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24 Green Projects to Tackle Now

Commune with nature, get productive in the kitchen, occupy cooped-up kids, or connect with other environmentalists—all while staying home.

Inspirational messages scattered in a sidewalk garden in Glen Ridge, New Jersey

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If you’re one of those people cooped up safely at home, with creative energy and free time to spare—count yourself lucky. Here, we’ve rounded up a list of two dozen environmental projects that can make your time indoors, or right outside, a little brighter. Whether you’re ready to start rescuing more of your kitchen scraps, sewing your own cloth napkins, or documenting those backyard butterflies, we hope these simple green ideas will provide a calming means of coping during these unprecedented times. Have fun and stay safe.

Experiment in the Kitchen

Spice up mealtime with recipes from Save the Food that will also help prevent your food from going to waste. Make a fromage fort to spread on your crackers, or “scraps falafel” to use up wrinkly onions and wilted herbs. And for dessert, how about some leftover mashed potato apple cider donuts ?

Rescue wilting herbs. Make herb oil ice cubes by packing diced herbs into an ice cube tray, covering with olive oil, and freezing. Thaw for ready-made flavor in your next dish. You can also transform less-than-fresh herbs into sauces, like chimichurri or pesto, or roast them and mix with salt to create longer-lasting seasonings.

Start a windowsill herb garden. You’ll need some seeds or a small plant, an upcycled container like a coffee canister that leaves room for growth and drainage, and a sunny ledge. (The Herb Society of America can help you determine the right dose of light and water for each species .) In a few weeks’ time, you’ll be ready to add a sprig of fresh basil to your bowl of pasta or diced cilantro to your batch of guac.

Arrange a plant-based recipe swap with friends and family, which will reduce your diet’s climate impacts while creating some virtual community. (Remember: If every American cut just one hamburger or about a quarter pound of beef out of their diet each week, we could reduce emissions by as much as taking about 10 million cars off the road each year.)

Simmer your veggie scraps into a flavorful stock , the foundation of your next meal. To get started, keep a clean, half-gallon carton in the freezer, and add trimmings as you prep meals. When you have enough, put the veggies in a pot, cover with water, and crank up the heat.

Plan a dough swap by freezing half of the dough from your latest baked good and suggesting friends, family, and coworkers do the same. When you’re reunited, you can organize a trade and enjoy someone else’s baking for a change.

Start an indoor compost bin. It shouldn’t smell when you follow this list of what is and isn’t compost-friendly . To build your worm bin, find two plastic tubs and drill holes in one of them to provide proper aeration. Layer in moist bedding—made of things like shredded newspaper, leaves, or coconut husk—and then add some red wigglers, which you can order online. Kept well fed with scraps, your worms will soon be producing “black gold” compost to use in your garden and helping you curb greenhouse gases.

Enjoy a Dose of Nature

Make your own basic bird feeder using pine cones, twine, nut butter, and birdseed. This video from the Feminist Bird Club shows you one way to do it. Hang it on a nearby tree you can spot through your window, then grab a pair of binoculars and do some armchair birding!

Create an herbarium —a scrapbook of pressed, dried flowers or other plants. To prepare your samples, press the plant matter in a large book or between sheets of newspaper and place a weight on top. When the leaves are dry, mount them on acid-free paper to preserve them, and label each specimen on the page. You can also include illustrations, photographs, seed packets, and notes.

Sharpen your naturalist ID skills . Try to identify every species of plant in your backyard or on a neighborhood walk. You can do the same for wildlife—and share your findings through Project Noah , a citizen science platform to discover, share, and identify wildlife.

Grow new indoor plants with the use of stems and leaves, rather than seeds. Though it depends on your individual plant species, propagating houseplants is often as easy as cutting off a stem or leaf from an existing plant and sticking it in soil or fresh water. If it takes, a new root system should form within a few weeks—leaving you with a hearty second plant within a few more months. (Pro tip: This works for green onions too! Nearly submerge their sliced-off roots, end down, into a glass of water that you change every few days. Voilà: a nearly endless supply of scallions.)

Observe monarch butterflies in your backyard and share your findings with Monarch Watch, an organization devoted to their conservation . Each year, monarchs make a remarkable 3,000-mile trek from as far north as the southern parts of Canada to the mountains of Mexico and back—but these pollinators are in danger . Register as one of Monarch Watch’s citizen scientists to help track the population’s health .

