by Valerie Garforth, FAUSA
As we face the reality of climate change – raging forest fires, droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, loss of Arctic ice and glaciers, rising ocean levels, species extinction, habitat loss, and so on – is it any wonder that we are concerned about what the future holds for our children and grandchildren? We may feel depressed, helpless, hopeless even, but now is not the time to feel helpless or hopeless. A good way to rouse ourselves out of these feelings is to connect with others who share our concerns and see what can be done at a local level to combat climate change. A really good way to do this is to form a “Green Team” within your FAWCO club! It has been done before – during my time as a member of AWC Brussels and AWC Zürich in the 1990s we had active “Green Teams” – we became good friends, and I think our shared experiences would be helpful to other clubs going forward.
(photo: AWC Bogotá)
Form a group: If you feel inspired to create a Green Team within your FAWCO club, you will need to form a group. Perhaps you already have FAWCO friends who share your concerns? In order to reach out to others, contact your FAWCO Rep to let her know your plan. You may also want to speak with the VP for Activities. Plan to send out a club-wide email message inviting others with an interest in the environment to contact you and set up a time for a virtual meeting. These days, it is relatively easy to find a time which suits most people via a Doodle poll.
First meeting agenda: Invite everyone to introduce themselves and speak about their concerns. You may find there are science teachers, biologists, environmental scientists or people with other expertise among your group who will be a great asset. Meet virtually each month!
Goals/objectives: Among the first objectives will be to learn what the local environmental issues are: these could include recycling and waste management, deforestation and habitat loss, water pollution, air pollution and acid rain, transportation etc. You might find that there are positive activities going on locally that you can join, such as tree planting or wetlands restoration. An important first step is to contact the city or country environment minister, the minister for forestry and parks, the executive director of the local zoo, etc., set up meetings and ask to be on their mailing lists. In Brussels, we were invited to all the press conferences held by the young and very active Environment Minister. In Zürich, we worked with the head of the Forestry Department. You might also want to contact local environmental groups and partner with them. Many of these meetings will now be held virtually.
Activities: Here are some of the activities that we were involved in, which your new Green Team can explore in your own locality.
Parks and arboretums: Arrange a guided tour of local botanical gardens, medicinal or herbal gardens, castle gardens, parks, forests or arboretums. Just outside Brussels is the
(photo: Pixabay)Tervuren Arboretum, established by King Leopold in the nineteenth century to study different trees for their suitability for lumber, etc. One side contains Old World species, the other side New World species. The head forester had worked there for nearly half a century and was knowledgeable and entertaining – and it was a lovely walk. In Zürich, the Forestry Department organized a walk through the Sihlwald, the nearby urban forest, which ended with a horse and cart ride back to the train station. Guided walks outdoors are particularly attractive in the COVID era.
Tree planting and hedge planting: The AWC Brussels clubhouse is located adjacent to the urban arm of the Forêt de Soignes, which suffered extensive tree loss during a severe storm in 1987. Working with the Forestry Department, AWC Brussels’ Green Team organized a number of annual Plantathons to help restore the forest. We invited members of the many other national women’s clubs to participate, and the American ambassador and ambassadors from several other countries attended the opening ceremonies. In Zürich, we organized a much lower-key spring tree planting day when the temperature went from snow in the morning to brilliant sunshine in the afternoon.* Other FAWCO clubs have organized tree planting projects: AWC Dublin planted a tree on the grounds of the US ambassador’s residence; AWC Taunus helped restore an old industrial site by planting trees and AWC Casablanca organized the FAWCO Millennium Forest in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. When the FAWCO Conference was held in Washington, DC in 2000, we raised $250 to plant a cherry tree in the Tidal Basin area.
Recycling and waste management: It is important to know the local recycling regulations and to encourage club members’ participation. Information can be included in welcome packages. Or invite a speaker to explain local regulations: this can be done virtually. In Zürich, we visited the wastewater treatment plant. We also organized guided visits to waste management locations, such as the Hagenholz incinerator, which processes 1,000 tons of garbage per day to provide electricity and heating for much of the city through the Fernwärme company.
Energy: We took a school group to visit a nuclear power plant. Another suggestion would be to visit a solar array or manufacturing plant, or a wind farm. In Germany, we visited a decommissioned coal and steel plant.
Reuse of household items: In Brussels, we provided a useful service to club members who were moving on and had household items or clothing to donate. We took them to a local convent in a poorer neighborhood, where the nuns worked with people on low incomes. You could also work with a homeless shelter or second-hand shop.
Clean-ups: Many cities organize regular clean-ups, collecting litter or items for recycling. Clean-ups can also be along stream beds. Switzerland is a very clean country, and when we organized a clean-up walk in the forest, we collected very little litter but had a lovely walk!
(photo: Pixabay)Nature-friendly backyard: If you are lucky enough to be responsible for a piece of land, however small (or even a balcony), it could become a garden which is friendly to bees, birds, butterflies, hedgehogs, etc. You can also grow your own herbs, fruits and vegetables. Composting is another subject to learn about. Invite a speaker to talk about these and other possibilities virtually, bearing in mind that you might have an expert within your own club!
(photo: AWC Bogotá)In addition to these activity ideas, you can hold simple events with an environmental theme. AWC Bogotá held a tea party fundraiser in honor of Earth Day, and members enjoyed a high tea while discussing what they do in their daily lives to be more eco-conscious. AWC Zürich recently organized a series of three monthly lectures with external guest speakers on the environment under the motto ‟FAWCO Goes Green.”
* Please see my article on “How to Organize a Tree Planting Project.”
