From passion to action: Leading the charge in earth conservation

Amid heightened calls for environmental conservation, alumni from Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) are passionately addressing sustainability challenges. 

Two such exemplary alumni, Andres Bustamante (external link)  (Marketing Management ‘10), and Zahra Noorani (external link)  (Hospitality & Tourism Management ‘16) are making profound impacts in sustainability, safeguarding our natural world.

Noorani is the Director of Business Development at the Royal Botanical Gardens (external link)  (RBG). Located in Hamilton, Ontario, the RBG is a National Historic Site (external link)  and the largest botanical garden in Canada. 

“For over eight decades, the RBG has connected people to the plant world. We do this not only to awaken people to plants’ beauty, diversity, and necessity, but also to serve as a beacon for an increasingly urgent movement to preserve plant species and habitats and, by extension, our planet,” says Noorani.

As part of the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve (external link) , the RBG plays a vital role in the region, protecting and preserving 2,700 acres of environmentally sensitive areas. By improving the ecosystem from Lake Ontario to the Niagara Escarpment the RBG ensures a balanced relationship between people and nature, while also connecting natural spaces where wildlife can thrive. 

One of Noorani’s notable projects that she works on involves setting up community events that are helping people gain a deeper appreciation for the outdoors.

“One of the events is bringing wellness into the gardens, like forest breath work. The goal is to bring something that used to happen indoors and take it back to the gardens in order to help people be immersed in the natural environment,” says Noorani.

RBG's initiatives extend beyond connecting people to nature, including safeguarding sanctuaries, restoring habitats for 50+ species, and educating about plant significance.

However, often it is the subtle, overlooked details in conservation that, while seemingly minor, collectively create a significant impact.

“We are always thinking about ‘how do we do this in the most sustainable way possible?’ The other day I noticed a lot of leaves on the ground in the garden, normally you would rake up leaves but they actually provide nutrients back to the ground. We practice stuff like this to be more sustainable in as many ways possible,” says Noorani.

In another corner of the globe, Bustamante is making waves in sustainable development as the Co-Founder & Director of Marketing & Public Relations of EcoSwell (external link) , a Peruvian non-profit (NGO) that designs and develops sustainable development projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (external link)  in vulnerable communities in Peru.

“We started by hearing out their perspectives, the issues that are happening, and the priorities from their local level. We knew if we want to help out here, we don't want to come from outside and start just thinking that we know what's going on here,” says Bustamante.

Bustamante's mission with EcoSwell is twofold: to foster sustainable livelihoods for Peruvian communities while conserving the environment. Through innovative projects like sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism, he and his team provide economic opportunities for locals while safeguarding fragile ecosystems.

“Peru has so many beautiful places, but because there's no clear plan or vision for what they want, there’s nobody trying to actively push for these things. Lots of communities end up ruining the natural environment and the communities end up getting degraded. So, we stepped into this community, and we've been pushing this vision of sustainability for a while,” says Bustamante.

EcoSwell has five main project areas (external link) ; reforestation and ecosystem restoration, water and sanitation, research and monitoring, public health, and renewable energy that Bustamante leads.

“One of the projects is that we're trying to find water and have communities be able to manage the wells in a sustainable way so that they have energy. We're also doing bioremediation in wastewater ponds, teaching them how to do treatment of the wastewater,” says Bustamante. 

For Bustamante, sustainability isn't just a buzzword; it's a way of life. Working closely with local communities every project is designed to empower them while preserving the natural environment.

“It’s sustainability on the ground, we are in the field working on the projects with them. We're starting to inspire the government and other organizations to act. We've become a bit of an advocate for acting in the field and doing it based on the people from the bottom up, not doing it coming from the top and imposing,” says Bustamante.

Know any outstanding alumni from the Ted Rogers School? Share the success stories of inspiring TRSM graduates contributing significantly to their fields!