Boost your backyard biodiversity . Plant some milkweed—the main food source for monarch caterpillars and egg-laying habitat for the butterflies. Hang a bee nesting box somewhere it can get sunlight and warmth. Add a barn owl box or attach a simple roosting perch to a pole. For reptile enthusiasts, set up a small wood pile, using brush or old logs as shelter for lizards and snakes (plus fungi).

Do Some Handiwork and Art Projects

Make face masks for your friends, family, and workers on the frontlines. This Center for Disease Control guide breaks down different techniques. If you’re comfortable sewing, you’ll just need two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of fabric, two pieces of elastic, and a needle and thread for each mask. The no-sew option only requires a T-shirt and scissors. Remember: Cloth masks should be cleaned regularly (the CDC says a washing machine is sufficient) in order to remain effective.

Get your crayons out and do some therapeutic coloring. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and as part of a collaboration with NRDC, Studio Number One and its creative director, artist Shepard Fairey, have converted some of its archival activist artwork into black-and-white printouts for at-home coloring.

Tackle your plastic bag stash , especially if your city or town is among those that recently banned the bag. Since current conditions may eliminate collection and recycling programs for plastic bags in your area, consider upcycling them instead. There are plenty of online tutorials for how to make outdoor pillow cushions stuffed with plastic bags, weave bags into sturdy baskets , or wind them into jump ropes.

Cut down on textile waste , which exacts a heavy toll on the environment and public health , by giving old clothes a second life. Alter out-of-style garments by embroidering, reshaping, or using nontoxic dye to give them a new look. Take inspiration from fashion designers like Daniel Silverstein , who makes colorful, collaged clothing out of fabric scraps, or turn old fabric into a work of art, like weaver Consuelo Jimenez Underwoo d.

Turn old beach towels or T-shirts into a set of cloth napkins , a perfect beginner-level sewing project. By ditching single-use paper towels and napkins, you’ll be helping to protect our forests, like the boreal of Canada that is the source of the virgin wood pulp used for much of the tissue paper products sold in the United States. Instead, switch to more sustainable, washable rags or cloths for cleaning up around the house and at the dining table.

Get crafty with your recycling efforts to encourage kids to be more aware of our disposable culture . For example, you could transform empty jars into vases, penholders, and votive candle holders. Or make a fresh notebook from scrap paper with the help of a hole punch and scissors, some ribbon, and an old cereal box (for making sturdy covers).

Build Your Community

Start an environmental movie club. Various apps let you host movie nights with friends online, so you can chat while you watch. You can find our recs for standout environmental films on Instagram —including Poisoning Paradise , Virunga , and The Biggest Little Farm —with short summaries and tips on where you can find them online.

Document the environmental changes in your community , as they relate to climate change, through the Earth Challenge 2020’s online portal . The project will collect billions of observations in air quality, plastic pollution, and insect populations, and your insights will help promote policy change to address our warming world.

Tune in to a new podcast. We recommend Hot Take , featuring NRDC’s own Mary Heglar and her cohost Amy Westervelt, which takes a critical but constructive, intersectional look at how climates issues are being covered in the media. And despite the weighty content of the podcast, laughter is one of its defining sounds.

Connect with climate justice activists by following along with Zero Hour’s Getting to the Roots digital series . ⁣Each week, it focuses on a different theme that is a root cause of the climate crisis as well as ways to solve it—through digital leadership training, webinars, virtual open mics on Instagram and Twitter, art competitions, and podcast releases.⁣

Write a letter to the editor that tackles one of the environmental issues facing your community that’s close to your heart. The letter can be written in response to a piece that’s already been published by a given media outlet, or it can be a proactive statement of support for or opposition against a particular issue that affects fellow readers. It’s the perfect way to reach thousands of individuals and still remain publicly engaged without having to leave the comfort of your home.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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When you sign up, you’ll become a member of NRDC’s Activist Network. We will keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports.

Environment

Five climate megaprojects that might just save the world.

From solar power stations in space to stabilising melting glaciers, some researchers are proposing extremely ambitious and risky projects to fight climate change. Could they work?

By Jon Cartwright , Alison George , Joshua Howgego , Stuart Clark and Nicola Jones

13 March 2024

WHEN it comes to fighting climate change , many strategies require relatively small actions from large numbers of people. It is about millions of us installing heat pumps, switching to electric vehicles, eschewing meat in our diets and so on. But given the sheer scale of the challenge, there are those who insist we need to think bigger and bolder too.

They are talking about audacious infrastructure projects that would cost billions and carry high risks, but could, if they work out, have a truly transformative impact on our stuttering efforts to get carbon emissions down to zero – and even mitigate the worst effects of current warming. They include plans to build a huge solar power station in space, regreen vast swathes of desert and prop up melting glaciers to hold back city-threatening sea level rise.

