“Follow your heart. There are still so many people who don’t care, or don’t care enough, about climate change. Some of my retiree friends say,” ‘Why worry, we won’t experience it.’ I remind my friends that their family and grandkids will experience the problems related to the changing climate. Care about your grandkids by caring about climate change…it’s not about you.”
Agnes Shiu Wong is an inspiring volunteer who has dedicated her time and energy to Environmental Volunteers (EV) for the past 4 years. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Agnes moved to the United States in pursuit of higher education. Agnes’ volunteer spirit was revealed early — in middle school, encouraged by her mother. Agnes’ volunteerism never looked back, continuing from middle school throughout her career and beyond. After retiring in 2019, Agnes passion for nature led her to EV. She has been active in in-person and virtual classroom programs, and special projects. We asked what drew Agnes to EV and she said:
“When I retired there were a lot of things that I wanted to do. I wanted to do something meaningful for others, for the world, and for the environment. Anything dealing with climate and the environment is very meaningful to me.”
Agnes described one particularly memorable EV program experience where she really felt the impact of her work. She described a time in a fifth grade classroom where a student was feeling shy because of language barriers. Agnes shared that she could relate to the student and shared that it was okay to participate, she brought the child to the front and made her feel comfortable to engage. She realized how she could use her knowledge of other languages to help the student feel included. She also explained to the student about why it was important to learn about caring for the environment.
Agnes has a deep connection to nature, loves learning new things, and finds joy in helping others. She believes that everyone has a responsibility to protect our environment for future generations, and says that EV is an ideal place to nurture her volunteering spirit and curiosity. Apart from her passion for nature and volunteering, Agnes practices Tai chi and yoga, and enjoys gathering with friends and family. She is also learning Ikebana and bonsai.