Peter Pham proves the power of local action
© ISTOCK.COM/YHELFMAN
In November 2018, Peter Pham watched in shock as the Camp Fire spread across California’s Butte County, scorching more than 150,000 acres, engulfing entire towns, and blanketing the northern half of the state in smoke. Fueled by extreme weather— hotter temperatures, drought, and strong winds—the blaze was the deadliest, most destructive fire in the state’s history.
It was also the spark that inspired him to get involved in the environmental movement.
The following year, Pham helped organize a rally that drew thousands of young people from across the region. “We had a lot of energy,” he says, “and the question became: ‘How can we translate this into sustained and enduring change?’”
© Courtesy of Peter Pham
Peter Pham
HOME San Jose, CA
CAUSE Helping young adults spearhead city- and state-wide environmental policies
His answer was to cofound Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action (SVYCA), a grassroots organization that empowers teens and young adults to address environmental issues through education and policy initiatives. Rather than focusing on the federal level, says Pham, the nonprofit pushes for regional and statewide action, which can be more immediately impactful. “The gridlock in national politics often delays serious progress,” he says, “but local policy is easier to influence.”
Since its conception, SVYCA’s 12 advocacy teams have spearheaded over 100 policies to establish improvements for wildfire preparedness, statewide standards for offshore oil spills, more sustainable building codes, and funds for greener transportation programs.
Pham, who received WWF’s 2024 Youth Conservation Leadership Award, believes it’s important to foster the next generation of leaders, too. So SVYCA hosts annual bus tours that bring members to sustainability-focused businesses across Silicon Valley, where they’re exposed to green career opportunities. “We want young people to see a future for themselves,” he says.
For his part, Pham—who also serves on advisory commissions for public lands and transportation agencies and has been a delegate at international conferences—likes to strategize behind the scenes. “There are different brands of advocacy, and you don’t necessarily need to be out on the streets protesting,” he says. “I encourage everyone to just get started and follow their heart.”
© Andy Rouse / naturepl.com / WWF
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