Community service is a great way for people to give back to their community while supporting causes near and dear to them. It is also a great way to meet other like-minded individuals. Sometimes community service is a job or school requirement, and in such cases it is best to get involved in something you are truly passionate about so it is personally fulfilling as well! Doing community service can be very rewarding if you put in your time and energy towards a cause you choose and actually strongly or even passionately believe in. One of the fastest growing areas for community service is environmental preservation, with programs focusing on sustainability, maintaining biodiversity, and protecting our planet’s ecosystems and wildlife.
There are many well established organizations as well as a great multitude of grassroots organizations today that are working towards protecting out natural environment. You can start looking for these opportunities in your community on various bulletin boards or through your local city volunteer program. A great resource for finding local volunteer organizations is: volunteermatch.org.
There are some programs that are offered most nearly everywhere. If a program does not exist in your community, take the initiative to start it! It can be a rewarding process.
Plant Trees: Try looking for your local tree planting organization! These groups are organized in almost every city, and aim to plant more local trees with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions while greening their city. The Arbor Day Foundation is a great resource to find your local tree planters! If you happen to live in the San Francisco Bay area, I suggest working with Ulistac Natural Area Restoration, which is a Santa Clara University project. Their volunteers plant trees every weekend and offer field trip opportunities to local schools. I personally volunteered there as a high school student as a part of our environmental club.
Conservation Corps: Want to make a little money and dedicate a significant amount of time to the United States? Then join the Conservation Corps! This program is a part of AmeriCorps. The Conservation Corps work on a variety of projects. Depending on where you are stationed you can be working on restoration of local trails, educating youth on sustainability issues, or installing energy saving measures on buildings.2 Some benefits of joining the corps is the monthly living allowance, an educational award, training in technical work skills, and leadership skills!3
Recycling Program with Your Local City: Many if not all cities today have a citywide recycling program. Look into working with them by calling your local city offices. Or use this GreeniacsGuide on Recycling to find out more about your local recycling resources! If your city does not yet have a recycling program, start one yourself such as a smaller scale program on your block! I have participated in starting a recycling program at a school—you just need a group of dedicated people, a truck, and persistence ☺ We got most of our equipment from our city, as they provided us with a variety of bins and then we received a small monetary grant for other equipment. The bins were placed in all school offices and classrooms and collected at the end of the day by a group of student volunteers with shopping carts donated from local markets. The key is to make connections to gather the equipment needed. The recyclables such as paper were collected by the local recycling company and the bottles and cans at a local bottle and can recycling center. The funds earned from the cans and bottles go back into the program for outreach activities and more equipment!
Organize a Local Swap Meet! Not only can you practice recycling, you can also practice reducing and reusing! Organize a swap meet in your local community. Exchange things you do not want for things you do want or need! Another person’s trash is another person’s treasure after all. Or you can sell your items there if there is nothing you want to swap for. Also, if you need to make a purchase, first check the swap meet. You can often purchase items for a lot cheaper from people who no longer need them and just want to get rid of them. I purchased my succulent plants here for about $1-$5! It’s not hard to organize a swap meet. Just put up flyers around your block and spread the details by word of mouth. Perhaps find a sponsor or a local organization or business to host it. You can always hold a swap meet from your garage if necessary. By holding a swap meet you are facilitating the process of reducing and reusing, the most important of the three R’s!
For more ideas, check out: “Volunteering Opportunities to Help the Environment”