The uncomfortable reality of life on Earth after we breach 1.5°C

Here, we examine five of the most promising green megaprojects, weighing up their prospects and exploring what would need to happen next to make good on them. Realistically, what kind of impact could they have? And can we really pull them off?

Launch a solar power station into space

Clouds may be a source of inspiration for poets and romantics, but for solar power engineers, they are nothing but a nuisance. No matter how efficient the solar panel, when the sky clouds over, power output drops to nearly nothing. Move that solar panel into space, however, and this problem disappears. In orbit, a satellite can bask in the perpetual glow of sunlight and generate electricity at maximum capacity nearly all the time.…

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Plant a Billion Trees

Together We Can Plant More Trees!

Reforestation can help us curb the effects of climate change. A billion is a big number, but we know we can do it with your help.

How It Works
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What is Plant a Billion Trees?

The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees campaign is a major forest restoration program. Our goal is to restore and protect forests across the planet to slow the connected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Help us reach our goal and donate to plant trees today!

Why help restore our forests?

Trees provide so many benefits to our everyday lives. They filter clean air, provide fresh drinking water, help curb climate change, and create homes for thousands of species of plants and animals.

Plant a Billion Trees can help us save the Earth from climate change and biodiversity loss. When we restore and conserve critical forests, we remove carbon and support biodiversity.

Quote : Munia Khan

Trees exhale for us so that we can inhale them to stay alive. Can we ever forget that? Let us love trees with every breath we take until we perish."

Help Us Plant a Billion Trees

You’ll do more than put a seed in the ground; you’ll make sure these forests survive for future generations.

Yes, Trees Are a Viable Climate Solution

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6 Ways Trees Benefit All of Us

Tropical dry forest during the wet season at the Karen Mogensen F. Reserve which is situated within the protected zone of the Nicoya Peninsula.

How Nature Can Help Heal Our Planet

Funding Trees for Health

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Pine Country: Bringing Back Longleaf Pine Forests

By Jennifer Winger

Learn More About Plant a Billion Trees

Check out this video to find out how the Plant a Billion Trees program is helping our planet.

General Information

The Plant a Billion Trees campaign is a large-scale restoration initiative launched by The Nature Conservancy in 2008. Our first project was to restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest, and now we have expanded to include forest projects all across the world ! By planting trees and helping forests regrow where they have been severely degraded, we're helping to reduce the impacts of climate change, slow biodiversity loss, ensure clean water and air for everyone, and provide full, healthy forests for future generations.

Forests help sustain all life on Earth. They clean our water. Cleanse our air. Cool our planet. Store our carbon. Trees give us refuge and refreshment, shade and shelter.

The Plant a Billion Trees campaign will help restore the health of our natural environments. Planting trees will improve important watersheds that provide clean drinking water and hydroelectricity to millions of people, as well as protect thousands of species of plants and animals.

It is ambitious, but forests around the world are worth the effort. They are essential to healthy lives and planet. We will need to stretch in ways that challenge us and deepen our partnerships around the world. Together, we can achieve more than any of us can alone.

TNC has over 400 scientists on staff that specialize in a range of different fields including forest ecology, water, climate mitigation, soil, carbon and other related areas. They are working to find the best ways to ensure the forests we restore and re-establish are viable ecosystems that provide multiple benefits to people and nature.

Founded in 1951, because of donations like yours, The Nature Conservancy has the means, experience and track record to work closely with partner organizations to meet this important goal.

More Details

The cost to plant a tree varies depending on the location of the project and the type of tree being planted, and ranges between approximately $1.50-$3 USD per tree. Beyond covering costs to simply plant the seedlings in the ground, donations support ongoing maintenance, research, and stewardship at Plant a Billion sites to ensure the seedlings grow to be mature, healthy trees.

Donations also help pay for the reforestation efforts at PBT projects, such as the removal of invasive species, protecting areas where tree saplings are growing, encouraging species to return to degraded areas, and removing any barriers that might prevent a forest from regrowth. Up to 20% of the cost is used to help administer the program.

Monitoring procedures vary from site to site, but generally, TNC staff conduct regular site visits to oversee qualitative and quantitative surveys. We gauge measures such as seedling survival rates and tree sizes, as well as assessing ecosystem conditions for invasive/competing species to ensure we are making the appropriate adjustments to best care for our trees over time.

