by Breanna Lai, for KUAM News

Guam - The recently crowned Miss Earth Guam is preparing prepares to travel to Vietnam to compete for the international crown. Naiome Santos said the coveted means a great deal to her, telling KUAM News, "The purpose of my role is just to be a role model not only to the youth, but to people around the world, especially on Guam. I have to be the one that they can look up to find ways to be better to be more green to live a better lifestyle."

Santos has been busy preparing for her upcoming pageant on December 4. This is the Miss Earth Pageant's 10th anniversary, celebrating a legacy of beauty and responsibility to environmental protection. The Miss Earth Pageant is about environmental awareness and promotes green living.

We asked Santos what she does to live a greener lifestyle, and she said, "Before I don't remember me being aware of all the little things, like turning off, unplugging all the appliances I don't need, but I do that now. Every single day I make sure everything is unplugged, I turn off the water if I'm not using it like in the shower, I turn off the faucet if I don't need the water all those little things."

Santos reminds citizens of the three R's - reduce, reuse, and recycle - and offered some green living tips. "We need to remember to shut off our power when we don't need it, its all those little things that really do make a difference, to recycle, yes it does take time, but its all those little things that really do make a big difference," she said.

Santos will be leaving island on November 1 for the pageant in Vietnam and will be competing for the crown of Miss Earth along with other Miss Earth contestants from around the world. The winner will serve as the ambassador to environmental protection campaigns across the world.