Meet Kristen Hoss

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen Hoss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
The Youth Environmental Alliance programs and classes help the community and world in a variety of ways, mainly helping people of all ages and abilities understand how we are all connected so we are all affected, which we demonstrate through hands-on experiential education opportunities that follow an awareness to action model. For example, during our new virtual Wonderful World of Wiggly Worms class, participants learn the importance of worms, both in their own yard and how they impact the carbon and nitrogen cycles on the planet. Once they learn how they influence our surroundings, they create a vermipost bin where they use up-cycled materials from their trash to create a personal warm farm, producing nutritious soil for ahome-grownn garden and worm tea to utilize as a natural fertilizer, all while decreasing waste which would otherwise end up in the landfill. Our The Sea and Me-Prevent a CO2 Calamity class connects people from anywhere to the ocean and freshwater systems near them and on the planet. They see through experimentation, simulations and model building how our everyday use of electricity, lawnmowers, cars and more increases our carbon footprint and in turn impacts the ocean and coral reefs and beyond. These impacts lead to a less sustainable planet for each of us. Following the hands-on portion of the class, as a group, we determine ways that each person can change certain habits to improve the situation, thus empowering them to make a difference and engaging them in easy beneficial actions. If they participate in the in-person class, they also receive a free tree seedling to start their own forest for filtering our air. For residents that live in SE Florida, after taking these classes, they are able to engage in eco-action by volunteering at our garden or to help us restore our coastlines by planting sea oats on the beach or mangroves on Deerfield Island during Project ROC, which is currently supported by the Community Foundation of Broward and Fish Florida as well as private donations. We engage numerous groups in environmental action and education including scouts, schools, corporate groups, underserved groups, special needs groups, individuals, families, municipal entities, community leaders and more.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I lead this amazing team of people because I see how their efforts impact the lives of the people around them in a way the engages and empowers them to improve the ecology around us. When I was a wildlife biologist working to restore a population of endangered black-footed ferrets, and tracking beavers in restore wetlands, I realized that to really make a difference for populations of wildlife, we need a systemic change on the globe, where people take action to improve habitat and preserve remaining habitat for wildlife and ourselves. In order to do that, I realized that education about our personal connection to nature was the foundation upon which action is built. In order to reach numerous children and adults, I knew I needed to work with a team of people that really cared about the resource and empowering individuals to engage in eco-action in whatever way they can. So, I set an intention to work with a non-profit, manage a passionate and skilled team, and to be able to utilize my knowledge, skills and abilities while still being creative. Along came YEA, an organization consisting of 1 paid employee, which has now grown to 4 employees. The team is diverse in skills and abilities, each person complimenting the other to create a synergy and draw in students and volunteers who work to make a difference. Landing here was not easy, it took years of paying attention to what made me happy and where my skills were, to developing the dream and to making sacrifices. I had to take leaps of faith without financial security to fall back on. However, I paid attention to what made me feel whole, to what felt “right” – which let me know I was doing what I am meant to do. I really appreciated who the universe sent my way in order to help fulfill the dream, and I learned from each interaction and continue to do so. I also go with the flow, sometimes hanging out in the oxbows of life until clarity comes my way, and then am off floating down the river of life again. I have learned that each person offers something, the question is it something that contributes to the dream or diminishes it. If it contributes, then that person may be a good fit for YEA. Team integration is the next trick. This takes open and honest communication that many people are not used to at work and can be uncomfortable, even for me. But it is necessary and we are happy to do it for continuous team improvement and for the community, environment and wildlife. I want the world to know that Youth Environmental Alliance really cares and truly wants to educate people, help them be more self-sustainable and empower them to make a difference in their lives and in the environment around them. But one of our challenges is attracting the financial support that we need to make a bigger and continuous impact. We cannot do what we do without your support. Where your money goes, your power goes, so invest in your future and the health of the planet by investing in Youth Environmental Alliance. We have low overhead, so your donation goes directly into education and environmental restoration.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being a naturalist, of course I focus on the outdoors. Day 1-a trip to the Everglades, slogging through the wetlands and photographing birds and reptiles and maybe even a bike ride through Shark Valley. At night, watch the sunset over the everglades then off to a nice dinner at a restaurant on the beach that offers outdoor seating. Day 2- Go to the beach and look at the dunes we planted with the community and the go snorkeling on the third largest coral reef in the world which is swimming distance from our beaches. After a quick beach shower, wander the shops in a coastal town and have an ice cream. this evening cook at home and enjoy my backyard wildlife habitat as the sun sets. Day 3-Hiking and birding through one of the many natural habitats in SE Florida like Big Cypress or the endangered scrublands, followed by a kayak trip on Biscayne Bay searching for manatees and dolphins.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shoutout to the dedicated team of Youth Environmental Alliance who pours their heart and soul into making a difference in the environment and the lives of the members of our community. Their passion is contagious and their efforts selfless.

Website: www.yeafrog.org
Instagram: @Youth_Environmental_Alliance
Twitter: @YEAfrog
Facebook: @YouthEnvironmentalAlliance
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxiJkaNb4-IY5RSbPDmjS3A Youth Environmental Alliance

Image Credits
Manatee selfie by Kristen Hoss and the manatee Microscope, smiling at fish, father and sons planting photos by Morgan Knowles Virtual class, Lee with kids on beach and people with purple shirts in front of sea oats by Kristen Hoss cauliflower garden by Matt Zealy