Water Conservation

Submitted by capplegate on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 11:23

the problem:

restoration of a lake and area surronding the 22 acre project

vital stats:

people impacted:

10,000

people involved:

why it's important:

To restore a recration area for use as an educational tool bring fishing back to the lake

the plan of action:

clean up around lake area and restore an old building for education use cleaning of lake and restocking of lake

how you can get involved:

just lend a hand 5 hours on the weekend

project updates:

Submitted by Nihadsuseyi on Sat, 02/04/2012 - 02:15

the problem:

I am trying to solve the recycling issues that are prevelant throughout my college. I am wanting to bring more awareness to students and anyone who is not recycling in the school premises or else where.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

This is highly vital because not only does recycling save out planet, it is a way to save our planet from becoming a land-fill exasperated by trash and what have you. We can eliminate toxins from becoming more pronounced in our planet, therefore recycling is a key way to reuse and repost. I am a huge believe in this form of saving out planet from becoming a universe filled with trash.

the plan of action:

My action plan is to bring awareness to my college, which I attend. I will form a body of students who will be overseen by me, and school officials. I will hold meetings four times a week, we will then branch out and expose our ideas out, to the school staff, students, and further more bring recycling into a category of its own. We will be demonstrating as groups how much we can go to save recycled items and precisely scrutinize that students are recycling instead of putting their throw aways in the wrong bins. I will be proactive and involved in my goals, and further hopefully bring this awareness to as many schools, facilities, and outposts as I can.

how you can get involved:

I will make sure that others help, first of all helping the environment by becoming more aware. I will have my team members create brochures on implementing recycling as a habit that they can stick with for the rest of their lives, no matter where they are at in their life. Others can help, by being involved and spreading this word of knowledge and action.

project updates:

1 comment

Alert your school if there are leaky faucets or toilets

Submitted by jkultgen on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 14:46

If you notice leaks in school bathrooms, alert the administration.

Send It

Submitted by dsradford on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 12:29

the problem:

"It's a problem because kids who don't get nature-time seem more prone to anxiety, depression and attention-deficit problems." -Richard Louv, "Last Child in the Woods," 2005.

It is both apparent and well documented that children today are raised in an increasingly indoor and electronic world. But the limited outcomes of electronic games and the sit-and-stare pattern of indoor play are not meeting children's biological needs for excercise, creative problem solving, imagination, and exploration.

That's why we need to foster a return to outdoor play. Many children in this day do not have access to natural areas, especially safe natural areas suitable for free play and adventures. Even when nature areas are avialable, such as in our rural community of east central Illinois, children who have been raised indoors sometimes need help initiating creative exploration. They have not had a chance to encounter it before.

vital stats:

people impacted:

262

people involved:

why it's important:

The Douglas-Hart Nature Center lives by the motto: "experience, understand, appreciate," because we beleive that experiencing the wonders and mysteries of the natural world is the best way for children to form an understanding and subsequent appreciation for what our Earth provides. By giving the children of our community the opporutnity to explore nature and form personal connections with the natural world, we are strengthening not only the character and health of the child, but also of the community and planet as a whole.

Douglas-Hart Nature Center offered 30 youth summer day camps in the summer of 2011, and will offer 30 in the summer of 2012. Day camps are designed for all age ranges, and feature a variety of themes. Camps vary from 2-6 or more hours a day, depending on the theme and age of the campers. Some camps include lunch at the campfire. All camps include games, crafts, exploration, inquiry, free play, and environmental education - made fun! Camps are 3-5 days over a week, and camps are offered from June-August.

the plan of action:

High-school age students, 13 years or older, are invited to join our Junior Counselor Internship program and become volunteer co-leaders of our many summer day camps for youth.

Participants recieve on-site training, as well as prizes and a completion certificate and letter of reccommendation at the end of the summer.

Junior Counselor Interns (JCI's) are requested to volunteer for a minimum of one camp week, but are encouraged to return for several experiences over the summer. Sign up for camps with the themes, age groups, and time frames that interest you.

This is a amazing way to use your summer helping local children learn to enjoy and appreciate the outdoor world. Did we mention how much FUN it is, too? At the end of the summer, you will be able to add an impressive experience to your resume, one that includes aspects of leadership, teaching, organizing, working with kids, working with the environment, and that demonstrates basic work skills and ethics.

The summer camps and other programs that Douglas-Hart is able to provide are only possible because of the volunteer and donor support we recieve from our community. Thank you for helping!

how you can get involved:

Non- high-school-aged volunteers are also needed to assist with our summer camp operations. If you are intersted in the environment, in fitness, in teaching, or in special education, this would be a great opportunity for you to get involved for a good cause!

project updates:

Take a break from stressful schoolwork by encouraging your family and friends to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover around the house. Follow these easy tips to create a better world and home.

Take Action

people have done this…

Let us know if you're going to do this...

