Green Volunteering
Change the World for Free
Volunteering for a good cause is a great way for people of all ages to support both their surrounding community and international organizations. Whether you’re a college student involved in a community service project, or a retiree looking to make a difference in a young person’s life, volunteering is a great way to meet new people and to increase your communication skills.
According to a 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics study on Volunteering in the United States, about 61.8 million people volunteered at least once in-between September 2007 to September 2008. Of those volunteers:
- 21% were age 35-44
- 30% were age 45-54
- 27% were age 55-65
- 22% were age 65 and older
These statistics prove that baby boomers make up a significant portion of U.S. volunteers, and to take advantage of their free time during retirement, they are finding ways to share their personal and professional life experiences with others.
One of the best reasons to volunteer is to help make your environment cleaner. Volunteer opportunities are most popular with charities and organizations helping your community. Any interest you might have, or previous experience in the working world, can help make your area a better one with green volunteering efforts.
Green Volunteering Opportunities for Everyone
If you’re interested in following some green living tips, then here’s a good one: get involved with other green volunteers! When you become involved with green volunteering you have a variety of environmentally focused organizations you can work with to increase your eco-awareness and knowledge of sustainability.
Some types of green volunteer opportunities you can get involved with are:
- Conservation
- Recycling
- Humanitarian efforts
- Wetland protection
- Animal protection
- Planting trees
- Save the rainforest
- Promoting bicycle riding with the Bicycle Transportation Alliance
You can find these and other green volunteer opportunities by performing your own green search online or by calling local non-profit organizations or green businesses in your area. As you perform your green search and find the organization that’s right for you, you can then check out our section on green volunteer tips to see how you can make the most of your green volunteer experience.
When you become involved with other green volunteers you get to meet people with similar green interests who all work together to have a positive impact on the planet. Whether you decide to plant a tree, protect the whales or send food to an underdeveloped country, your green volunteer efforts will have a profound effect on the entire world.
