Environmental Action
 

 		  

Overview of Environmental Action

The Environmental Action option is designed to get students involved in making a difference in the home, school, and the community with initiatives that promote environmental awareness and conservation. Applying lessons from the classroom to real world scenarios encourages students to become civic minded thinkers and actively engaged citizens, while they experience first-hand how they can make a difference in the world around them.

For this option, multiple environmental action projects done throughout the school year are encouraged. Ultimately, this option should become an all-school effort, engaging as much of the student body as possible. While creative and original ideas for projects are welcomed, we have also provided some optional examples below.

Calendar of Environmental Action Opportunities in our Community

DERM Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Workdays, click here for schedule.
Hands On Miami Day, Sat. Nov. 7.
Surfrider Foundation Dune Restoration, Sat. Dec. 5. Contact: awalker@fairchildgarden.org.
Fairchild Challenge Pine Rockland Workday, Sat. Jan. 23. Contact: awalker@fairchildgarden.org.
National EE Week, April 11-17, 2010. Register now!

Grant Opportunity from Planet Connect -  Do you have an innovative solution to protect the environment? Planet Connect is looking for creative ideas and actions to fix an environmental problem in your school or local community. Planet Connect will support your efforts with $1,000 and provide you with a local environmental internship. Make a difference! Apply for a grant today! The application deadline is November 15, 2009.

Be Water Wise Miami

In partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation and EE Week, the Fairchild Challenge is working with local schools to implement water conservation and water quality initiatives.

 Participating Fairchild Challenge schools may apply for a Be Water Wise Grant by clicking here.

Additional Resources:

School Water Measurement Activity
School Water Audit Teachers Guide
Be Water Wise Miami Teacher Resources
Water Curricula
Water Saving Tips for Schools (WASD)

Special Opportunities in Citizen Science

Find evidence of global climate change in the bloom timing of plants at Project BudBurst.  Join thousands nationwide in reporting your data to climate scientists.

Learn to identify birds in your neighborhood (Cornell's Lab of Ornithology offers some resources for beginners) and get your community involved in establishing a bird inventory or in participating in a citizen-science bird count, assist an elementary school in carrying out one of the above community or school.

Help plan wildlife corridors in your community: observe native plants and insects in your neighborhood and report your data using a collaborative Google map shared among your peer researchers and Fairchild scientists. Using the map data, make a plan to build healthier ecosystems in our backyards. See the project pages for If You Plant It, Will They Come? to join this option.

Other Suggested Projects

home

  • Perform a home energy audit and make changes based on your findings
  • Set a recycling goal for your household
  • Educate and encourage your family to become responsible purchasers and consumers
  • Encourage your family to have one sustainable (ie., meat-free, locally grown) meal each week
  • Create a Florida-friendly habitat in your backyard that invites wildlife and minimizes environmental impact

school

  • Host an environmental documentary at school and donate proceeds to an environmental organization
  • Have a school grounds clean up, being sure to recycle and/or dispose of materials properly
  • Devise a plan to reduce waste at your school, involving recycling as appropriate.
  • Create a mentoring program where older students can educate younger students about environmental issues
  • Post environmental tips and reminders on posters in visible locations at school
  • Encourage your kitchen and maintenance staff to use environmentally friendly products
  • Host an educational Earth Day event at school
  • Conduct a biodiversity inventory of your school grounds, including plants, birds, butterflies, and others

community

  • Volunteer with a local environmental organization; see below for additional resources
  • Assist with environmental education or initiatives at a local community center
  • Host a fundraiser and donate money to an environmental cause
  • Write letters about your environmental concerns to local politicians
  • Visit Fairchild’s website at….for updates on additional environmental action opportunities in the community
  • Participate in a citizen science project; see below for additional resources

Additional Resources:

How-To Guide - Environmental Action
Environmental Action Resources
List of Local Environmental Groups

 last updated 10-5-09