Celebrating ten years of environmental advocacy, Johannesburg environmentalist Tamerin Jardine took the coveted title. Jardine who recently turned 25 has been a part of extensive environmental, sustainability and conservation projects over the past eight months.

The organisation planted its 20 000th tree in Diepsloot recently and boasts many other amazing achievements. Jardine was one of the finalists who also travelled to Zambia as part of this leadership programme to plant trees as part of a reforestation initiative. The newly crowned winner believes that she has stood up for what is right, moral and ethical when it comes to not only conservation and environmental protection but also the state of our schools, educational system and the recycling infrastructures in communities.

The gala dinner hosted by the home of Miss Earth – Tsogo Sun, was as green as can be, with all food left over’s and cut offs taken by Earth Probiotic to make compost with, which once again goes into the school greening projects during Arbour month. Additionally, all ingredients from the dinner were locally sourced with each element of the night being thought through.

Ten years of environmental advocacy has seen the Miss Earth South Africa in association with Consol as an initiative and leadership programme for South African women between the ages of 18 and 28 years. It’s a platform that is used to empower these young women with the necessary knowledge and opportunities to become environmental eco-warriors, encouraging them to go out and make a sustainable environmental impact in their communities and the public at large. Finalists and winners receive hands-on experience through being involved in several green campaigns and projects. The initiative currently works with over 120 schools nationwide. Much of the work is focused on greening of townships, food gardens, sustainable development and educational programmes around the country.

This year many of the finalists chose to focus on glass as a healthy product of choice, glass recycling, and energy efficiency awareness programmes that continue to now run with 49M and Eskom.

Over the past decade they have also reached half a million children and their work has extended to many social community upliftment projects, campaigns and initiatives that work hand in hand. National director, Catherine Constantinides, says, “It has been of great importance to combine both social issues with environmental concerns as we cannot teach a cold family to plant and respect trees if we are not talking care of their immediate social needs. The same is true of teaching children and educating them on sustainability and climate change when they arrive at school on an empty stomach.”

During her year of reign Jardine will represent South Africa at the International Miss Earth in South East Asia amongst 100 finalists from around the world. As part of this year’s judging process, finalists underwent a written exam, their own environmental initiative in their community, as well as a one-on-one interview session with a panel of 16 judges.