It has been four years since MEVO—the Mahwah Environmental Volunteer Organization—began as the project of two high school juniors who wanted to clean up the litter at the local state park, Ramapo Reservation, and make their town a better place to live. Now, MEVO is a certified 501 (c3) non-profit, and it intends to blaze new trails in environmental activism this summer. MEVO, now extending in its activities far beyond Mahwah, has recruited twelve interns who are working six days a week from May to August. Its activities will include tree planting, river clean-ups, group hikes and a variety of activities designed to draw the youth of Bergen County, ranging from elementary school students to college seniors, into promoting environmental sustainability throughout the New Jersey area. In addition, MEVO is planning to give back to the community through a local sustainability garden located at Bergen Community College. The garden will grow pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, kale, and an entire buffet of organic, healthy food. This food will be given back to the local communities of Bergen County, which MEVO shall continue to enrich and encourage.
In short, MEVO is about to break new ground in its history of organization, and cannot be more excited to do so.