‘Any change starts with small efforts’: Laurențiu has a superpower – convincing others to protect the environment
Do you think people have superpowers? Some would say no – it all comes down to choices, context, or luck. But there are people who manage to change things day after day — and that is a kind of superpower. For example, Laurențiu Mutruc has the ability to convince others that protecting the environment can be a core value and also a lifestyle. Leading by example, he inspires people to recycle, use less plastic, avoid meat, and think more rationally. How? Let me tell you.
Laurențiu is 24 years old, but he first became interested in environmental protection back at school. That’s when he wanted to organise a youth-themed event in his hometown and realised he actually knew very little about ecology and the issues our environment faces.
‘I had no idea what it meant to plant something’
“In general, school only gives us a bit of information about the environment and the need to protect it. But when you dig deeper, you realise it is all far more complex than in textbooks,” Laurențiu explains. “So, when I started researching for the event I wanted to organise, I immediately began taking action. And it really worked – I was learning new things, feeling amazed, and wanted to learn even more.”
Over the next few years, the young man continued studying the field. At the same time, he began sharing his knowledge with peers. He organised various educational sessions on environmental protection at schools in Bălți, explaining to students why it’s important to care for nature. At just 17, he assembled a team of volunteers with friends and carried out 11 sanitation campaigns across the municipality. At 18, he organised a climate protest with more than 50 student participants, which drew a response from the Bălți mayor’s office and some members of Moldovan Parliament.
A year later, he founded ‘Fridays For Future Bălți’, through which several environmental and civic actions were held, including a prize-winning project in a competition organised by the Contact Centre.
“When I was 18–19, I learned about the organisation EcoVisio. I attended one of their seminars and learned how to properly plant a tree,” recalls Laurențiu. “Having grown up in the city, I had no idea what it meant to plant. I wasn’t really interested in gardens or nature in general before. But in just two or three days, I discovered how complex it all is, how the entire process works, and why it is important to do things right. I was thrilled. And in the end, EcoVisio even gave me a bit of financial support – I think around €100 – to organise a tree-planting campaign.”
Gradually, Laurențiu began attending more EcoVisio events, and in 2022, he officially joined the organisation.
“I started working remotely because I was living in Bucharest at the time, studying in my second year at university. When they hired me, I think it helped that they already knew me and knew that my values and knowledge matched those of the organisation. So they saw no problem with allowing me to contribute from a distance.”
Laurențiu explains that EcoVisio is an organisation founded by activists and enthusiasts who promote sustainable development through concrete actions — awareness campaigns, workshops, conferences, training sessions, competitions, etc. — in areas like social entrepreneurship, organic farming, climate change, urban mobility, energy efficiency, and environmental education. Each member of the organisation has their own interests, but all the initiatives are united by a concern for nature and an understanding that humans are part of the ecosystem.
The organisation works with people of all ages from all kinds of towns and villages who want to learn more about the environment and how to protect it. The aim is that, after participating in the events, these people will return home and help other members of their communities.
“We believe in the power of the local leader — that with access to information, certain skills, and motivation, one can make a significant impact even in places our organisation can’t always reach,” Laurențiu says. “It’s not realistic to hold training sessions in every town or village in Moldova, but gathering active, motivated people from different communities so they can pass the knowledge on at home — that’s a much more achievable goal.”
‘I didn’t feel like I was working’
At EcoVisio, Laurențiu is responsible for communications and public relations, striving to reframe the organisation’s messages so they reach as many people as possible, both online and offline. He’s also involved in a project that supports and develops other organisations across various fields. And when the screen time becomes too long, he prefers going into the field: leading workshops on topics like climate change or waste management.
In the past, he was also a coordinator of the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme in the fields of education, training, youth, and sport, promoted by EcoVisio. During that time, EcoVisio managed to build partnerships with like-minded European organisations, facilitating international youth exchanges and training sessions.
“I didn’t feel like I was working because I was doing something I really loved. The best part was receiving messages from Moldovan participants after they returned from their trips to other countries. They told me that they had organised their own events, inspired by what they had seen in Europe, and that this had a huge impact.”
Outside of his work with EcoVisio, the young man is also involved in civic and environmental activism. Right now, for example, he is experimenting with creative activism through ‘Climate Through the Lens’, an initiative run by a team of four volunteers who organise informal events to make climate change more accessible to the public.
“We recently organised an exhibition at the History Museum. We displayed photos from the national archive and personal collections of people from different villages, showing how our way of life has completely changed over the past 50 years,” Laurențiu says. “Some pictures showed how people used to go sledding, or how abundant our harvests once were. But our message wasn’t about loss or nostalgia — we wanted to show that changes are happening, but that we can slow them down.”
There is no such thing as ‘I can’t,’ ‘It’s impossible,’ or ‘It’s too late’
Over the years, Laurențiu has learned a lot about environmental protection — especially about the importance of social networking and connections to achieve his aim. It is not enough simply to understand the importance of the issue, he explains — the idea must be communicated to friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues.
“That’s also how I realised there’s no such thing as ‘I can’t,’ ‘It’s impossible,’ or ‘It’s too late.’ On the contrary, there are so many opportunities around us that we sometimes don’t notice or that feel out of reach. But the truth is, if I don’t have the skills or knowledge to organise an exhibition, for example, I can find other determined people who do, and together we can make it happen. If there is motivation, everything is possible.”
That’s why Laurențiu’s advice to those who want to get involved in environmental protection is to first educate themselves on the subject and be realistic — to understand that not everything depends solely on them. They should also remember that despite all the problems, there are just as many solutions, so they shouldn’t feel overwhelmed or discouraged.
“It’s important to take it one step at a time. If today you managed to do more than a month ago, that’s already a huge success. I didn’t become a vegetarian or start composting the day I learned about these things. It took years and the right people around me for these habits to become part of my daily routine without overwhelming me. It’s important to understand that any change takes effort — and it’s okay to give it time.”
What superpower do you have?
Through his story, Laurențiu Mutruc shows that superpowers are real — and that each of us can discover and develop our own unique strength. Have you ever thought about what your superpower might be?
Watch this video to learn more about Laurențiu’s superpower.
Author: Cristina Plataș
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