TNC staff and scientists, based in-country, manage each of our planting projects. To help accomplish this work, we collaborate with a network of in-country partners—including governments, forestry companies, local cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and local communities. Additionally, we offer assistance and technical guidance to others, using established TNC projects as a model to accelerate results and efficiencies.

Partnering with Indigenous Peoples and local communities has been an important part of TNC’s approach for many years. Our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities are opportunities for mutual learning, sharing and benefit between the communities and TNC. We strive for transformational—not transactional—partnerships in the spirit of reciprocity. We learn from and support their leadership in stewarding their lands and shaping their future.

Plant a Billion Trees, in particular, works very closely with Indigenous communities at our planting sites in Mexico and Brazil, which are homes to, respectively, the Mayan Forest and the Amazon. Through continued and expanded partnerships, TNC envisions strong indigenous organizations and peoples sustainably managing their lands, while collaborating with governments and other organizations to guarantee the integrity of those areas for future generations.

Our Plant a Billion Trees reforestation projects yield important carbon benefits by capturing and storing carbon, helping to stabilize our climate. However, these projects do not offer certified carbon credits or offsets. TNC does offer a Carbon Calculator to estimate your carbon footprint. You can read more about carbon markets and their effects on climate change here .

Thank you for caring about the world's forests! To help us reach our goal of planting and protecting one billion trees, get started with your tree donation . Your support will help us plant trees and protect and restore forests in a location of your choosing, or you can choose to let us decide where the funds are most needed.

There are other ways to get involved, too:

You can check out volunteer opportunities with The Nature Conservancy.
Sign up for your local TNC monthly e-newsletter, Nature News .
You or your organization can partner with TNC .

If you know someone who loves nature and conservation, Gift a Tree is the perfect option to send them a token of appreciation, celebrate a holiday, or honor a loved one. Write a heartfelt message in the form, pick a date, and we will send an e-card letting the recipient know they were gifted trees.

For each $10 donation received as part of our Gift a Tree option, TNC will plant five trees in our critical forests around the globe. The more you gift, the more trees will be planted in celebration.

Share the ability to gift a tree with friends and family by using plantabillion.org/giftatree .

The Nature Conservancy is a 501(c)3 organization, and donations are tax-deductible. For Plant a Billion Trees donations, you can claim the entire amount of your cash gift as a charitable income tax deduction. The IRS allows you to claim this deduction up to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).

The Nature Conservancy does not provide legal, tax or accounting advice. You are encouraged to consult your own professional advisors on tax matters.

The Nature Conservancy's tax ID number (EIN) is 53-0242652.

For more information about donating to TNC, visit here .

If you ever have any questions about the Plant a Billion Trees program or need assistance, please contact our member care services by emailing [email protected] or calling 800-628-6860 .

If you are an company/organization that is interested in partnering with TNC, find more information here .

While we do not have any specific resources from Plant a Billion Trees, our Nature Lab program has an extensive curriculum to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can help keep it running strong.

Sunlight shining through a stand of tall trees.

Plant a Billion Trees Planting Locations

Learn more about where we are planting through the Plant a Billion Trees program and where your donation can have a direct impact.

Learn about our partners who have helped plant trees across the globe.

Give the Gift of Tree Planting

Celebrate a holiday, a significant occasion, or recognize someone special by donating to plant trees—it’s the perfect gift for everyone! For each donation, The Nature Conservancy will plant trees in our critical forests around the globe. The more you gift, the more trees will be planted in celebration. Take the guesswork out of shopping by giving the most sustainable gift you could give.

Why Gift a Tree?

By giving the gift of tree planting with the Nature Conservancy you can celebrate a person or special occasion while also giving back to nature. Here are some highlights:

Quick & Simple

Write a heartfelt message, pick a date and we will deliver an e-card right to their inbox.

Universal Gift

Trees enhance our lives no matter where or how we live, making this the perfect gift for anyone.

Long Term Benefits

Creating healthy forests will help filter air, give fresh drinking water, and help curb climate change.

Share the ability to gift a tree for a friend or a loved one by using plantabillion.org/giftatree .

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Environmental Awareness

How to Save the Environment: 17 Easy & Helpful Things You Can Do at Home

Last Updated: March 13, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by One Tree Planted and by wikiHow staff writer, Glenn Carreau . One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to benefit nature, people, and wildlife. Since 2014, One Tree Planted has planted over 40 million trees across the globe. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,855,979 times.

