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce named her one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers in 2011. And this month she was named one of 15 Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes and awarded a $10,000 cash award and a $7,500 scholarship. Cassandra hopes to expand the project nationwide. But her ultimate dream is to design a model zero-waste community.
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