Tips for the Environmental Volunteer

No matter how much busy your schedule is, it is possible to find some time for environmental volunteer opportunities. There are many opportunities to make positive changes that benefit the environment, whether you have only a few minutes each day or several hours per week to devote to the issue. Another option for environmental volunteers is to take a short term volunteer vacation to combine volunteering for the environment with travel.

There are many small changes you can make each day to help reduce global warming, such as creating a back yard habitat for wildlife or working to restore a wetland on your next vacation. There are many different volunteer vacation opportunities available to choose from that can help the environment, whether you want to travel close to home or half way around the world.

Organizations like United Planet, for example, offer volunteering vacations to countries like Ecuador which vary in length from 1 week to 1 year. This organization is known for their friendly staff and host families, and they tailor their vacations to include fun cultural activities along with meaningful volunteer work.

United Planet focuses on environmental challenges in the developing world, where these concerns are often overlooked due to the pressing social and economic issues in these locations. However, when seen from a different perspective it's clear that these problems are often intimately linked, and that working to preserve the environment is essential to improve the quality of life for local communities. Environmental protection and restoration in many cases also contributes positively to economic development.

There are many opportunities for environmental volunteers in the developed world as well, including volunteering opportunities in the Los Angeles and Long Beach metro areas. Some examples include local beach cleanups organized by groups like the Earth Organization in Los Alamitos. This event is open to volunteers of all ages and is a great way to educate young people about the importance of keeping the oceans clean. The event runs from 10am to 1pm on November 5th of this year.

Another example of environmental volunteer work in the LA area is a project organized by local students, in partnership with Community Senor Services, to help a senior citizen lower her water bill by making her yard more drought resistant. Participants hope to accomplish the needed work in 4 hours on October 29th of this year.

Local chapters of national environmental groups like the Sierra Club also offer opportunities for the environmental volunteer in the LA area. For example, the Los Angeles chapter of the Sierra Club is currently in need of outreach volunteers to help them get the word out about local environmental issues. These volunteers help staff tables at farmers markets, environmental fairs, community events, schools and other locations.

Those who would rather volunteer at the chapter office can apply for positions as a receptionist, where they will answer phone and email queries about club membership and activities. They will also help the office manager out with light office duties like filing, mailing, photocopying and typing. This is a great way to improve your office skills and experience while helping the environment for about 4 hours each week.