SustainUS, Inc.

SustainUS is a nimble and innovative non-profit, accomplishing many great things all through the efforts of committed volunteers. I attended the UN Rio+20 Earth Summit with the group, and I was blown away by the passion, dedication, and brilliance of my fellow SustainUS delegates. I don't know of any other organization in the US that allows for young people to engage with the international policy process so deeply and in such an impactful way. Because of my amazing experience with SustainUS at Rio+20, I plan to stay involved with the organization for many years.

I was a delegate to Rio+20 in June 2012 through SustainUS. I can honestly say that I have never met a more committed, passionate and intelligent group of young adults. They kept me inspired through the disintegration of the UN process, and they continue to inspire me. SustainUS itself provides both valuable training for budding activists and a credible organization from which more experienced delegates can conduct policy analysis, write about their experiences, and meet with governments and other non-profits.

SustainUS is an organization I hold close to my heart. SustainUS is an organization that empowers young people to become well-versed advocates for sustainability through the international arena, a network that connects young Americans around issues that matter most, and a launching pad for careers in development, sustainability, clean energy, and international relations. I owe so much to SustainUS, which opened my eyes to the possibilities in international development, education, and advocacy.

I have had the pleasure of working alongside the youth of SustainUS through the UNFCCC, COP/MOP processes as global youth representatives - I myself am from Canada.
The team is amazing. The people I met from SustainUS were serious and committed to their work passionate about being the strong sustainability catalyst that they are all while being fun and a pleasure to be around.
This group of well rounde, well read and true gold youth will run their country one day, and will do so with altruism and service for the greater good of all.

They are soooooooo great. Really good actions internationally.

SustainUS does amazing work in the US and internationally to raise awareness about climate change and important issues faced by the global community today. It is an inspiring network of youth advocating for change and showing how young people truly do care about world affairs.

I was introduced to SustainUS by my students at College of the Atlantic in 2006, and quickly found the commitment and vitality of SustainUS to be amazing. It is one of those rare "organizations" that is totally volunteer and yet LIVES its purpose in a sophisticated and effective way.

I don't know of another association of young people capable of such leadership on the major challenge of our times -- the transition to a sustainable, fair and just society.

SustainUS is an incredible organization that empowers youth to be involved on the international stage, advocating for action on climate change. They promote education and bring a knowledgeable team of youth to the UN Climate Negotiations. They are known , even in the US government, as being educated on par with high level NGO representatives and other government observers. They give US youth a voice in the international policy making arena.

passionate youth determined to create a better world - what could be more effective and inspirational?

I traveled with SustainUS to Mexico for COP16. It was an amazing experience. Even before, I was impressed with everyone's dedication and passion for sustainable development. Not only does this organization empower young people to have their voice heard but it also works with youth from around the world to tackle the climate change crisis and make a difference on in international forums.

I was a student leader with SustainUS at Cop 13 in Bali. SustainUS helped me to connect to countless leaders in the field and work together to achieve great things! I would work with them again and they deserve everyone's support!

SustainUS is a fantastic organization - the best I have worked with in the environmental and international political fields. The fact that is in all volunteer run makes for an amazingly robust and cooperative organization. A fantastic model that more non-profits should follow.

SustainUS gives youth the opportunity and a platform, such as UN Conferences, to become engaged with local, national, and international social issues. The organization is led by a team of volunteers that are full-time professionals, students, etc who devote their time to make this organization operational. Their level of community action and their presence in the youth activism movement is quite impressive.

SustainUS is an incredibly successful grassroots organization which facilitates amazing opportunities. I was able to attend the UN climate talks in Mexico through SustainUS and had the tools and knowledge to not only get information from the conference, but I was also able to participate in a meaningful way.

SustainUS is a great organization that has allowed me to connect with amazing young people throughout the US and the world working on sustainability issues. It's augmented my work in my undergrad program and given me experience and perspective on international sustainability issues that I couldn't have gained elsewhere.

SustainUS is an incredible organization made up of the most hard working, dedicated, and passionate young people I know. I love that it is entirely youth run and all volunteer. It's also the only organization I know that really strives to connect young people to policy process at the international level on sustainability issues to enable them to make real differences in their communities and beyond. SustainUS is amazing people doing amazing things to ensure a better, more sustainable future.

