EDINBURGH STUDENT and environmental campaigner Laura Young will join a host of influential speakers, including singer Annie Lennox and human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy, at a TEDx talk next month.

Laura, who is studying for a Masters degree in Environmental Protection and Management at Scotland’s Rural College, has been invited to talk about the issues she raises in her environmental blog 'Less Waste Laura', which promotes a zero-waste lifestyle.

In addition to her blog, the 22-year-old from Glasgow has more than 19,000 followers on an Instagram account of the same name, as well as Facebook and Twitter accounts.

She will appear alongside 15 other speakers at TEDxGlasgow – a talk series organised independently under the global TED banner – at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow on Friday June 14.

Laura said: “I’m absolutely blown away to be sharing the stage with Annie Lennox. She is such an amazing activist and it will be a proud moment to know people are hearing her talk alongside mine.

“My environmental blog has opened a door which I didn’t think was possible. I am enjoying exploring the avenues this has given me, and seeing where I can go with my passion for environmental advocacy.”

Laura started writing and posting under her 'Less Waste Laura' tag in January 2018 during her last year at the University of Dundee studying for a degree in Geography and Environmental Science.

“During my studies I fell in love with our natural world,” she said. “This led me to wanting to learn more about the anthropogenic pressures we put on this Earth, along with sustainable ways to manage our land and ways of life. After searching through different university courses, I found the SRUC and University of Edinburgh masters courses, and found it very hard to pick.

“I attended the GeoScience applicants open day and after hearing about what the course included, my mind was made up. The classes on offer sounded extremely interesting, and allowed a big scope with where to go with our personal studies.”

Programme director Dr Alistair Hamilton said: “Laura is truly making the most of her time, combining her academic studies of environmental issues with clear and influential advocacy for lifestyle changes that can help address these issues.

“The fact that she has been invited to give a TEDx talk is well deserved, and an excellent reflection of her ability and dedication, as well as her skills as a communicator.”

The Environmental Protection and Management MSc is delivered by SRUC in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.