Madhvi Chittoor at a river cleanup event she co-organized in Denver. Photo credit: Courtesy of Madhvi Chittoor
BWhen Madhvi Chittoor of Arvada, Colorado, learned at age 6 that PFAS “forever chemicals” were in all kinds of consumer products, she wanted to warn everyone. So she started with one person: Colorado State Senator Lisa Cutter, a strong advocate for the environment. Cutter agreed to meet with her, and in 2021, she met with Madhvi – accompanied by her mother – at a Panera.
They talked about how PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals used in consumer products since the 1940s, have found their way into drinking water, soil, food and the air. Peer-reviewed studies have found that exposure to certain levels of PFAS can lead to adverse developmental disorders in children, reduced fertility, increased risk of certain cancers, reduced immune function and increased cholesterol levels. Cutter already knew a little about PFAS, but not enough to prompt her to write a bill on the issue. Madhvi, she says, “really planted the seed.”
Read more: The challenge of removing toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” from drinking water
The following year, Cutter sponsored a bill banning “intentionally added” PFAS in a wide range of consumer products, from cosmetics to carpet. To gain support for the bill, Madhvi testified at the state Capitol and exchanged emails with Gov. Jared Polis for months. After the bill passed, Polis recognized Madhvi’s hard work, invited her to sign the bill in 2022, and presented her with the pen he used.
It wasn’t the first time Cutter and Madhvi worked together. In 2021, when Cutter proposed a ban on single-use plastic bags in large retail stores and Styrofoam containers in restaurants, Madhvi also lobbied for that legislation—speaking to mayors and businesses and running a signature drive. That measure finally went into full effect earlier this year.
“We are proud that young people like Madhvi are working to protect this place we love now and for future generations,” Polis said in a statement to TIME. “We were honored to have Madhvi join us in signing the bill, especially because of her dedication and leadership in this area. I have no doubt that Madhvi is just getting started, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.”
And Madhvi, now 13, is not resting on her laurels: “There is more that needs to be banned, such as (PFAS) in toilet paper and cleaning products,” she says.
She has continued her advocacy at home and abroad. In 2022, she was appointed Children’s Advisor to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and gave a speech at its headquarters in Geneva about children’s rights to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. And during a recent vacation in her family’s hometown of Chennai, India, she found time to organize a beach cleanup and speak in schools about pollution.
Despite her young age, Madhvi already has a lot of experience in environmental conservation. Even before the anti-foam law, she had encouraged Jefferson County, Colorado, to switch to compostable lunch trays in all public schools. In 2021, she and the school district broke the Guinness World Record for the most markers (more than 22,000) collected for recycling in one hour. Outside of environmental conservation, Madhvi plays the piano and violin, writes music, and has a black belt in taekwondo—which has earned her nicknames like “Plastic-Free Ninja.”
For those who want to get involved in environmental protection but don’t know where to start, Madhvi recommends reaching out to elected officials. “If they say no once, keep going and keep asking,” she says. Cutter admires that determination – and is sure other lawmakers would do the same. “I would be shocked if any lawmaker, regardless of party, would turn away a child,” she says. Environmental laws are often fought by large corporations, Cutter notes, adding, “When we have young people reaching out and advocating for us, it really helps.”
Write to Sanya Mansoor at [email protected].