SustainUS is an awesome organization that builds capacity among young people working toward [genuine] sustainable development solutions. Check it out!

SustainUS allowed me to participate in international negotiations and ultimately led me to a career in sustainable community building. It felt very empowering to build a collective voice among international youth and speak our truth to delegates and stakeholders from around the world.

My vote is in!

SustainUS is rocking. I am continually impressed that a group of passionate youth that aren't paid a dime can run an internationally prominent organization that is respected for it's cutting edge policy positions and strong engagement at UN meetings.

Very organized and passionate people are involved with SustainUS. Pure dedication to the international climate movement!

SustainUS is an incredible organization full of brilliant and inspiring young people. SustainUS provides the opportunity to live what you are passionate about!

SustainUS is one of the most unique organizations I have ever been involved with, bridging two very diverse worlds of high level international policymaking and local political participation and awareness raising. The opportunity that SustainUS provides for U.S. youth to be truly engaged as global citizens is invaluable.

SustainUS does a better job connecting young people to actual important policymaking decisions than any other organization. In all seriousness, SustainUS exposes young changemakers to situations that youth would have been excluded from without such a well-meaning organization. Access to politicians and deliberations about the futute is key to all young people looking to make a difference, and SustainUS provides that inside access. Truly a phenomenal organization

SustainUS is the most effective youth empowerment organization I have ever encountered. I have never seen so many intelligent, deeply committed young people so organized. The young volunteers who run the organization consistently make strategic, consensus-based decisions that empower more youth to become environmental leaders.

A fantastic example of an effective, youth led organization. I attended the UN climate conference (COP 16) with Sustain US, and was impressed by the level of organization that went into preparing for the conference; we had regular conference calls and wrote policy statements prior to the conference. I was honored to be a part of this youth delegation, because of its professional nature. At the conference, we had daily meeting as we coordinated our efforts and kept updated on the conference's progress. I was able to have accreditation to COP16 and to be involved in an ambitious youth-led delegation because of SustainUS.

My involvement with SustainUS has been very rewarding on two fronts. First, as a member of one of its US youth delegations to the United Nations climate change talks, I had the opportunity to take part in a very enriching program. I not only had the chance to participate in a UN conference, but I also gained from the six-month preparation process with other young people who had already been to such conferences. The informal, peer-to-peer education that SustainUS's Agents of Change programs foster was invaluable for me.

I was so impressed by the strength of its programs that I decided to become a volunteer program coordinator. Filling this role has been equally enriching, as I have had the pleasure of bringing new young people into the organization and presenting them with the resources and opportunities associated with the Agents of Change program.

SustainUS is providing a highly valuable service to young people in the US. Also, in engaging internationally, whether with other youth or with governments, the organization is furthering the impact of youth engagement in sustainable development and therefore contributing in a much broader way.

Volunteerism at its best. SustainUS is a youth-run organization that empowers individuals to have their voices heard in the international environmental policy-making process.

SustainUS has had an influential role in empowering international climate action. A youth inspired, youth led organization, it has engaged with members of President Obama's cabinet, International Ambassadors, United Nations NGO Observers, and youth from around the world.

SustainUS is simply the most organized, prominent, and knowledgeable youth organization that attends United Nations negotiations. Their role in organizing youth from the United States and around the world to speak about issues that concern youth is unparalleled.

I was first involved with SustainUS in 2005, as a college sophomore excited about the opportunity to go to the UN headquarters and observe the processes there first-hand. Six years later, I'm still involved because I believe in SustainUS' mission of empowering youth and bringing youth voices to UN proceedings. SustainUS, while fulfilling this objective beyond expectations, still needs to find a way to a) engage youth who are interested in these issues on an ongoing basis, not just around UN delegations and b) reach out to youth, who would otherwise come, were it not for financial reasons, and access appropriate grants etc. to support their attendance.

SustainUS is a fantastic learning experience, and a great way for youth to make their voices heard in international policy. I've worked with the organization for three years, and have always been impressed by what amazing things our all-volunteer staff is able to accomplish. SustainUS has really put youth on the map for international policy making.

I'm impressed with the membership's passion and dedication. This is an organization of committed, intelligent youth trying to make a brighter more sustainable future. The organization is 100% youth run, 100% volunteer based.

We have members all over the country, which is both a strength and a weakness. At times, organization can be a challenge especially when we have to work around different schedules and time zones.