Young people today experience climate change in deeply personal and urgent ways. For many,
it’s not an abstract issue—it’s a defining reality that shapes how they live, dream, and plan for
the future. Realizing that we have only one Earth, and therefore one chance to preserve its
ecosystems, communities, and cultures, has sparked a radical shift among this generation—from
passive consumption to active stewardship. But caring for the planet is no easy task. In fact,
trying to make a meaningful difference in the world rarely is.
Angelina Lyla Hajji has made it her mission to Keep The Earth Fresh. That’s not only her personal
mantra—it’s also the name of the nonprofit she founded. Her passion for the planet stretches
back as far as she can remember. “I’m Palestinian and Irish, and both sides of my background
place a strong emphasis on our connection to the Earth,” says Hajji, seated across from me during
our coffee chat. “I was raised with a deep respect for nature—it was very Oceanside living, very
much about going out, exploring, and giving back. Not just to the planet, but also to the
community, and from a young age, my family instilled in us a sense of responsibility—that
whatever we do in life shouldn’t be for money or material gain, but for making a difference.”
Through Keep The Earth Fresh, Hajji organizes citizen-science community cleanups across cities
in Canada, the U.S., and parts of Africa—including Kenya and Tanzania. The organization tracks
litter trends, raises environmental awareness, and provides hands-on education. To scale their
efforts, they developed the Keep The Earth Fresh app—a simple, accessible platform designed
with community engagement at its core.
“I was raised with a deep respect for nature—it was very Oceanside living, very
much about going out, exploring, and giving back”
“We developed an app that allows users to report and rate litter,” Hajji explains. “You rate it on a
scale of 1 to 10, and you can even draw on the map as you walk down the street. Then we use that
input and run it through an algorithm to quantify how much litter is present. This helps us
determine how much water or other resources are needed to clean each area.”
Hajji has observed a growing enthusiasm for grassroots environmental action, particularly
among younger generations. “On our sign-up form, we ask people, ‘Why are you joining us?’ I’ve
read countless responses, and many share stories of visiting places they’d long dreamed of—only to
find them marred by pollution or environmental damage. Those experiences clearly left a deep
impact,” she shares. For many, once they’ve seen environmental degradation up close, they can’t
unsee it. What’s striking is how this awareness drives young people to not only speak out—but
to act.
This sense of collective purpose is central to Hajji’s work. She believes environmental action can
offer something vital—especially to youth navigating transitions, uncertainty, or displacement.
“A big part of our demographic—I’d say around 25%—are newcomers to Calgary,” says Hajji. “It
doesn’t matter where they’re coming from, but they’re usually looking for ways to get engaged in
the community.”
“That’s why we organize them into teams. So someone might come alone, but they’ll still be placed
in a team. I spend a lot of time going, ‘Okay, you pair up with you.’ And by the end of it? They’re
making videos together, connecting on social media, laughing. There were these two girls from one
of our recent cleanups—they were complete strangers at the start. But by the end, they were
filming Tik Tok together like they’d known each other forever. That kind of connection is honestly
the best part.”
“A big part of our demographic—I’d say around 25%—are newcomers to Calgary. It
doesn’t matter where they’re coming from, but they’re usually looking for ways to get engaged in
the community.”
Since launching Keep The Earth Fresh, Hajji and her team have carried out multiple projects and
cleanups, building a strong base of volunteers and collaborators. I asked her whether she thinks
governments are doing enough to address the environmental crisis. “I think it depends on how
you look at it. Every year, dif erent communities have their own cleanup ef orts,” she says. “But I
think there’s more that can be done, especially around education. The messages we give citizens
matter. If you constantly promote that ‘we’re a city that takes care of our planet,’ people will start
holding themselves to that standard.”
Yet Hajji isn’t waiting around for institutions to lead the way. She’s building momentum from the
ground up. Her work is proof of what can happen when one person’s passion is matched with
vision, strategy, and community support. Climate action doesn’t have to start on a global scale; it
can begin with a single cleanup, a team of strangers, or a meaningful conversation over coffee.
Through Keep The Earth Fresh, Hajji is not just changing the way we talk about the environment
but she’s also transforming how we engage with it.
As we wrapped up our conversation, Hajji offered a simple but powerful piece of advice for
anyone who wants to make a difference but doesn’t know where or how to start:
“Honestly, change starts with you. It always starts with one person making that decision. The first
step is always the hardest. But once you take it, you’ll be surprised by how many people will join
your cause. If someone wants to start something like Keep Earth Fresh, we can provide the
foundations they need. We believe in a bottom-up approach — starting small and growing from the
ground up. Whether it’s environmental action or any other cause, real change begins when you
take that leap.”
If you’re inspired by Hajji’s story and want to get involved, joining Keep The Earth Fresh is as
simple as taking the first step. Whether it’s signing up for a local cleanup, using the app to report
litter in your neighborhood, or simply spreading the word, there’s room for everyone in this
movement. Visit keeptheearthfresh.org, reach out to the team at ktef@keeptheearthfresh.org, or
connect on social media @KeepTheEarthFresh to learn more and become part of a global
community committed to protecting our planet—one piece of litter at a time.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
