Susan Callery, the Eco Nana

As a grandmother, I’ve seen many changes in the world. But nothing feels more important than ensuring our planet stays healthy for my grandchildren and future generations. This is my biggest motivation in life.

I remember a time when people didn’t talk much about environmental issues. Now, these topics are everywhere, from news articles to social media. Climate change, pollution, water shortages, and deforestation are serious problems that we must tackle for our children and grandchildren.

It’s not just about what we do; it’s about teaching the next generation. When my grandchildren are old enough, I plan to teach them the importance of respecting nature and caring for our planet. I want them to feel connected to Earth and understand that it’s not just a resource to use but something to cherish and protect.

Sometimes, it feels like a tough fight, especially with powerful groups opposing progress. I can’t give up. Even as one grandmother, I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure the planet they inherit is beautiful, diverse, and full of opportunities. I hope you find helpful information on my website.

Posts about my journey…

Contributors

Holly Shaftel, writer

I’m Holly, and I came out of the womb a writer. I’m also a longtime environmentalist and animal advocate.

I remember being really into cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) when I was a kid, and I eventually took a physical oceanography course in community college, where I first learned about climate change. This led to my working on NASA’s main climate website as a web editor for nearly 12 years.

Meanwhile, in 2019, I remember trying to find ways to save money at home and looked at my trash and recycling to see if my partner and I could eliminate our trash bill. When looking at my kitchen trash, I realized I wasn’t walking the talk and started reducing my waste. I took it a step further by going vegan in 2022 to align more with my values, then going electric. I documented all of this and more on my personal social media channels.

I left my NASA job in February 2024 to take time off from the workforce, and now I contribute to Eco Nana and other environmental efforts as a writer and content developer. I feel like one of my purposes on this planet is to engage, inspire, teach compassion for all living beings, and spread hope — because without it, what do you have?

Susan Bell, webmaster

There isn’t anything Susan Bell can’t do. She can fly a plane upside down, do complex math, install her own heat pump system, fix a plane, remodel a bathroom, and so much more. She helps to run the website behind the scenes. She came to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) when I hired her to communicate NASA Earth science through social media, animation, video and public events at JPL. She was the social media lead for Earth Expeditions airborne science campaign at NASA and also produced agency-wide Earth Day campaigns 2013-2017, 2019.

After leaving the communications division, she moved on to becoming an Engineering Development Technician for JPL’s airborne science program. Susan is a pilot, a certified flight instructor, has a commercial glider certificate, and competes in aerobatic competitions in her blue-and-pink Extra 300. She won the U.S. National Sportsman Aerobatic Championship in 2018.