Saving the environment might seem like a tall order, but living an environmentally friendly life is actually quite easy. With just a few small lifestyle changes, you can protect the planet while creating a healthier life for yourself and future generations. A single household or individual can make a big difference: the more people become environmentally conscious, the healthier our planet will be. Read on for a comprehensive list of tips on how you can save the environment at home.

Things You Should Know

Follow the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle! Upcycle things you don’t need in fun creative projects, shop secondhand, and compost scraps too.
Eat locally-grown foods, cut back on meat and dairy, and shop at farmer’s markets. Make an effort to conserve water and electricity around the house.
Walk or bike rather than drive a car when possible. Volunteer your time to clean up the community and advocate for environmental awareness.

Plant a tree in your yard.

Trees save energy and release oxygen that keeps the air clean.

You can also plant other plants in your yard that are native to your area in order to support local ecosystems and wildlife.
If you don’t have a yard of your own, you could always support organizations that aim to plant more trees, like the Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, or One Tree Planted .

Cut back on driving.

Find alternate forms of transportation that consume less (or no) gasoline.

Combine multiple errands into one trip to minimize the distance traveled and fuel consumed.
If you need to use a car, choose fuel-efficient models or hybrid/electric vehicles. Regularly maintain your vehicle to ensure optimal fuel efficiency.#*Carpooling will also enable you to take a highway's High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, usually saving time and money on gasoline.
Many bus systems in major cities operate diesel-electric hybrid buses, reducing harmful emissions.

Volunteer to clean up your community.

Volunteer work has a direct positive impact on your area’s environment.

If you prefer to be part of a group, volunteer with friends, your class, a church group, or anyone else.

Recycle items properly.

Recycling lowers the amount of environmental waste you produce.

Check the rules and regulations in your area to ensure you recycle properly. For instance, some places may not accept glass, while others might require you to separate the different materials.
It’s important to know what is and is not recyclable in your area because if you dispose of something improperly, the whole load will likely be rejected and end up in a landfill.

Upcycle items.

Creatively repurpose unwanted items to put less trash into the world.

You might turn glass jars into windchimes or create lanterns with them. You could turn an old metal dish rack into hanging wall storage or use old newspapers to line a garden path before covering it with pebbles.
Upcycling can be as simple as refinishing or repainting a piece of furniture rather than replacing it outright!
If you aren’t going to reuse something yourself, donate it. This ensures that nothing is wasted, and someone in need can use your old items.

Compost your food scraps and yard waste.

Composting keeps trash out of the waste stream and creates rich soil.

Food scraps that can go in the compost pile include fruits and veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds, nut shells, and tea bags.
You can compost plant matter like yard trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, houseplants, sawdust, and wood chips.
Other biodegradable materials include shredded newspapers, cardboard, hair and fur, and even fireplace ashes.
If you don’t plan to use your compost, check and see if garbage removal services in your area can pick up organic waste as well as trash and recycling.

Cut back on product consumption.

When you buy less, you also stop more trash from piling up in landfills.

Avoid purchasing products with excess packaging. Often, food companies spend just as much energy creating the packaging for food products as they do producing the actual food.
When you do buy something, look for durable products that will last you a long time.
Borrow or rent items you need only for brief or occasional use.

Shop at second-hand stores.

Save energy and natural resources by buying secondhand clothes.

This philosophy also applies to bigger purchases, like cars. Buying a secondhand car can help the environment and impacts your wallet less.
If you have family members or friends looking to give away some clothing, consider doing a swap with them. You can refresh your wardrobe without buying anything at all.

Choose reusable items over single-use plastic.

Plastic items often end up polluting the environment and hurting wildlife.

Next time you need batteries, consider investing in rechargeable ones. Most batteries can now be thrown out with the regular trash—thanks to reduced chemical use—but they still take up space in landfills.

Reduce the amount of paper you print and use.

Paper production emits greenhouse gasses that harm the environment.

Try using a washable cloth or sponge for most of your cleanup if possible.

Buy locally-sourced foods.

Eating fresh, local food consumes less fuel and packaging materials.

If you’re in the US, look for CSAs using the Department of Agriculture’s directory . Otherwise, do an online search for CSA produce boxes. Local foods are fresher, so they’re higher in nutrient value!
Avoid waste by planning your meals ahead of time so you don’t cook more than you’ll eat. Store leftovers and use them for one of your meals over the next few days.
Buy from local artisans, clothing makers, and retailers too. Avoid ordering things online to be shipped to you whenever possible. The more locally-sourced products you buy, the better.

Cut back on eating meat and dairy.

Avoiding meat and dairy will also lessen your environmental impact.

