BARRIO – Mercedes Proulx never imagined her passion for the environment and concern over climate change would send her to Ecuador.

The 17-year-old Grade 12 student at St. Joseph Scollard Hall says she will be the first Canadian to compete in Miss Teen Earth Ecuador in October

Unlike other pageants, Miss Earth isn’t just about beauty and looks. It’s about what you can offer to the world and how you use your voice against global warming.

She jokes that her passion for the green movement started at a very young age.

“When I was little I would get right into people’s faces and yell if they did things like littering.”

She is still passionate about keeping the earth clean, but her passion for change to be made is more urgent.

“Scientists predict we have about eight years until the effects of climate change become irreversible. There is actually a clock in New York counting down the days until the damage of climate change reaches 1.5 degree increase in the temperature globally,” Mercedes said.

“This means thousands of ecosystems and animals will cease to exist and we will experience severe storms and acid rain,” she said.

“The solution to this is to end fossil fuel production. Every other green initiative combined will not have as much of an influence on the earth as the halt of fossil fuel production would.”

The teen has been competing in pageants for several years and isn’t afraid or intimidated to talk in front of a crowd or voice her concerns to experts in the industry.

We’re cheering for you Mercedes. Let’s gooooo.