Change Around the World: Interview with Bailey Cate

By Emma Andrew

At the Sachh Foundation we aim to create a web between the global youth working towards a better planet. Recently we interviewed a young, bright mind by the name of Bailey Cate who is advocating for conservation efforts in North America, Europe, and Africa. Bailey and I have been friends for years, and I have watched her conservation career blossom into an international and impactful one. I had the chance to connect with her, albeit electronically (thank you COVID19), and discussed some of her ideas regarding conservation in today’s world and a bit about the work she has been doing to help preserve our planet. It was a privilege to hear a bit about the work she’s been doing and what her goals are regarding preserving life on land-a noble set of intentions that will inevitably benefit all of us land-dwelling creatures.

Emma: What did you observe as the biggest threat to the environment in Tennessee? (water pollution, air pollution, deforestation, etc.)

Bailey: During my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to intern for several organizations in TN working to combat environmental degradation. From my perspective, the biggest threat to the environment in Tennessee is the overconsumption of single-use products, coupled with the lack of education on proper recycling techniques. In the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to work with Metro-Nashville Public Works on a recycling campaign. We audited around 10-12 neighborhoods trying to better understand recycling patterns within the city. What we saw was a large desire to recycle. However, there was a lack of education on how to recycle correctly. When recycling is contaminated, it has to be thrown away, leading to the need for more landfills, and thus more land degradation in the state--land that could've been used as a natural area. While I'm certain there are more threats to Tennessee's environment, this is the biggest threat I've seen up close.

Emma: Why are you passionate about conservation?

Bailey: I've always been super passionate about the environment. My parents took me on hikes from an early age, and certain environmental acts, such as recycling, were ingrained in me before I even knew what they really were. However, in the summer of 2016, I was a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger for TN State Parks, and this experience changed my perspective completely. During this summer, I had the opportunity to travel to 12 different state parks, and I was in awe of the beauty and the many diverse ecosystems that Tennessee had to offer. I began to realize that these special places were being threatened by human-induced phenomena, such as global climate change. I then began to pursue a degree in environmental studies, and I quickly realized that not only was the physical environment in danger, but human lives were at stake as well. If sustainability and conservation efforts are not at the forefront of policy going forward, we may not have these beautiful protected lands, and there may be even more dire situations such as rising sea levels, biodiversity loss, etc.

Emma: What are some ways you have observed that people can help to preserve life on land in their daily lives?

Bailey: Helping preserve life on land, in my perspective, means helping to combat climate change. This being said, there are lots of ways for people to help preserve life on land in their daily lives. For instance, reducing your food waste is a great way to make sure landfills don't fill up, plus food waste produces large amounts of methane, which is a harmful Green-House Gas. My family has a compost bin in our backyard. However, several cities in the US have curbside composting services, meaning you put your food scraps in a bin, and they will come to pick it up for you. Additionally, buying reusable containers, water bottles, bags, etc. rather than single-use plastic is another excellent way to reduce waste and reduce your carbon footprint. However, I think the most important thing people can do to preserve life on land is VOTE. Vote for politicians that prioritize sustainable development, and who are ready to commit to fighting climate change.

Bailey will be moving to Bonn, Germany in a month (August 2020) to work with the Global Crop Diversity Trust to research various ways of sustainable development through conversation.