You don’t have to go fully vegetarian or vegan, especially if you have dietary restrictions that would make it difficult. The most important thing is to cut back on meat and dairy as much as your dietary needs allow.
Meat and dairy are also typically more expensive, so cutting back and eating vegetarian meals can help your wallet!
Eat more seafood as well. Seafood (and seafood fishing) is much more sustainable than producing vast amounts of meat and dairy, and it’s a great source of protein in your diet.

Conserve water around the house.

Reducing your water use saves energy and helps the ecosystem.

Consider investing in a high-efficiency washing machine in the future.
Fix leaky faucets and pipes as soon as possible to avoid wasting water.
Install efficient shower heads and low-flow faucets in your kitchen and bathrooms to reduce water consumption further.
Use a pool cover if you have an outdoor swimming pool. This will prevent water from evaporating, so you don’t need to refill the pool as often.

Use fewer chemicals in your daily life.

Some chemicals have harmful long-term effects on the environment.

When you have hazardous materials to throw away—like fluorescent light bulbs, cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, automotive fluids, and paint—be sure you dispose of it properly .
Harmful chemicals and materials should never end up in a landfill, sanitary sewer, or storm drain! Contact your local waste management office for proper disposal options.
Avoid blowing up helium balloons, too. Fill them up with regular air instead.

Conserve electricity at home.

Saving electricity is critical to reducing air and water pollution.

When you buy new appliances, be sure to choose Energy Star-certified products.
Air-dry your clothes on a clothesline rather than turning on a dryer.
Cut back on your heating and air conditioning use by ensuring your home is properly insulated and sealing air leaks around doors and windows.
If nothing else, you can always throw on a sweater when it’s cold or turn on a fan when it’s hot, rather than using energy-consuming air conditioning or heating.

Donate to environmental causes.

Your support can help organizations that are trying to save the planet.

For example, you could host a Facebook fundraiser on your birthday and ask people to donate to an organization you support.
Check out organizations working to save the environment like the Rainforest Alliance , Earthjustice , the Ocean Conservancy , or the World Wildlife Fund .

Encourage others to help save the environment.

Advocacy and education allow more people to create a positive impact.

Visit https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials to find local representatives in the United States.
If a friend or family member asks for tips, be sure to educate them about what they can do to save the environment and encourage them to get involved, too!
It's a good idea to stay up-to-date on environmental issues, using reliable sources of information. This way, you'll be able to share helpful information if someone asks for tips on how they can save the environment.

Community Q&A

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↑ https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/build-healthy-cities/cities-stories/benefits-of-trees-forests/
↑ https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/awesome-hands-on-ways-you-can-volunteer-to-help-the-environment/
↑ https://www.epa.gov/recycle/frequent-questions-recycling
↑ https://upcyclemystuff.com/what-is-upcycling/
↑ https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
↑ https://habitatbroward.org/blog/benefits-of-buying-things-second-hand/
↑ https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-and-reusing-basics
↑ https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/
↑ http://www.gogreen.org/blog/the-environmental-benefits-of-buying-locally
↑ https://www.epa.gov/watersense/start-saving
↑ https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/benefits-green-chemistry
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You can help save the environment by turning off things that use electricity when you're not using them and unplugging devices when they're not in use. You can conserve water by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth, and doing laundry less frequently. Also, try walking or riding your bike instead of driving, which will help reduce carbon emissions. Buying your food locally also helps lower carbon emissions since the food doesn't have to be shipped from far away! If you want to learn more, like how to recycle or reuse materials, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Did you know that keeping a tree standing is one of the most effective ways you can combat climate change?

When you protect a forest from being cut down, you doing your part to help reduce emissions, while also protecting threatened wildlife, empowering local and indigenous communities, and fighting poverty and deforestation. All at the same time!

As a global community, we have never been as connected as we are right now. If we each do our part, we can change how the world's forests are valued. And we can make a real difference in forest conservation and climate action.

Stand For Trees projects conserve over 18,000 square miles (imagine 6 New York Cities!) of the most spectacular forest landscapes on the planet, as well as the people and animals that call them home.

By supporting Stand For Trees , you are directly creating a sustainable income stream for high impact forest conservation projects and doing your part to reverse the dangerous effects of climate change.

How awesome is that?

Here is a snapshot of the incredible projects that you can support all around the world and remember, as Margaret Mead so timelessly said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

1) Kasigau Wildlife Corridor Project - Kenya

Nestled between Kenya's Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, the Kasigau Wildlife Corridor Project protects 500,000 acres of dryland forest and supports local communities of over 100,000 in job creation and sustainable development activities.

