Summer Rayne Oakes is a self named “eco model” who has a career in both fashion modelling and environmental scientist.
The 25-year-old model is being touted as the hot new face of the environmental movement.
Summer’s two careers may seem polar opposites, after graduating from Cornell she co-authored papers like ‘Investigation of sludge health incidents’, ‘organic chemicals in sewage sludge’ and ‘sewage biosolids’.
She says the sexiness of topics like sewage comes down to personal opinion.
Summer says there are definite connections between her two careers, once you delve a little deeper.
“I was seeing the connections between waste management, the fact stuff grows from fibre - we grow our clothes, to what we put on our body,” she says.
“It’s not just a good industry to comment on but to green-up on along the way.”
Rather than use a power-point slideshow to propose her views, like the famous Al Gore, she uses fashion, her most recent project being a fashion guidebook.
“I wanted to put out a book for women who love style and who would never have environment on their radar screens,” she says.
“But find issues in it, a wolf in sheep’s clothing if you will, packaged really pretty.”
As well as modelling and environmental studies, Summer is also a speaker, a sustainable business consultant, presenter on the Discovery Channel and helps with aid work in Africa.
3 News