compiled by The Environment Team
While most FAWCO Members agree that the environment is an important issue, very few Cubs organize any kind of activity to increase awareness and/or take positive action on an environmental issue. The Environment Team would like to change that by encouraging clubs to plan an event for Earth Day on April 22. We have ideas for a variety of events – from simple to more substantial - so read through the list below and find something that fits your Club...
- Planting trees is a wonderful way to give back to the environment and reduce climate change…plus it’s a lot of fun for club members and their families! For tips on how to get started, see Planning and Organizing a Tree Planting Project. For tips on how to actually plant your tree(s), see Tree Planting for 'Dummies'.
- How about reading a good novel with an environment theme for your Club’s book discussion group? The novel we recommend, Prodigal Summer, is by Barbara Kingsolver and could be read by an existing book discussion group, or a special group could form just to read this book. Information on the novel, as well as a list of discussion questions to start off your conversation can be found at Prodigal Summer. Just add book worms for an enjoyable environmental event at your Club!
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While everybody knows that cutting back on meat in your diet is good for the environment,
this can be challenging. Organize a vegetarian cooking workshop to show how tasty a meatless meal can be and provide tips on cooking vegetarian. The best vegetarian/vegan food is made of fresh ingredients that are put together because of their own unique qualities and not as a “substitute” for meat. -
Have a knowledgeable/willing member prepare a special talk on an environmental issue(s). Climate change would be interesting and timely. Put special emphasis on the environmental challenges in your community and possible solutions. (Be sure to use up-to-date topics and ones that are relevant for the region's environment.)
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Work with a local coffee bar to organize a "mini-barista" training to learn how to create latte art. Provide a reusable thermos coffee cup as part of the event and pair this with information on eco-coffee.
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Organize an afternoon tea tasting and a tea leaf reading as a fun club activity. Provide a reusable thermos cup as part of the event.
- Invite a speaker to talk about local environmental issues at your Club meeting. A good example of this is how garbage removal is handled in your city; how is recycling organized and how members can participate more.
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Plan a nature walk in a local park or nature preserve area. Have a guide give information on the vegetation and animals, place in the ecosystem chain and any environmental problems faced.
- Plan a trash or beach clean-up day in your area with members, younger children and students. This will bring home the huge amount of plastic waste in your community and the world in general, while contributing to a cleaner environment close to home.
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Have reusable shopping bags made with your Club’s logo and sell them at Club events. Not only is a reusable shopping bag is a great way to cut down on plastic bag use, it’s fun advertising for your Club. Bags can be used as speaker gifts or prizes to extend good habits even further.
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Plan a musical performance event or artist's show. Use part of the admission fee to donate to a (local) environmental cause and include short speeches on the purpose of the event at the beginning.
- Have a film night and show an environmentally themed movie. "Admission fee" can be a donation to a (local) environmental cause. A listing of good environmental films, (such as Deepwater Horizon, Wall-E, An Inconvenient Truth, The Day After Tomorrow and The Corporation) can be found at The Environment Show. Have some discussion after the film to talk about the issues raised.
- Show a short environmental film as the event at a meeting. (Solutions is a 30 minute film on climate change that was made by 17 year old Rosie Keller and presented in a workshop at the 2013 FAWCO Conference. Even though it’s not 100% current, the message is good and varied and the compelling film has good ideas for simple personal action.)
- Organize a "coffee klatsch talk" with an environmental theme.
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Plan a trip to visit a local environmental facility for a tour. Possible locations include: water purification facility, garbage transfer stations, recycling facility, compost site, etc.
We hope you will include attention for the environment as one of your Club activities and would love to hear about anything you do. If the Environment Team can help in any way, don’t hesitate to ask us at .
Sooner or later, we will have to recognize that the Earth has rights, too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans. – Evo Morales