When you offset your CO2 emissions by supporting the Kasigau Corridor Project, you simultaneously protect a vital wildlife migration corridor for endangered populations of African elephant, Grevy's zebra, cheetah, lion and African wild dog, as well as more than 50 species of large mammals and over 300 species of birds. Without support for the project, local communities have little option to provide for their families other than slash-and-burn agriculture. Your Stand For Trees purchase is critical to valuing this forest for the vital services it provides, and to creating new, sustainable livelihoods for the people protecting it.

2) Buddhist Monk Forest Conservation Project - Cambodia

The ex-Khmer Rouge Province of Oddar Meancehy in Cambodia has historically had one of the region's highest deforestation rates. Oddar Meanchey has been under constant and intense pressure from commercial and illegal logging and unsustainable agricultural expansion. The forests in Oddar Meanchey are critical to the traditional identity of the Buddhist Monks and other local communities that have been living in the areas for generations. The project area contains Sacred Forests, which locals believe to be inhabited by spirits that protect their villages and ensure prosperity. These communities have partnered with the Forestry Administration of Cambodia to stop deforestation.

Your Stand For Trees purchase provides the critical resources for these local communities to protect their forests. Your support directly improves the quality of life by providing employment through forest patrolling, training, and sustainable farming to increase productivity and decrease hunger. Your purchase also supports the distribution of fuel-efficient cook-stoves, improving public health while reducing pressure on forest resources. This pioneering project — with your help — demonstrates community resilience to help end deforestation while preventing climate change for us all.

3) April Salumei Rainforest Project - Papua New Guinea

The April Salumei Rainforest Conservation project area is home to 164 forest-dependent communities. These communities have strong cultural ties to the forest, and a common desire to protect their environment whilst developing basic local necessities like clean water, solar power and the establishment of sustainable productive activities. Supporting this project helps the communities to achieve these goals while protecting virgin tropical rainforests from commercial threats.

4) Congo Basin Rainforest Project - Democratic Republic of the Congo

When you offset your CO2 emissions by supporting the Congo Basin Rainforest Project, you simultaneously protect one of the world's most important tropical habitats located in one of the world's most impoverished countries. Without support for the project, the area would likely be leased to foreign logging and mining companies, resulting in destruction of this critical habitat. Your Stand For Trees purchase brings value to this forest for the vital services it provides, and it creates sustainable development opportunities for the people protecting it.

5) Suruí Indigenous Forest Carbon Project - Brazil

The Suruí Indigenous Forest Carbon Project is the first REDD+ project to be owned and managed entirely by an indigenous community. The project works to defend and preserve the autonomy and the cultural and territorial heritage of the Suruí people: a tribe of roughly 1,300 members, structured in four clans, who were first contacted less than 50 years ago.

For the Surui, like many indigenous peoples of the Amazon, forests are the source and center of economic and spiritual life. However, they are under intense pressure to allow logging and cattle ranching in their territory.

With your support, this project can dramatically reduce deforestation and the resulting CO2 emissions in the Suruí territory. The Suruí Indigenous Forest Carbon Project consists of 248,000 hectares straddling the Brazilian states of Rondonia and Mato Grosso, in the "arc of deforestation" sweeping over the Amazon. Your purchase of Stand For Trees Certificates allows the Suruí to defend their forests, to invest in their future, and to thrive as a community.

6) Rimba Raya Orangutan Reserve Project - Indonesia

Nestled in the southern coast of Borneo lies the Rimba Raya Orangutan Reserve. One of the most highly endangered ecosystems in the world, the High Conservation Value (HCV), lowland peat swamp forest is home to local communities and over 1,000 at-risk plant and animal species, including the Borneo orangutan, clouded leopard, and Asian sun bear. Everyday, paper and palm oil interests put Indonesian forests in jeopardy. If these forests are cut down, we run the risk of emitting one of the largest concentrations of natural carbon in the world.

Purchasing Stand For Trees Certificates helps protect these forests and all those who depend on them including local communities and local wildlife — keeping carbon stored in their trees and out of our atmosphere. In addition, your purchase helps improve access to clean water, efficient cook stoves, and health care for all those who live in the project area.

7) Brazilian Rosewood Amazon Conservation Project - Brazil

Pará, Brazil houses one of the most diverse and abundant ecosystems on the planet. The Brazilian Rosewood Project in the Pará's Portel municipality works to protect this fragile ecosystem by stopping rampant deforestation of carbon-dense rainforest while allowing degraded forests an opportunity to regenerate.

