Our Team
Sharona Shnayder
Sharona is a 24-year old Nigerian/Israeli climate and peace activist, National Geographic Young Explorer, and Founder of the global movement Tuesdays for Trash— tackling the garbage crisis facing our planet. She believes that the home we share is more than just soil under our feet—it’s a language. One we can all understand and that has the potential to bring the world together in ways we’ve been taught to forget.
Amelia Eichel
Amelia is a plastic reducer and nature lover who has worked with children for 15 years. She is the co-founder of Waste Free Santa Cruz and CEO and co-founder of Wonderfil, a refill technology company that builds autonomous refill stations for liquid and cream products to eliminate the need for single-use plastic bottles.
Sydney Fort
Sydney is an artist living in Portland, Oregon. She takes inspiration from the beautiful Pacific Northwest for her artwork that includes drawing, graphic design, photography, and sewing. She believes that individuals can make an impact and serves her local area through neighborhood cleanups and mending clothing for the community to reduce fiber waste.
Our Story
We wrote Journey to Away with a mission to spark curiosity, inspire action, and challenge the way we think about waste. This book was born from a simple yet profound question: Where does our trash go? Or more specifically: What is ‘away’? In a world where convenience often overshadows consequence, we wanted to create a story that makes the invisible visible, helping children (and adults) understand the full journey of the waste we generate.
Our waste doesn’t just disappear when we throw it “away.” It lingers—filling landfills, polluting our oceans, and affecting communities near and far. Yet, so few of us stop to consider the impact. Journey to Away was written to bridge this gap, transforming an abstract concept into an engaging narrative that encourages reflection, responsibility, and action.
This book is more than a children’s adventure story; it’s a call to action. By following the protagonist Mel’s journey, young readers are introduced to the realities of our waste crisis—but also the power of individual and collective solutions. We believe that education is the first step toward change, and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship in children can lead to a ripple effect of awareness and activism for years to come.
While Journey to Away is designed for children, its message is universal. For parents, educators, and policymakers, the book serves as a gentle yet urgent reminder that sustainability starts at home, in our daily habits and choices. We hope it opens up important conversations between generations, leading to real-world actions that create lasting impact.
Our work doesn’t stop with storytelling. We’ve built an educational curriculum alongside this book to ensure that its message reaches classrooms, communities, and families in meaningful ways. Through interactive learning, hands-on activities, and digital resources, we aim to equip young readers with the knowledge and tools to become environmental changemakers a.k.a local heroes.