Building EcoAero – How a High Schooler Launched a Platform for Aerospace Sustainability

www.ecoaero.org

The Spark: What No One Was Talking About

When I first became fascinated with aerospace, I dove into everything I could find—videos, articles, technical papers, simulator games. The field seemed limitless, filled with wonder and innovation. But as I dug deeper, I started noticing something odd. Almost no one was seriously talking about sustainability.

Sure, there were mentions of climate change, green fuels, or space debris here and there, but they felt like afterthoughts—secondary to the big headlines about reusable rockets and missions to Mars. I wasn’t satisfied with that. The deeper I looked, the more I realized that aviation and space exploration weren’t just technological pursuits—they were environmental, ethical, and human ones too.

I wanted to understand these issues more, but I also wanted a place where others could learn with me. That’s when the idea for EcoAero started to take shape—not as a blog or a school project, but as a real platform. Something that could inform, question, and amplify the voices working on aerospace solutions that also protect our future.

Starting With Nothing But a Question

I didn’t have any credentials or a big team behind me when I launched EcoAero. I had a name, an idea, and a question I couldn’t stop thinking about: How can we build a future in aerospace that’s both innovative and responsible?

So I did what I could: I started reaching out in early 2024. I wrote emails—over 500 actually. I asked startup founders, researchers, engineers, and sustainability advocates if they’d be open to interviews. To my surprise, many said yes. It turns out that people are often willing to share their time and ideas, especially when they see you care about the mission more than the clout.

Each interview taught me something new. Not just about aerospace tech, but about persistence, preparation, and how to ask meaningful questions. These conversations became the backbone of EcoAero’s content. They reminded me that curiosity, when paired with action, can go further than any title or qualification.

Behind the Scenes: What Running EcoAero Actually Looks Like

People often ask, “How do you actually run EcoAero while being in high school?”

The truth is, it’s not glamorous. I spend hours researching before interviews, editing articles late at night, and double-checking facts because I know we’re building credibility from scratch. Here’s what my process typically looks like:

1. Identify a compelling person or company working on something underreported but important.

2. Research their work deeply—I don’t ask basic questions. I ask the questions they wish journalists would ask.

3. Interview with curiosity and intent—I want to understand not just what they do, but why.

4. Craft the story—I translate technical concepts into clear, meaningful articles that high school students and industry leaders can understand.

5. Review, edit, publish—We fact-check, refine, and ensure neutrality in every piece.

Lesson: Good journalism is not about sounding smart. It’s about making others feel smart for understanding something important.

What I’ve Learned

Running EcoAero has taught me more than any single class or course ever could. I’ve learned how to navigate the gray areas of journalism, how to think critically about technology, and how to build something that people actually trust.

It’s also shown me that you don’t have to wait until you’re “older” or have more credentials to make an impact. If you’re genuinely curious, willing to work hard, and committed to something meaningful, people will take you seriously.

One of the most unexpected lessons? That objectivity is hard—but essential. When you care deeply about a topic, it’s easy to take sides or push an agenda. But EcoAero was never meant to be an echo chamber. It was meant to be a place where people could learn—and that only happens when you give space for nuance and disagreement.

A Living Project

EcoAero is still evolving. Every article I publish pushes me to grow—not just as a writer or editor, but as a thinker. It’s a living archive of conversations, ideas, and innovations that are shaping the future of flight and space.

I don’t know exactly what EcoAero will look like in a year or five. Maybe it’ll expand, maybe it’ll narrow its focus. But I do know that its core will stay the same: asking the hard questions, highlighting the people doing the real work, and keeping sustainability at the center of aerospace dialogue.

If there’s one thing I hope readers take away from this journal, it’s that you don’t need permission to start something important. You just need a reason—and the willingness to see it through.

— Patrick