About Me

Hello!

My name is Tom Smith, I'm 22 years old, and I've just finished studying Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol in the UK. I am passionate, enthusiastic and dedicated about conserving the incredible world we live in. I've been involved in many environmental projects, including Power Shift UK, which brought together 800 youth around the UK to learn about sustainability, I helped to organise a photography exhibition in London about the environment, and I went to COP15 climate summit as part of a youth delegation (please see the video about my experiences at http://bit.ly/5LxQbm).

I’m so incredibly excited and awe-inspired by Project Borneo. This is so perfect, and I'm honoured to be a part of it. Since a young child, I’ve been immersed in nature at my home deep in English countryside. I was, as a young child, constantly asking my brother to come play in the streams and rivers, play games in the woods by my house and create imaginary characters that lived in each of the trees (although he often refused, which would cause many arguments). I would skive off school, pretending I was too headachey to even pull myself out of bed, and then as soon as I was sure there was no chance my Mum would take me in, I would run outside and play with the various animals on our farm (including a donkey from the circus).

I find it heartbreaking that we are losing so much amazing nature. My stomach hurts about it. I find it really difficult to understand how you could see a chunk of car as more valuable than an evolutionary miracle, and a pair of shoes more exciting than a walk in a forest at sunset. I know this sounds corny, but its totally sincere.

I have never been to a rainforest, and never seen an Orangutan outside of ugly, unnatural bars. I cannot wait for the opportunity to see these incredible beings in their original and natural settings. I've always experienced that when you love your work enough, it's not work, and I will put as much time and effort into this project as I can. I want this - I want to spend my life doing this - I want to inspire other people to get involved in protecting our delicate planet.

I cannot wait to go out to Borneo. As one of the Eco-Warriors, I will pour my soul into the project: inspire, explore and learn.

Big Love.

Follow my adventure here or follow me on twitter @crackandsqueeze

Favourite phrase of all time:
If you don't think a small thing can make a difference, try going to bed with a mosquito. - Anon

Closely followed by:
The young do not know enough to be prudent, and so they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.
- Pearl Buck

• My Interests
  Animal Rights, Climate Change, Sustainable Development

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• Countries I've visited
  Australia      Cambodia      Canada      Denmark      Ethiopia      France      Germany      Indonesia      Italy      Kenya      Poland      South Africa      Spain      Switzerland      Thailand      Turkey      United States