Environmental Education: Environmental Clubs

This is part three of a series of blogs on environmental education.

If you love the environment, what can you do while you’re still young?

So far in this blog series, we’ve talked about volunteering for environmental causes and environmental scholarship opportunities. In this part, we’ll be talking about joining an environmental club at your school.

If you are passionate about the environment, environmental clubs are a great way to spend time with people who share your interests and who want to do something to make a difference. They’re a great platform for environmental initiatives and a great way to learn more about issues you’re interested in.

Getting Started

If you’re school doesn’t already have an environmental club, then start one! Saying you were the founder of a student organization is great for college applications — it shows that you’re a leader interested in having a positive impact on your community.

Setting up a club is fairly straightforward. The key is to just get started! You need to find a teacher who would be willing to serve as your club’s advisor. You also need to get enough of your peers who are interested to join, usually at least 5 or 6. Maybe that means talking to some friends, people in your classes, or having  your advisor reach out to students they know who might be willing to join. It’s also important to establish administrative roles (president, vice president, secretary, etc.) and a simple mission statement that outlines your club’s values and goals.

Clubs are a great way to socialize, learn, and get involved in projects that you’re interested in. Here are some ideas for what your environmental club can do:

• Discuss and watch videos about an environmental issue that interests you/your group or watch an environmentally-themed movie.
• Start a campaign or a fundraiser at your school — maybe recycling, or donating to an environmental cause.
• Organize an Environmental Awareness Day or a school event around Earth Day that would get the whole school involved in learning about environmental issues.
• Reach out to your community to see what you can do to help them become more environmentally-friendly.
• Volunteer at an environmental organization in your area.
• If someone in your school has an idea for an environmentally-themed project, be a platform for them to develop their idea.

There are plenty more resources available if you’re looking for ideas to make a difference in your environment. What ideas can you come up with?

Kale B. Connerty
Boston Tutoring Services