Madhvi Chittoor: TIME’s child of the year list

When Madhvi Chittoor of Arvada, Colorado, learned at age 6 that PFAS “forever chemicals” are found in all types of consumer products, she wanted to warn everyone. So she started with one person: Colorado State Senator Lisa Cutter, a strong environmental advocate. Cutter agreed to meet and in 2021 she sat down with Madhvi – accompanied by her mother – at a Panera.

They talked about how PFAS, a group of manufactured chemicals used in consumer products since the 1940s, found their way into drinking water, soil, food products and the air. Peer-reviewed studies have found that exposure to certain levels of PFAS can lead to negative effects on children’s development, decreased fertility, increased risk of some cancers, reduced immune function, and increased cholesterol levels. Cutter already knew a little about PFAS, but not enough to pressure her to write a bill about them. Madhvi, she says, “really planted the seed.”

Read more: The Challenge of Removing ‘Forever Chemicals’ Toxic PFAS from Drinking Water

The following year, Cutter sponsored a bill banning “intentionally added” PFAS in a wide range of consumer goods, from cosmetics to carpets. In an effort to drum up support for the legislation, Madhvi testified at the state Capitol and spent months sending emails to Gov. Jared Polis. After the project was approved, Polis recognized Madhvi’s hard work by inviting her to the project signing in 2022 and giving her the pen he used.

It wasn’t the first time Cutter and Madhvi worked together. In 2021, after Cutter proposed a measure to ban single-use plastic bags in major retail stores and plastic foam containers in restaurants, Madhvi also championed that bill – speaking with mayors and businesses and leading a signature campaign. At the beginning of this year, this measure finally came into force.

“We are proud to have young people like Madhvi working to protect this place we love now and for future generations,” Polis told TIME in a statement. “We were honored to have Madhvi join us in signing the bill, especially because of her advocacy and leadership in this area. I have no doubt that Madhvi is just getting started and we can’t wait to see what she does next.”

And Madhvi, now 13, isn’t resting on her laurels: “There are still more things that need to be banned, like [PFAS] in toilet paper and cleaning products,” she says.

She maintained her advocacy locally and abroad. In 2022, she was chosen as children’s advisor to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and gave a speech at its headquarters in Geneva on children’s rights to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. And on a recent vacation to her family’s hometown of Chennai, India, she found time to organize a beach cleanup and speak at schools about pollution.

Despite her young age, Madhvi’s experience in defending the environment is profound. Even before the plastic foam law, she had already encouraged Jefferson County, Colorado, to switch to compostable lunch boxes in all of its public schools. In 2021, she and the school district broke the Guinness World Record for the most markers (over 22,000) collected for recycling in one hour. Outside of advocacy, Madhvi plays the piano and violin, writes songs and has a black belt in tae kwon do – earning nicknames like “plastic-free ninja”.

For her colleagues who want to get involved in environmental action but don’t know where to start, Madhvi recommends reaching out to your elected officials. “If they say no once, go ahead and ask,” she says. Cutter admires that determination — and is sure other lawmakers would, too. “I would be shocked if any legislator on either side of the aisle rejected a child,” she says. Environmental bills are often pushed by large corporations, Cutter notes, adding, “When we have young people… reaching out and advocating, it’s really helpful.”