MILENA TOMASZEWSKA
Hi! I’m Milena and my life is centred around ethical innovation, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
Writing this bio feels quite surreal because when I wrote my Miss Earth Wales profile last year, I was still studying towards my MSc in Computer Science. Fast forward a year later, and I found out my final results just last week. It has been an incredibly busy and transformative year, but I am so proud to now officially hold both a BEng in Energy and Environmental Engineering and an MSc in Computer Science, combining environmental science with technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
During my undergraduate degree, my dissertation explored sustainable insulation materials for housing and their role in improving energy efficiency within the built environment. One of the most interesting findings from my research was that straw bale insulation, despite often being overlooked in modern construction, proved to be one of the most effective sustainable insulation methods in terms of both energy efficiency and environmental impact.
Alongside this, I worked as a Sustainability Officer at Afallen, where I delivered over 90 energy audits for schools across South Wales. The project focused on identifying practical ways to reduce energy consumption, operational costs, and carbon emissions, with recommendations expected to help participating schools reduce emissions by up to 20% through improved energy efficiency measures.
During my MSc, I developed Carbonly, a sustainability-focused application designed around behaviour change techniques. Through my research, I found that many people genuinely want to live more sustainably, but often feel overwhelmed, unsure where to start, or assume sustainable choices are too expensive. Carbonly was designed to help bridge that gap by showing users that environmentally friendly choices can also be realistic, accessible, and financially beneficial.
Entrepreneurship has been a huge part of my journey over the past five years. During my second year of university, inspired by my mother’s work as a carer, I founded my own eco-friendly cleaning business. Since then, the business has grown to primarily employ women and mothers, offering flexibility around their personal responsibilities and schedules. Alongside building a supportive and people-focused workplace, I have worked towards making the company as sustainable as possible, with the long-term ambition of becoming the UK’s first Net Zero cleaning business. Through a partnership with Tree Society, we also allow clients, particularly businesses, to help offset their carbon footprint through our services.
This year, my advocacy has evolved into Glow & Grow, a platform focused on women’s health, confidence, ethical entrepreneurship, and open conversations around topics that are often overlooked. Living with endometriosis has shown me how important it is for women to feel heard, supported, and empowered, especially when balancing health challenges with education, careers, or business ambitions.
Alongside this, I recently launched ShowReady, a platform designed to make renting occasion wear within the pageant industry safer, easier, and more accessible. Having experienced first-hand how fragmented and informal the rental process can be, I wanted to create a space where everything could exist in one place while encouraging more people to rent rather than purchase one-time outfits. Since launching, the platform has already grown to over 100 listings, reflecting the growing demand for more circular approaches to fashion within the pageant community.
I am passionate about changing the perception of sustainability by showing that it can be innovative, modern, financially beneficial, and accessible to everyday people. I believe sustainability should not feel like sacrifice, but rather an opportunity to create a better future for both people and the planet.
Alongside my advocacy work, I have continued supporting community initiatives through fundraising and creative events, including hosting an upcycled plant pot painting fundraiser for A-Sisterhood by a local waterfall.
Through my journey with Miss Earth Wales, I hope to continue inspiring others to create change in ways that feel authentic to them, proving that even small actions and ideas can grow into something meaningful.
