9-Year-Old Frog Lover Named 2020 International Young Eco-Hero

LOS ANGELES, CA — A 9-year-old Los Angeles boy who founded a group called ‘For The Love of Frogs’ is one of 17 young environmental activists from throughout the world honored by Action for Nature as a 2020 International Young Eco-Hero.

Justin Sather, of Westchester, won third prize in the 8- to 12-year-old age category for his initiative, through which he organized wetland cleanups, studied frogs with herpetologists worldwide, worked with companies that turned plastic waste into treasures and raised more than $22,000 through selling frog toys and shoes to conserve land, build new wetlands and ponds, reduce plastics, and improve water quality for frogs.

“I know that frogs need our help…frogs are telling us the world needs our help,” Sather said in a video about his efforts to help his favorite animal. After learning in school that one-third of frog species are endangered, Sather was inspired by a children’s book “What Do You Do With An Idea?” to create an action plan to help them.

Sather is now focusing on a new project to raise funds needed to buy land and to protect rainforests in Ecuador that are home to thousands of frogs and other critically endangered animals and plants.

Yet this is hardly the only thing Sather has done with an idea. Through the Parallel Planters Initiative, he helped turn discarded plastic bottles into bird feeders, an herb garden, animal art, and a number of other creative ideas, doing the project in tandem with children in Cameroon. He also founded the Toothbrush Challenge, in which he swapped plastic toothbrushes from around the community in exchange for more eco-friendly toothbrushes that he made from recycled yogurt cups.

For his efforts, Sather has been awarded a number of other awards, including the Roots and Shoots Mini-Grant Award, the 100 Kid Hero, the Project Green School Green Difference Award, the President’s Environmental Youth Award, the International Changemaker Award, and more.

"Kids like Justin have shown that the next generation is refusing to simply stand on the sidelines but instead is turning its passion for helping the planet into projects that have tangible, positive impacts on the environment now," said Beryl Kay, president of the international nonprofit organization that encourages young people to nurture a love and respect for natural resources and to take personal action to better their environments.

"Young activists like Justin are shaping the world around them and inspiring other young people to take action to protect our Earth," Kay said.

Action for Nature has recognized more than 275 young people from over 30 countries and 25 U.S. states since 2003. The honorees are chosen by a panel of independent judges, including experts in biology, environmental science and education.

— City News Service and Michael Wittner contributed to this report.