Why Volunteers Matter
Recently the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a 41 page report from 234 authors around the world explaining that the Earth will experience a global warming of 1.5 °C by 2050. The report notes that a change in 1.5 °C will result in many irreversible changes to the Earth.
Volunteers sorting litter after a cleanup at Presquile Park. By Rochelle Byrne, Founder/Executive Director.
The IPCC report highlights the ‘unequivocal’ role that humans play in the climate crisis.
With this data, it can be discouraging to consider the impact of our species on the planet. It seems we have been doing more harm than good. However, it’s important to remember that while the IPCC recognizes the ‘unequivocal role’ we play in the Earth’s warming, we also have an unequivocal role in improving the state of the planet. Our actions matter now more than ever before.
Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
When we come together and volunteer our time, we can achieve some pretty remarkable outcomes. Volunteering is a powerful way we can serve the environment. Through the collective power of our volunteers, we at A Greener Future have been able to enact change in our local communities. And once we enact change in our local communities, we can begin to see change on a larger scale.
In the context of A Greener Future, we have seen tremendous success with the help of our fantastic volunteers. For example, in 2020, we worked with 15 volunteers throughout our Butt Blitz campaign. These volunteers worked hard collecting cigarette butts throughout various towns in Southern Ontario. By the end of this campaign, we were successful in collecting 66,955 cigarette butts. This year, in our most recent Butt Blitz Campaign our volunteers grew in numbers. With 160 people volunteering throughout Canada, we were able to remove 825,796 cigarette butts from the environment, all thanks to our wonderful volunteers.
Volunteers matter. In order to effect positive change in our community and in our environment, we need to work together. When we come together to volunteer, the energy is palpable and being around like-minded people is encouraging. It reminds us that we are in this together and that we have each other to depend on.
Volunteering can also create a ripple effect. When people witness volunteers coming together for a common cause, it causes them to reflect on their own actions and participation in a movement like finding solutions to the climate crisis. If we can get more people thinking about the issue, we’ll be one step closer to solving it.
As our number of volunteers grows, we are excited at the possibilities of what we can achieve together. Volunteering in any capacity, regardless of how big or small the action might be, is an important way to stay engaged as a member of your community.
Cleanup at Fifty Point Conservation Area. By Hannah Feldman.
If you’re looking for a way to engage in your community or help play an unequivocal role in supporting our fight against climate change, consider volunteering with us at A Greener Future.
Blogger, A Greener Future