The world needs everyone to pull together to prevent the Earth’s natural resources, ecosystems, and animals from either wasting away or being destroyed.
Ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, and the consistent use of energy and the excess of carbon waste is adding to an irreversible greenhouse effect across the globe. Change is needed. However, although what we do as individuals matters to the world, what you can achieve as a community shall make a much more significant impact to help protect and preserve the Earth.
If you haven’t already, perhaps it’s time to join forces and look for projects and other like-minded individuals to begin making a more significant difference.
The Earth is what we all have in common.
Wendell Berry
Community Solar Investment
Many households aren’t allowed to have solar panels installed on their property (such as rental properties), and a lot of the people who can, can’t afford to purchase them.
Community solar panels are a great solution to this problem, allowing multiple community members to contribute towards and share the cost of a community solar project. In return, residents work together to fund affordable clean energy that reduces carbon emissions, with the added benefit of reducing their energy bills.
Litter Picking Projects
From inner cities to the suburbs, nowhere and no one is a stranger to litter. Plastic and empty wrappers spoil the environment, tarnish the look of an area, and create dangerous traps and unnatural habitats for wildlife. To help fix this problem, you could sign up to an existing community project, such as Keep America Beautiful. The KAB focuses on increasing ‘clean, green, and beautiful spaces.’
Alternatively, you could create a social media group for ‘community litter pickers’ and invite your friends, family, and neighbors to join. As a group, you can prevent rubbish from trickling into lakes, ponds, nature reserves, and wildlife homes while also taking pride in your area’s appearance.
Upcycling Group
From electronics to furniture, whether dented or broken, often tools, wood filler, a dash of creativity, a bit of time, and guidance can help you repair and overhaul almost anything.
If you’re interested in upcycling as part of a community, you can gain inspiration from social groups and forums online. As a community, you’ll be saving money by fixing and reusing what you have opposed to buying replacements. Plus, it’s a great way to meet people interested in changing parts of their lives to live more sustainably and conserve the planet.
Joining a community of people interested in protecting the planet can help give you the enthusiasm, inspiration, and motivation you need to continue and expand your own individual sustainable pursuits. With the added benefit of the social aspect, you can spend time bonding with others who care about protecting the planet.
By sharing sustainable ideas with others, you, too, may begin to influence other people’s way of life for the better. For example, you might provide suggestions for reducing waste, advise people on using less energy, or help someone to create a vegetable patch and compost.
