Meet Leo Toake, 16, who turned potato peels into weedkiller and restored 15 acres in New Jersey

Leo Toake, 16, from New Jersey, who turned discarded potato peels and coffee grounds into a weedkiller (Image Credit: Barron Prize for Young Heroes) What if food scraps usually thrown into the bin could help restore damaged ecosystems? In New Jersey, 16-year-old Leo Toake is exploring that possibility by turning discarded potato peels and coffee grounds into an alternative herbicide designed to control invasive plants. Through his nonprofit, Re:Imagine Inc., he has combined scientific experimentation with community-led restoration, bringing young volunteers together to protect local green spaces and encourage the growth of native species.Toake's work received national recognition through the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which recognised Toake as a 2026 runner-up and highlighted his environmental initiative. According to the Barron Prize's profile, his experimental product, called S.A.F.E., achieved an 82.5% inhibition rate against invasive Japanese stilt grass in preliminary trials. Alongside developing the product, Toake and more than 70 volunteers have restored 15 acres in northern New Jersey, removed over two tons of invasive plant material and planted more than 100 key...