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When people think about New Mexico, they think about our sunsets, mountains, rivers, culture and wide-open landscapes. We are called the Land of Enchantment for a reason. But for me, that title also comes with responsibility.

As a recent high school graduate from sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and a member of the Land of Enchantment Young Ambassadors program through the state鈥檚 #KeepLitterOut campaign, I had the opportunity to work alongside students, educators, lawmakers and community leaders who care deeply about protecting New Mexico鈥檚 future. Through that experience, one thing became clear to me: We cannot keep treating plastic pollution as someone else鈥檚 problem.

I joined the Young Ambassadors program because I wanted to do something tangible. A lot of people talk about wanting change, especially online, but this program gave me the opportunity to create it. We work directly with professionals and government officials to organize cleanups, promote beautification projects and advocate for environmental policies that can make a long-term difference.

One issue I care about is reducing single-use plastic bags.

Last year, a statewide plastic bag bill was not introduced in the Legislature. Although this was disappointing, it did not make me lose hope. Our team is already working with advocates and legislative writers to understand what went wrong and how we can strengthen the proposal for future sessions.

To me, the issue is simple: Nothing is worth a dirty environment.

Plastic may be cheap and convenient, but the long-term cost is enormous. Single-use plastics harm wildlife, pollute our water and soil, and leave trash scattered across the landscapes that make New Mexico special. I鈥檝e personally seen birds tangled in plastic or injured by waste left behind in parks. These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a bigger problem.

I also think companies place too much responsibility on consumers. We are constantly told to recycle and reuse 鈥� and we should 鈥� but large corporations continue producing massive amounts of disposable plastic because it's cheaper. The burden cannot fall entirely on individuals while companies avoid accountability.

As someone who immigrated to the United States and has moved several times across states, I鈥檝e learned that 鈥渉ome鈥� is more than the place where you live. It鈥檚 the environment around you. When public spaces are covered in litter, it changes how people feel about their communities. It changes the way they interact with their neighbors and the confidence they have in their 鈥渉ome.鈥� Protecting New Mexico鈥檚 land is about more than aesthetics. It鈥檚 about pride, well-being and respect for the place we share.

I鈥檝e also seen how environmental issues affect communities differently. Some neighborhoods rarely deal with visible litter or illegal dumping. Others live next to overflowing trash areas or lack recycling infrastructure. That reality should matter when we talk about environmental policy.

Still, what gives me hope is the number of young people stepping up.

Programs like the Young Ambassadors prove that students are paying attention and want to help. We care about the future because we are going to inherit it. We are organizing cleanups, speaking with lawmakers and encouraging our peers to get involved instead of staying complacent.

Change does not always happen immediately. Sometimes progress is continuing the conversation after a bill fails. Sometimes it鈥檚 picking up trash at a local park or signing a pledge to keep litter out of our communities. Small actions matter because they build momentum, and momentum is the greatest precursor to lasting change.

There is no 鈥淧lan B鈥� planet. If we want New Mexico to remain the Land of Enchantment, we have to act like it鈥檚 worth protecting.

Sahba Ghasempour, 18, is a recent Early College Academy graduate, incoming University of Virginia freshman and member of the 2025鈥�26 Land of Enchantment Young Ambassadors cohort.