Email:
If you aren't logged into dosomething.org, you have to enter your email address before clicking this.
Email a friend about this idea.
Find more info on other causes:

Animal Homelessness:

Submitted by lcssigrl5 on Wed, 01/25/2012 - 17:08

the problem:

Show others in my community the dangers of polluting our local rivers.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

I enjoy kayaking our rivers and we all drink water from our rivers.

the plan of action:

To host a river paddle to show people how magnificent our river really is and also raise money for our local group that keeps our rivers and water clean. I will make t-shirts, sell food and have a raffle to raise money.

how you can get involved:

Come participate in my paddle and experience first hand our amazing river.

project updates:

Submitted by Inspiration Men... on Wed, 01/25/2012 - 08:14

the problem:

Poverty, Gangs, Childhood Obesity, Broken Homes, Lack of Education/After School Enrichment/Mentoring/Role Models/Knowledge/Resources. There are several underprivaledged students that turn to gangs and drugs after school because there are no or very few after school programs offered.

vital stats:

people impacted:

200

people involved:

why it's important:

It is important to me because I've seen several students turn to gangs and drop out of school. So many young ones are underprivileged and forced into negative lifestyles. I take any and all students who want to participate as well as students who are referred by teachers, parents and/or guardians. Typically those students have trouble at home or in school, and I use a one on one tactic to find out what there interests are so I can determine rewards for improvement. A lot of the students I've worked with were caught up in gang life/selling drugs, failing school and not participating in any after school programs because there weren't any offered at their schools. I thought that was one of the main reasons why students were turning to gangs, so I started by mentoring a few boys and they all got out of the gang life and became more focused on school, sports, arts and music. I think students just need the knowledge and opportunities to express there interests and talents to reach their potentials, succeed in high school and beyond.

Obesity is another issue that I have helped students battle. Teaching them how to eat healthier and giving them a work out plan that you motivate them through can do wonders. However, motivation is key and varies from student to student. It might be a work out plan playing basketball, wii fit, skate boarding, hiking or basic lifting/cardio etc. You just have to take the time to figure out what works best for each individual.

the plan of action:

Provide mentoring and after school programs such as Leadership, Music, Sports, Art, Tutoring, Guidance etc. Inspiration Mentoring

Mission Statement: Our goal is to assist students in reaching their fullest potential by offering them one on one mentoring and tutoring as well as several leadership and extracurricular enrichment opportunities they wouldn’t experience otherwise. We focus on students individual interests and reward them when they reach certain goals. Many of our students suffer from broken homes, gangs, obesity, poverty etc. We provide them with the knowledge and resources necessary to overcome these obstacles.

Every student is different, so every approach is different. We develop a, “Success Plan” for every student which includes goals with step by step, day by day, week by week and month by month objectives, so we can measure effectiveness and improvement. No one is turned down and we have a 100% success rate since we’ve started. Students have dropped out of gangs, improved academics and found passion for activities such as music, art, photography, outdoor education, sports, debate etc.

It is our belief that all students have a passion for something and want to learn, it is just a matter of finding out what that passion is and how to motivate each individual. If you can reward a student with an opportunity they’ve never experienced or dreamed of they will do anything to succeed. I have brought students to professional recording studios, vocal lessons, acting auditions/classes, movie sets, mountains for skiing/snowboarding/tubing, youth recognition ceremonies to receive awards I nominated them for, ribbon cutting ceremonies to meet the mayor, community service events and many other places/events all for the first time to show them I care about there individual interests and to earn their respect.

I base every “Success Plan” on a rewards system that students must earn to motivate them to reach their goals. I combat the lack of role models, broken homes, obesity and gang life on a daily basis. However, it’s these situations that keep me passionate and motivated to help. Some people go to third world countries to help better peoples lives, but I have found that are several people in my own community that suffer from some of the hardships. I believe it is my calling to do whatever I can to help and I will stop at nothing to succeed.

I would like to expand across the entire district and eventually state and country. I have a big vision for Inspiration Mentoring and want it to improve the nations education, obesity rate, crime rate and drop out rate. It will start off small in every school and build every year until every school in the area has a program.

how you can get involved:

Others can help by volunteering, mentoring, facilitating, advertising/spreading the word, donating etc.

project updates:

Submitted by One More Generation on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:58

the problem:

Plastic Pollution is a problem that is so severe and out of control that we can no longer "recycle" our way out of it. Each year an estimated 1-million sea birds and over 100,000 marine mammals die from ingesting plastic.

Plastic pollution effects every single human on the planet and we are the only ones who can turn the situation around

vital stats:

people impacted:

4,000

people involved:

why it's important:

We have seen first hand the harm plastic pollution is doing to animals and to our environment. Now that we have learned what is causing the problem, it is impossible for us to ignore the issue. It is our responsibility to educate others and to help them find a solution before it is too late.

the plan of action:

Our two young founders have helped to create a comprehensive educational program geared at education students and adults about the issue of Plastic Pollution and provide them with simple ways each one of us can immediately make a difference. We offer the Plastic Awareness Week program to schools nationwide and actually travel across the country raising awareness to the issue. We have also assembled a Plastic Awareness Coalition which now boasts over 50 organizations of like minded individuals all trying to make a difference. We have spent over 5-months educating ourselves about the issue of Plastic Pollution and another 8-months collaborating with educators in order to finalize our Plastic Awareness Week Program. We have traveled the country speaking to thousands for students and adults about the issue and we have also successfully conducted our educational program to numerous schools and other organizations.

