High-tech alumni want to initiate a social paradigm shift in environmental issues with a children’s book

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Roxy Hreb and Zach Fieldman were in High Tech High School when they came up with the idea for their new self-published book, Eco the Elephant Saves the Jungle.

Hreb, a Jersey City resident, and Fieldman, a Hoboken resident, hope their new children’s book will educate children about climate change. The main message is to take action, recognize a problem and learn how to solve it.

“By shifting the societal paradigm around environmental issues from an early age, we hope to bring about a broader change through the lessons expressed in Eco the Elephant,” the authors said.

Feeling that there were no offices at the school, they formed a business club to get people interested in starting a business. Hreb and Fieldman were both environmental professionals at Hi Tech, which contributed to the book’s environmental theme.

“I’ve always wanted to write books that get published,” Hreb said. “I thought they were novels, but we started with a children’s book. It came out of both business interests and environmental interests.”

Hreb and Fieldman also found inspiration for the book from the Peppa Pig series and Dr. Seuss books like The Lorax. Neither of them have younger siblings for inspiration, so both had to dive into a summer read of children’s and science books.

“We wanted an animal that would be recognizable to children, so we modeled it on a character that children could put their shoes in,” says Hreb. “We came up with the name Eco first and then took the alliteration from there.”

Through the process of forming and managing an LLC dedicated to sustainable business practices, the high-tech alumni ensured the eco book was printed on recycled cardboard and used eco-friendly inks. The book was illustrated by New York City-based artist Zelda Jones.

The authors plan to create a series of Eco the Elephant books and eventually want to develop a series of toys, clothing and television episodes around their title character, Eco.

Hreb and Fieldman both graduated from high tech this year. Going forward, Zach would like to pursue a career in environmental entrepreneurship while Roxy aspires to a career in environmental startups focused on renewable energy.

Next fall, Zach will attend San Diego State University, majoring in economics and entrepreneurship. Roxy will attend Harvard University and major in environmental studies or economics.

You can order a physical or digital copy of Eco the Elephant by visiting www.ecotheelephant.com; You can also find copies at local bookstores in Hudson County, including Little City Books, 100 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, and Little Boho Bookshop, 164A Broadway, Bayonne.

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