The start of spring and Earth Day offer an opportune time to build your students’ awareness and create a service project around an environmental issue. First, choose a topic. (Examples include home and school recycling, city park clean-up, animal habitats, bicycle recycling programs, repurposing household items and conserving energy.) Second, invite a guest speaker to build members’ knowledge about the issue at a club meeting. Before the visit, have members prepare questions to ask.
When students hear directly from an expert who can share ideas to address an issue, they get inspired. A guest who speaks about environmental issues can give them a fact-based understanding and provide ideas for meaningful service projects. If you can go off-campus, consider taking students to a nonprofit organization or government agency where they can hear from an expert and visit the site for real-world experience. Finally, use what your club learns — organize and carry out service that improves the environment!