At 17, I joined the U.S. Air Force driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact. I quickly realized that my passions did not lie in national defense, but in the defense of the planet we all share. As I transitioned out of the military, I began working to understand the links between environmental degradation and social injustice. Since then, I’ve channeled that energy into organizing. Working with Progressive Maryland’s Environmental Justice Task Force, as well as reviving the Baltimore hub of the Sunrise Movement, I have been fighting for meaningful climate action in my community. Living in Hampden, I stay closely attuned to how our local government supports (or fails to support) environmental action. So when I saw this year’s city budget proposal, I was deeply disappointed by the lack of investment in zero-waste initiatives, like composting and recycling. This is especially frustrating given that the Department of Public Works' 10-year solid waste management plan advocates for diverting 90% of our waste from incineration and landfills. Yet meaningful investments toward alternative disposal methods remain to be seen. 

One issue I’ve been deeply involved in is the fight to shut down the WIN Waste incinerator in South Baltimore. For decades, this facility has polluted our neighborhoods and harmed our health. We’ve organized, testified, and educated our communities to end the harmful subsidies that kept this industry afloat. A major step forward came last month, when state legislation finally removed incineration from Maryland’s renewable energy classification. While this is a big win, our work continues as we must keep pushing for a full transition to cleaner, healthier alternatives for our city.

While the primary reason to move away from incineration is to protect public health and the environment, the economic benefits of this transition are significant. According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Baltimore taxpayers could save up to $800,000 annually by shifting to more sustainable waste practices. Their 2018 report, Waste Incineration: A Dirty Secret in How States Define Renewable Energy, found that recycling and composting cost just $18 per ton, compared to $50 per ton for incineration. While building out green infrastructure will require upfront investment, it ultimately pays off through lower long-term costs, smarter resource management, and a cleaner, healthier city for all of us. 

The Department of Public Works (DPW) estimates that 40% of the city’s residential waste is made up of food scraps – waste that could be composted if the infrastructure existed. While DPW has promoted resident-led composting and offered scattered drop-off sites, this piecemeal approach places an unfair burden on individuals, especially in a densely populated city where many lack the time, space, or transportation to manage composting on their own. It's time for the city government to step up and treat composting as a core public service, not a personal project. The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority has been approved to design and build a composting facility at the Eastern Sanitation Yard on Bowley’s Lane, but construction hasn’t yet begun. As we approach irreversible climate tipping points, we need bold, immediate investment, not the sluggish pace typical of local bureaucracy.

As we face yet another “hottest summer on record,” Baltimore, and cities like it, will continue to suffer from intensifying heat waves, storms, and public health crises. These aren’t distant threats; they’re the direct consequences of a climate crisis that defines my generation. No other issue in human history has posed such a sweeping, existential risk. Our current approach to waste, burning it into our atmosphere or burying it in our soil, is not only outdated, it’s actively harming the planet we depend on. If we continue to dig ourselves into this hole, we may never be able to pull ourselves out. We need bold investment in true zero-waste solutions, not half-measures that maintain a broken system. Young people in Baltimore are paying attention, and we’re holding our leaders accountable. When I spoke at the Board of Estimates’ Taxpayers' Night, I called out the lack of investment in zero-waste initiatives in the city’s proposed budget. I hope those words sparked reflection, and more importantly, action. We must prioritize sustainability. Not just in rhetoric, but in policy. By investing in real zero-waste infrastructure, Baltimore can protect its future, honor its residents, and lead by example.