Volunteer spotlight! Reuben Ewer

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a recent Geography graduate from the University of Sussex, looking for a future in sustainable consultancy. I'm a climate activist who believes there's work to be done in reducing greenhouse gas emissions globally to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

I enjoy watching Chelsea FC with my brother and father, and sometimes venturing down to Brighton to play football for the University team I created and still help run. I also have a passion for art (both going to museums in London and creating art), running and going to music concerts.

Why did you choose to volunteer with A Good Thing?

While I'm in an in-between period, between graduating and now looking for work, I want to ensure I'm still doing my part in mitigating climate change. A Good Thing allows me to do this, as it helps businesses and charities to reduce their carbon footprint by giving their unwanted products and objects to other charities. Things are donated instead of being sent to landfill, which would create emissions. Products are shared instead of being purchased new, which in turn discourages overconsumption.

What’s your role as part of the volunteering programme?

I am a marketing and research volunteer. I market the 'charity needs' platform feature to charities and businesses in my local community and beyond.

What do you hope to learn from your volunteering experience? 

I hope to gain a deeper understanding not only of the reuse industry, but also of how sustainable industries generally work. I hope that the more I volunteer at A Good Thing, the deeper my understanding of sustainable industries will be, allowing me to gain a level of experience that will allow me to excel in a future of sustainable consulting. I also hope I can gain a personal understanding of how to better change my lifestyle in regards to recycling and reuse, to mitigate my own carbon footprint.

Tell us about a success you’ve had in the role so far.

I've had success in researching charities in Northern Ireland that could potentially make use of the 'charity needs' feature. I've also achieved a heightened level of knowledge around sustainable industries, learning key insights that I'll be able to use in my future.