STOP
PAPER
RACISM
STOP
LOOK
THINK
The Story of Us
From small beginnings to great things?:
The Launch of SOHAPPY Insights
In SOHAPPY Insights, we share positive perspectives about any issue and simplify complex topics to make them more approachable. The first episode was about my trip to the Swiss Alps, where I witnessed the stark reality of global warming firsthand and felt an undeniable calling to take action.
Creating the term "paper racism"
The second episode of SOHAPPY Insights reveals the severity of deforestation, a major cause of global warming. Unfortunately, we are the ones worsening deforestation by our careless use of paper made from trees. But we can also be the ones to solve deforestation. There is a way we can continue to use paper, without chopping down a single tree, but something in our minds is stopping us from implementing this solution. Watch the video to learn more!
2022
2023
From ideas to action
In 2023, #stoppaperracism, a sprouting idea in 2022, grew into a campaign. I reached out to several suppliers of sugarcane paper, requesting a donation for my school. Unfortunately, one supplier declined because our school was located too far away, and another was hesitant to assist since I was reaching out as an individual student. Although I was disheartened, I decided to try one more time. Fortunately, Ecomass agreed to support this campaign and sent NLCS Jeju a donation of sugarcane paper and upcycled decoration materials. I then presented to the NLCS Jeju principals and vice principals, who approved the campaign after two presentations. As a result, NLCS Jeju became the world's first institution to switch from wood-pulp paper to sugarcane paper. Click on MORE RESOURCES to see the full presentations, as well as other resources.
2024
2024 was the year of the official launch of the Stop Paper Racism, Stop Look Think campaign. This year, the National Assembly Library of Korea and NLCS Singapore joined the campaign. Watch the Launch Assembly and Campaign Launch Video by SOHAPPY Insights for a closer look of our campaign!
The launch
It was an honour to be invited to deliver the keynote address at the 16th Annual Korean National Environmental Diary Competition for Elementary, Middle, and High school students (hosted by the IM financial group). To speak in front of passionate environmentalists, who have been awarded for their exceptional diary entries about their actions in protecting the planet, was an unforgettable experience.
Taking it further
A Greener Christmas
In December 2023, NLCS Jeju's fabulous design technology teachers and students decided to use 100% upcycled materials to make a "Green" Christmas Tree, which symbolised the importance of saving trees. Someone was paying attention, as in 2024, the Global Education City Administration borrowed and rebuilt the tree. Watch the beautiful 1-minute film created by Mr James Tuffs (link teacher of SPRC) to see our Green Christmas Tree.
A Greener 2025
In February, I had the honour of introducing the Stop Paper Racism, Stop Look Think campaign NLCS Jeju's new heads of departments. I am so grateful to be at a school where there are amazing teachers who support climate action and are excited for this campaign to grow bigger.
During the final week of the 2024-2025 academic year, the Hallabong Market brought our NLCS Jeju community together. The use of wood-pulp-free, sugarcane paper posters to promote this event symbolised the market's aim in building a culture of sustainability and kindness.
The items in the video could have become waste adding to the already overflowing landfills of Jeju Island. But thanks to the generosity of the students who donated them to Hallabong Market, they've been given a new life.
The spirit behind the market comes from Jeju's tradition of freely sharing hallabongs with their neighbours, out of generosity and abundance. It was inspired by Karrot Market, a popular Korean app where people give away or sell items they no longer need.
In this year's Hallabong Market, everything was 100% free, as it was a small trial run built on generosity, trust, and the simple joy of sharing. Hallabong Market will be back next year, hopefully growing into something even greater. Great things often have small beginnings, and kindness is a pretty nice place to start.
Hallabong Market x StopPaperRacism
This month, I visited an International ESG Forum with nothing but a stack of sugarcane paper flyers and introduced myself and #StopPaperRacism, the campaign I’ve been building for three years, to ambassadors from Italy, Denmark, Hungary, and Croatia.
Ambassador Gatto 🇮🇹 and I spoke about how climate action is often held back not by a lack of solutions, but by mindset. In particular, the “drop in a bucket” effect makes individual actions feel too small to matter. His encouragement reminded me that those small drops do add up.
When I briefly spoke with Ambassador Hallqvist 🇩🇰, we immediately agreed. Why cut down trees, which are valuable carbon sinks, for paper when tree-preserving materials like sugarcane bagasse already exist?
Some people took the flyers with little more than a glance, while others showed genuine interest. One moment I will remember was when Ambassador Szerdahelyi 🇭🇺 approached me first and asked for one. That small gesture meant a lot.
Croatian Ambassador Dr. Damir Kušen 🇭🇷 told me, “You’re much more powerful than you think.” When he said that sustainability is life and not just policy, it gave me hope. Convincing everyone to take climate action is not easy, but conversations like these remind me why I keep doing this.
Beyond Borders: Grazie, Mange Tak, Köszönöm, Hvala
A National Stage
It was a distinct honour to deliver the keynote address by invitation at the 2025 Love-For-Environment Contest Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Korea Environment Corporation. This prestigious national competition celebrates the exceptional work of South Korea's talented environmental artists. The Korea Environment Corporation (K-Eco) is a government-affiliated agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment. I was thrilled to share my now 3-year-old environmental campaign, #StopPaperRacism, with the awardees, K-Eco officials, and the press. I am grateful to be able to transform my sense of responsibility for our planet into a perception-shifting solution we can all implement today.
2025
Post-lecture conversations!
An honour to share my thoughts on environmental activism
with Mr Sang-Jun Lim,
Chairman of the
Korea Environmental Corporation
I’m pleased to share the amazing work of one of our ambassadors at a neighbouring school. Moved by her commitment to protecting the planet, her school chose sugarcane paper for their admission information session. I sincerely thank the school’s leadership for embracing this eco-friendly shift with openness and intention. Let us continue cooling the Earth, one page at a time 🌱🌳
New Year, New Chapter
A Milestone for #StopPaperRacism
Honoured that #StopPaperRacism has been selected as a The Earth Prize Scholar project 🌍
Grateful to The Earth Prize for recognising ideas that question what the world has normalised.
#StopPaperRacism as an Innovation
December 2025. I'm honoured to have been selected as 1 our of the 100 best emerging innovators in the world for my work as founder of #StopPaperRacism. Proof that every innovation begins with a shift in perception. What a way to end a year!
