"The issue snapped for me when Kevin Rudd talked about his ETS and when he backed down I realised it was an issue that wasn't going away and something needed to be done," he said.

Nic grew up in Bowral and attended Bowral Primary School and Oxley College before moving to Sydney to study mechatronics at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

As his passion for the environment grew however, his career path and studies changed.

"I switched in third year university to a double Bachelor of Arts with a major in environmental humanities and a Bachelor of Engineering, mechanical," he said.

"It's a very unusual combination.

"I'm the only engineer in my arts classes and a lot of people find my world view very unusual."

While his interest in politics piqued in first year, it wasn't until Nic's second year that he got passionate about climate change.

"I think the issue of climate change encompasses all my passions and interests," he said.

That passion led Nic to run for the UNSW student representative council (SRC), participate in protests and create campaigns to make a green difference in his immediate environment.

"If you'd told me in high school that I'd be studying environmental science and leading environmental groups I'd have told you that you were crazy," he said.

And yet, Nic was a driving force behind the twitter hijack campaign that attracted nationwide attention.

UNSW started a publicity campaign on twitter, #UNSWtop50, which aimed to promote the top 50 things to do on campus, but it became about the universities fossil fuel investments.

At the end of 2013 the Asset Owners Disclosure Project (ADOP) ranked banks, superfunds and universities on management of climate risk in their portfolios.

"They're non-partisan and aren't looking for divestment, but for people to take the issue seriously in investment," Nic said.

"There is a serious risk of another global financial crisis in the devaluement of fossil fuel assets.

"UNSW, like most other universities, refused to fill it out and argued that their funds were managed externally and had nothing to report despite the fact that the survey directly says to ask the fund manager for information."

Along with on-campus protests, the twitter campaign was hijacked to push for a response.

"The reason for the hijacking of the twitter campaign was topical and focused on getting them (UNSW) to respond," Nic said.

"I sent a letter to the vice-chancellor of UNSW asking him to commit to the issue and I was ignored.

"I received no response to the two-page letter I sent and towards the end of the year (2013) I got the issue brought up at the bi-yearly student leaders meeting with the vice-chancellor."

As a result of the meeting, the vice-chancellor said he would take the issue to the finance committee.

Not long after, Nic was elected as the environment officer on the SRC and kept following up the issue of divestment with the vice-chancellor.

"At another student leadership meeting he came prepared and said UNSW was not considering divestment and labeled it tokenism," Nic said.

"I sent another letter and he replied, but it was clear he and the finance committee hadn't properly considered my arguments.

"Most staff and students we talk to can't see an argument against divestment. It seems like a sensible decision to, at the very least, consider the issue."

While UNSW, which Nic said was a world leader in terms of renewable energy research and technology, generates just 0.4 per cent of its energy from renewable energy sources, there are things you can do on a personal level to make a difference.

"There's a personal divestment campaign where you can contact your bank and put them on notice about the economics of fossil fuel investments and if they aren't inclined to change, change your bank accounts," he said.

"NAB, the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ haven't stopped investing in fossil fuels and I've personally changed to bankmecu, and Bendigo Bank recently came out and said they wouldn't consider fossil fuel investments."

There are also practical changes you can make on an immediate level.

"You can install solar panels and the pay back is now three to four years, so you can save money and it's good for the environment so it's a win-win," Nic said.

"They used to be something only the rich used and now it's becoming more common with panels installed on more than one million households in Australia."

Another change on a personal level is to change to LED lighting.

"They have recently dropped dramatically in price and use less than one quarter of the energy of a halogen," he said.

"Also, improved home insulation, including double-glazed windows in a colder climate and a switch to more efficient appliances are things that save you money in the end.

"It's not so much a green agenda so much as a logical thing to do."

Project Beyond Zero Emissions, an organisation focused on getting people to increase the efficiency of their home, has done modelling

that shows the electricity grid can be converted to 100 per cent renewable energy in 10 years.

"The conservative Australian Energy Market Operator has also shown it would be possible in 10 years and we'd actually save money," Nic said.

"They have no environmental agenda, but it didn't get reported much.

While Nic is almost finished with university, his passion for the environment will be a lifetime pursuit.

"For me, we're at a point where this isn't just an environment issue anymore," he said.

"New technology is cleaner in all respects and it's healthier, cheaper, has lower greenhouse gas emissions and clean energy plants employ more people than fossil fuel plants."

After graduation, Nic will go into the Royal Australian Navy in February to become an engineering officer.

"The Navy has some of the strictest environmental standards in the country and the United States Navy is a world leader because not having a reliance on fuel supplies is good for national security," he said.

"It'll be difficult to be as political, but I'll still be doing as much as I can to advocate.

"These issues are increasingly defining who I am, so why pretend I don't care?"