Shreya Ramachandran Bio

Shreya Ramachandran, a junior at Stanford University, is the founder of The Grey Water Project (GWP), a California-based non-profit. Her journey with GWP began during a middle school Archery competition visit to Tulare County, California, where she was shocked to see communities struggling to afford water for basic needs like drinking and bathing. This experience left a lasting impression, which was further reinforced during a visit to her grandparents in India, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of water scarcity on local farmers.

Motivated by these experiences, Shreya dedicated four years to researching grey water before officially establishing GWP. The organization advocates for the safe reuse of grey water—water from sinks, showers, baths, and laundry—as well as promotes water conservation through outreach, advocacy, and educational initiatives. Over the years, Shreya has influenced more than 100,000 people worldwide 

Shreya's efforts have garnered recognition, with awards such as the Google Science Fair, International Science and Engineering Fair, President's Environmental Youth Award, and The Children's Climate Prize. As Student Commissioner for the Sustainability Commission in Fremont, California, her proposal to integrate grey water systems into the climate action plan was successfully implemented. Under her leadership, the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) board unanimously passed a climate literacy resolution, benefiting 33,000 students in the district. She has since assisted several other school districts in similar endeavors. She is the North American Focal Point for UNEP-MGCY. She is also the class president at Stanford, head of policy for Students at Sustainable Stanford currently working on their climate action plan. Her work has been featured by Good Morning America, NBC bay area, PBS, Weather Channel and in many documentaries.

For more information on Shreya's work or to get involved with her organization, please visit www.thegreywaterproject.org or follow her on social media platforms (Facebook & Instagram: The Grey Water Project, Twitter @shreya_rama).