One person can't save the world, but if everyone does something small to protect the Earth it could make a big difference, suggests Caitlin O'Doherty.

The 16-year-old has been a volunteer with Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) for the past three years and regularly works with other young people to promote eco-friendly living.

The Bermuda High School (BHS) student said: "There is definitely a bad picture of environmentalists out there, that they are all tree hugging hippies. And while maybe that was true 30 years ago, now I'm just like any regular teenager.

"I care about the fact that I have an impact in the world greater than my immediate surroundings, and though I may be one person among billions in the world, I can still be an influence to make the world worse or make it better. And I am trying to make a more positive impact."

Miss O'Doherty recycles, takes short showers, turns off lights when leaving rooms and takes the bus whenever possible. She encourages teachers at BHS to use less paper by using both sides and occasionally e-mails in assignments rather than printing them off.

In addition, she started an eco club and eco hall at her school, allowing the entire student body to recycle tin, aluminium, glass, ink cartridges, egg cartons and six-ring holders.

The goal was to get more people aware of what could be recycled and reused in Bermuda, and to show them small ways to display their care for the environment.

The eco club has recently fallen to the wayside.

Miss O'Doherty explained: "There seems to be quite a bit of apathy within people my age, they often don't feel like they can do anything.

"In that respect the eco club isn't active, and I think that is why we have changed our approach."

Miss O'Doherty volunteers with BEST's youth branch, Bermuda Association of Eco Clubs (BASEC). She is now reaching out to her peers in hope of changing the way they think and act towards the environment.

Progress has been slow. BASEC has gathered contacts middle and senior students at public and private schools and encouraged them to experiment with their own initiatives.

Head students recently came up with the idea of having 'a Green Week' where every school would do something to promote environmentalism, get young people recycling and be more aware of key environmental issues.

"Young people can have a lot of energy that isn't harnessed in positive ways all the time," she said. "So this is definitely a positive thing to [get involved with] and make people feel like they matter, which is something every teenager wants to feel."

But it's not just young people that need to be conscious of how they live, she said. The negative things we do with the environment effect people elsewhere, and plants and animals too.

Bermuda may soon start to see global warming's impact on their wallet in terms of rising gas prices, she suggests.

However, there are small things people can do now saving electricity can result in week of energy savings, she said.

"The idea is if we slowly reduce our energy consumption it won't be such a massive impact that people think would inconvenience their life or end the world as we know it, but just a small reduction of energy use and waste. Or driving for example, if we just reduce that slightly we can be slowing our race towards global warming.

"Small things like catching the bus, turning off the lights and recycling, and not using too much paper, or excessive electronic devices, and using the new electric bulbs, could make a difference," she said.

For more information on the campaign visit www.theroyalgazette.com. For more information on BASEC send an e-mail to basec.bda@gmail.com">basec.bda@gmail.com