Amy and Ella Meek

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Amy Nicole Meek BEM (born 2003) and Ella Jo Meek BEM (born 2005) are an English environmental and writing duo. The sisters are known for their campaign to reduce plastic pollution, for which they received a number of accolades.

Biography

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The elder and younger daughters of teachers Tim and Kerry, Amy and Ella grew up in Arnold, a suburb of Nottingham. In 2014, their parents took them out of school to go on a road trip around the country, homeschooling them along the way.[1] As of 2020, the girls attended Redhill Academy.[2][3]

During their home lessons, the sisters learned about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the effects of plastic pollution on marine life.[4] At the ages of 12 and 10 respectively, Amy and Ella started the Kids Against Plastic (KAP) litter cleanup initiative in early 2016, inspired by Bali's Bye Bye Plastic Bags youth campaign.[5] Amy and Ella also created informative videos on how to cut plastic waste and brought the campaign to Parliament in 2017.[6][7] KAP was registered as a charity in 2018, expanding its scope to a youth engagement club and the Plastic Clever scheme to reduce single-use plastic in schools, businesses and other establishments. They also launched an app to aid litter pickups.[8] Over 1,300 schools had adopted the scheme by 2021.[9] Amy and Ella gave talks at the 2018 TEDxExeter and the 2019 UN Young Activists Summit in Geneva.[10][9]

At the start of 2020, DK acquired the rights to publish Amy and Ella's debut picture guidebook titled Be Plastic Clever later in the year.[11] Foreworded by Steve Backshall, the book covers the topics of plastic pollution and youth activism.[12][13] Be Plastic Clever was a World Book Day non-fiction pick.[14] The sisters reunited with DK and Backshall for the publication of their second book Be Climate Clever in 2022.[15]

Amy and Ella also became Earth.Org (EO) ambassadors.[16] Individually, Ella was a weekend presenter on the Sky Kids programme FYI.[17][18]

Accolades

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In 2018 for Kids Against Plastic, Amy and Ella received a Points of Light Award from then Prime Minister Theresa May.[19] At the 2021 Pride of Britain Awards, Amy and Ella became the inaugural winners of the Environmental Champion category.[20] Amy and Ella were awarded British Empire Medals (BEM) on the 2022 New Year Honours list.[21]

Bibliography

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  • Be Plastic Clever (2020)
  • Be Climate Clever (2022)

References

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  1. ^ Topping, Alexandra (3 September 2014). "School trip: teacher parents take kids for year of learning on the road". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  2. ^ King, Dave (1 February 2020). "Nottingham sisters take on the fight with plastic". Rotary. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Redhill Academy students honoured in New Year honours list". Redhill Academy. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  4. ^ Turns, Anna (29 November 2021). "Sister act: Meet the teen plastic campaigners". Wicked Leeks. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  5. ^ "Eight young activists changing the world". Power Out. BBC Radio 4. 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  6. ^ Bryan, Sarah (27 December 2017). "Arnold sisters take campaign against use of plastic to Parliament". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  7. ^ "Arnold sisters' anti-plastic campaign discussed by MPs in Westminster". BBC News. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Project: Kids Against Plastic". UNESCO. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  9. ^ a b McAllister, Sean (3 December 2021). "Inside the mind of a young climate activist". Zurich. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  10. ^ "Amy & Ella Meek". Young Activists Summit. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  11. ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (31 January 2020). "DK to publish teen activists' 'call to arms' Be Plastic Clever". The Bookseller. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Read a Q&A with Amy & Ella Meek about Be Plastic Clever!". Booktopia. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Books that Teach Children about the Environment". A Mum Reviews. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  14. ^ Basu, Suswati (6 March 2024). "World Book Day top nonfiction for children 2024". How to Be. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  15. ^ Bayley, Sian (5 November 2021). "DK lands 'inspiring' climate change book by teenage activists Amy and Ella Meek". The Bookseller. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  16. ^ Lai, Olivia (6 October 2021). "Get to Know Our EO Ambassadors, Anti-Plastic Warriors Amy and Ella Meek". Earth.Org. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  17. ^ "FYI: I Don't Get It - Climate crisis: Can we save our planet?". First News Live. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  18. ^ Turns, Anna (28 January 2019). "Meet generation Greta: young climate activists around the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  19. ^ "Kids Against Plastic 1001. Ella Meek 1002. Amy Meek". Points of Light. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  20. ^ Stretton, Penny (1 November 2021). "Pride of Britain Awards: Meet the Meek sisters who are fighting plastic pollution". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  21. ^ "New Year Honours 2022: Teen sisters recognised for plastic campaign". BBC News. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2025.