how you can get involved:

If your interested in having our program featured at a school near you, simply contact us and we will gladly work with school officials on all the details. We desperately need volunteers reaching out to schools and churches nationwide about the program and as schools sign-up for the program, we need folks to help teach the program.

project updates:

1 comment

Submitted by meridethclaire on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 23:34

the problem:

We, as an Outdoor School Community are working to provide a loving, nurturing, fun, and educational environment for all sixth graders in our district. We are teaching concepts of conservations through lessons in plants, animals, water, and soil because our sixth graders need more hands on science experience than they can get in the classroom. We are providing a place for students to be accepted for who they are, no matter who that person is. We are creating a place where how we learn is determined by us, and we can reach a goal together as a community. All of these are things that many young people today do not get the chance to experience in their everyday life. This is a unique place where they can!

vital stats:

people impacted:

3,000

people involved:

why it's important:

My parents met while working at Outdoor School in Portland, OR, and after they were married and moved to Aberdeen my father started his own program here. This year marks the 15th anniversary for Aberdeen Outdoor School and I am now a program leader with the organization. My father still directs the program and we still provide a week of outdoor education to all sixth graders in our district each spring. As a high school student I volunteered eight weeks over three years to the program, teaching students about science and was able to gain valuable life experiences that shaped me into the person I am today. In sixth grade I was about to learn about the Earth, and about my classmates in an incredibly fun and loving place. As a college student I have had the opportunity to work one on one with special needs students during their time at Outdoor School and I have had the amazing opportunity to mentor high school students as they too made those discoveries and learned those skills that will make their future bright.

the plan of action:

Aberdeen Outdoor School takes sixth graders into the woods with their class for 3 days of hands on science, community building, and time with fabulous role models. Our organization hand selects high school students to mentor, teach, and support sixth graders. It allows students to make discoveries on their own and provides a place where learning is fun and being outdoors is even more fun! We train our high school students before the week they spend with sixth graders and we provide experiences in the classroom for sixth graders before and after their time at Outdoor School. Sixth graders are required to raise the money to attend Outdoor School as a class, as the school district does not fund this program.

how you can get involved:

If you would like to make a donation to Outdoor School and support a sixth grader or high school student in their education journey contact us through the Aberdeen Outdoor School website listed above.

project updates:

Submitted by rmpeters on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 04:12

the problem:

Liquid Languages: Interdisciplinary Education on Global Water Issues is an initiative to educate students, motivate communities, and disseminate information on the most pressing water problems in the world today. The initiative is a three tiered approach to encourage inclusive participation across many fields of study, combining an academic course, an interdisciplinary idea lab, and an outreach program. Building on foundational knowledge, the initiative seeks to integrate themes in current water issues that fit into larger discourses of international development, erasing boundaries between academic disciplines and fostering a sustainable, lasting initiative to educate future generations of leaders in water.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

As involved global citizens, we became gravely concerned upon learning about the shocking statistics relating to international water issues and the consequences lack of access to safe water and sanitation has on people around the world. According to the World Health Organization, one in six people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council cites that 2.5 billion people today, including almost one billion children, live without even basic sanitation. UNICEF notes that inadequate availability of water for hygiene, unsafe drinking water, and diarrhoea are the leading causes of illness and death. Given our personal experiences working and traveling around the world in countries including Guatemala, India, Panama, Costa Rica, and Morocco, we have seen some of the realities of these statistics first hand. Consequently, we decided to focus our commitment on addressing the specific, multi-fold, and unique global challenge of lack of knowledge about international water issues. Although our initiative begins locally on the UC Berkeley campus, we seek to generate a knowledge bank of global water issues and empower young academics to be change-makers in the international water sector beyond our university’s walls.

the plan of action:

Our commitment to action is the creation and implementation of a well-rounded, three part initiative to educate, motivate, and disseminate. The first commitment of our initiative is the creation of a multi-disciplinary academic course on global discourses on water and human rights which will address topics such as human rights, global hydro‐politics, health and sanitation, gender, California water issues, and the future of water and human rights. The course will be open to students from all disciplines, illustrating the necessity to work across academic disciplines in approaching solutions to global water issues. Additionally, the course will encourage students to pursue their own real, innovative, measurable, and sustainable projects associated with water issues in the context of development and human rights. Furthermore, the course will highlight thought-provoking documentaries and a host wide-ranging panel of guest speakers who are making progress in their own water-related fields. The second aspect of commitment in our initiative is the expansion of the Berkeley Water Group, a unique collaboration of both undergraduate and graduate students hailing from many different departments including Public Health, the Energy and Resources Group, Civil, Environmental, and Systems Engineering, Economics, Business, and Sociology. The third part of our commitment to action is outreach, including the creation of an academic publication and the marketing of our initiative through social media.

how you can get involved:

n/a