Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! By your powers combined…
GO PLANET TRIO!
Meet the modern-day Planeteers from Nottingham. Heroes doing incredible work, fighting on the side of Planet Earth and giant FILL fans too!
GO PLANET TRIO!
When they reached out to try some of our home essentials on refill, we were happy to help!
Planet Trio are pretty special. They are working together to drive environmental awareness, encourage positive action and create meaningful change. They believe that small changes today help build a better tomorrow.
They’ve already achieved some cool things; raising awareness on The One Show and Sky News FYI, whilst collaborating with environmental organisations and championing causes they really do care about.
This work has been recognised with a British Citizen Youth Award alongside other young people making a difference in the UK.
We sat down with Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi to find out more.
WHO ARE PLANET TRIO?
Planet Trio is us – Waimi, Mbetmi and Yimi, 13-year-old triplets who have been using our voices to talk about nature, sustainability and the environment.
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START PLANET TRIO?
We started Planet Trio when we were around seven. We were naturally curious about the world around us and wanted somewhere to share what we were learning.
In the beginning it was things like recycling, wildlife, nature and looking after the environment. As we’ve grown conversations have grown with us – into rivers, water, biodiversity, conservation, climate and now even the everyday products we choose to use at home.
WHY IS PLANET TRIO A COOL PLACE TO BE?
Because it has allowed us to learn outside the classroom and have experiences we probably never imagined when we started.
We get to meet interesting people, visit amazing places, work with organisations, ask questions and sometimes even represent projects and causes that matter to us.
We still get to be ourselves and have fun, but almost every experience teaches us something new.
WHY IS THE PLANET A COOL PLACE TO BE?
Because there is always something new to discover.
Rivers, oceans, forests, flowers, bees, wildlife, food and even the products we use every day are all connected in some way. The more you learn about those connections, the more fascinating the planet becomes and the more you want to look after it!
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU UP TO?
Quite a lot!
A big part of our recent work has focused on rivers, water, wildlife and conservation. We create educational content, take part in campaigns and work with organisations to help make environmental issues easier for young people to understand.
One of our really special experiences was working with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust around the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where we were able to help represent wildlife and conservation on one of the biggest gardening and environmental platforms in the world.
We’ve also worked on media projects and campaigns with different organisations, so Planet Trio has become a really interesting mixture of environmental education, media, travel and real-life experiences.
WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH YOUR FAMILY?
Fun, busy and sometimes chaotic!
Being triplets means there are always three opinions, and sometimes three completely different ideas.
But that is also what makes Planet Trio interesting because we each notice different things and bring different personalities to it.
Mum helps keep everything organised and somehow turns all the ideas into an actual plan!
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON?
There are a few exciting things happening at the moment.
We are currently doing some filming and working on projects with organisations here in the UK, although we can’t really say too much about some of them until the content is ready to be released.
We also want to continue raising awareness around rivers, water, wildlife, biodiversity and conservation.
But something else we are beginning to explore more is sustainable living.
We’ve realised that caring about the environment isn’t only about big campaigns. It is also about the small choices we make every day, what we buy, how much packaging we use, whether something can be reused or refilled and how we can make better choices as a family.
Working with Fill has definitely become part of that journey for us.
WHAT DO YOU REFILL?
At home we refill things like hand wash, body wash, laundry products and cleaning products.
We’re also becoming much more conscious of looking at things we use regularly and asking, “Could we refill this instead of buying another one?”
WHY CHOOSE REFILL?
Because it is such a practical change.
Instead of throwing away a bottle and buying another one every time, you can keep using what you already have.
It’s one of those sustainability choices that doesn’t have to feel difficult, and when lots of people make small changes like that, it can make a difference.
WHY FILL?
We like that Fill makes refill feel simple and realistic for normal family life.
It doesn’t feel like you have to suddenly change everything you do to make a more sustainable choice.
We also really appreciate the fragrance-free options because different people have different needs, and for us sustainability still has to work for the people actually using the products.
COOLEST OTHER REFILLABLE?
Reusable water bottles.
They’re probably one of the best examples because after a while you don’t even think of them as a ‘sustainable product’ anymore, they’ve just become normal.
Maybe that is actually the goal with sustainability: the better choice eventually just becomes the normal choice.
HARDEST THING TO FIND WITHOUT PACKAGING?
Snacks!
Especially when you’re travelling or out for the day. Convenience still seems to come with a lot of packaging.
BEST MOMENT
It is really difficult to choose one.
Being part of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was definitely very special. Seeing conservation, wildlife, creativity and nature brought together on such a huge stage was incredible.
Being able to represent the work of the Wildlife Trust as part of that made it even more meaningful.
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT
Being selected as COP26 One Step Greener Ambassadors when we were younger was a huge moment for us.
Our British Citizen Youth Award recognition was another really special one.
Then there are the media opportunities, Chelsea Flower Show and the organisations we’ve had the chance to work with.
Sometimes our greatest achievement is simply looking back and realising that something we started when we were seven is still growing with us at 13.
A VALUABLE LESSON
You don’t have to know everything before you start.
We started Planet Trio as children who were simply curious about the environment.
We’ve learned from people who know much more than us, asked lots of questions, made mistakes and kept learning.
You also don’t have to live perfectly sustainably to care about the planet. Start somewhere, make better choices where you can and keep improving.
RECOMMEND SOMETHING
Go somewhere that allows you to experience nature properly.
Visit a river, woodland, wildlife reserve, garden or conservation project and really look around.
And if you get the opportunity, speak to the people working there – conservationists, gardeners, scientists, and volunteers. You learn so much when you hear why they care about what they do.
ONE PLACE WE SHOULD GO SEE
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show if you ever get the opportunity.
Of course, it is beautiful, but what surprised us was how many stories about biodiversity, conservation, climate and wildlife can sit behind a garden.
It made us look at gardens very differently.
WHO/WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION?
Nature itself is probably our biggest inspiration because there is always something else to learn.
But we’re also inspired by people who use whatever platform or skill they have to make something better.
Through Planet Trio we’ve met conservationists, campaigners, presenters, gardeners, scientists and people working behind the scenes, and it has shown us that there are lots of different ways to make a difference.
THINGS YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
Family, Wi-Fi 😂, good food, travelling, nature, learning new things and probably each other…
Although with three teenagers in one house, that last answer may depend on the day! 😂