By supporting this project you are investing back into the community — 130 families in total — to provide employment for forest protection, and legal land-use permits that keep illegal deforesters away while protecting threatened species and local livelihoods in the process. The project also supports local villages to strengthen their social structure, improve food security through agroforestry techniques, and encourages less fuelwood usage by implementing energy-efficient cookstoves, which produce additional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

8) Valparaiso Amazon Conservation and Community Project - Brazil

Image: valparaiso amazon conservation and community project - brazil.

Brazil is home to 14% of the world's rainforests, but accounts for 40% of global deforestation — making the country a foremost priority for conservation. Located within the Brazilian state of Acre, the Valparaíso Project preserves 28,096 hectares of pristine tropical rainforest alongside the Valparaíso River and Jurua River in the Amazonian Basin. The project protects one of the world's most biologically diverse regions while enhancing the quality of life and socio-economic development of local populations.

Regional studies have shown that the rainforests surrounding the Valparaíso and Jurua River contain some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, and thus the Valparaíso Project is imperative to protecting this region's species diversity and freshwater networks. Your purchase of Stand For Trees Certificates from this project protects these remaining forests by helping to make conservation a more economically viable option to slash-and-burn agriculture, cattle ranching, and commercial extraction.

9) Cordillera Azula National Park - Peru

The Cordillera Azul National Park (PNCAZ) is one of the largest protected areas in Peru, covering more than 1.35 million hectares, and extending from mountainous cloud forests to lush Amazon lowlands. Its vast territory stretches into four departments: San Martin, Loreto, Huánuco and Ucayali.

Cordillera Azul is home to a number of unique habitats, some of which are virtually untouched by mankind and is home to a great array of animal and plant life. An estimated 6,000 species of plants, more than 80 large and medium-sized mammals, about 180 fish species and over 600 birds species reside here. The Park is also home to many endemic and newly discovered species, and it is a certainty that even more new species will be discovered here in future! Although there are no formal human settlements within the park, the adjacent area is home to the indigenous Kakataibo people, a group with little contact with the outside world.

The park is at the center of a wider area of critical habitat that covers a further 2.3 million hectares and has a population of approximately 250,000 people living in rural villages and indigenous communities, all of which rely heavily on local natural resources for their livelihood.

10) Kulera Community and Biodiversity Partnership - Malawi

Malawi, known as the "Warm Heart of Africa" is one of the poorest nations in the world, where the average household income is equivalent to thirty dollars a month. The Kulera Partnership encompasses over 65,000 households living in the most rural communities of the country. These rural communities, struggling with dire poverty, are often times forced to deplete natural resources for survival. The Kulera Partnership was designed with the vision of preventing deforestation in Malawi while helping transform impoverished communities into prosperous communities.

Your Stand For Trees purchase provides critical resources for these local communities to protect their forests though improved agriculture techniques and sustainable land use – planned by the communities themselves. Your purchase directly supports the groundbreaking partnership between community members and the government to tend to the forest and landscape, producing carbon offsets that will support biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and empower vulnerable communities.

11) Amazon Forest Protection Project - Brazil

This project avoids unplanned deforestation of High Conservation Value rainforest in the Portel municipality in the region of Pará, Brazil. The project engages local villagers as paid staff in forest protection and biodiversity monitoring activities, as well as introduces alternative and sustainable livelihood alternatives to local communities.

Approximately 80 families live within the boundaries of the project and all of them practice subsistence agriculture. The project is working to provide legal land-use permits that will result in official land titles for those villages that actively participate in forest protection. Through funds from purchases of Stand For Trees Certificates, the project can continue to improve food security through agroforestry techniques and to use less fuelwood by using energy-efficient cookstove technologies, with additional greenhouse reduction benefits. In addition to the above activities, 5% of the revenues from Stand For Tree Certificate sales will be used to create a trust fund that will serve to support locally driven sustainable initiatives.

12) Tambopata Biodiversity Reserve Project - Peru

Recognized internationally as an area of incredible biodiversity, the Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja Sonene National Park in the Peruvian Amazon is home to some of the world's most beautiful and endangered wildlife. Jaguar, Giant River Otters and Giant Armadillos can be found living alongside Blue Macaws and other endangered species in need of immediate protection. Families and communities living around the Reserve rely upon clean water and other resources supplied by the forests.

13) Lower Zambezi Community Forest Project - Zambia

Zambia's forests are rapidly vanishing. The country's deforestation rate is the highest in Africa. Subsistence agriculture and the need for charcoal have resulted in steep rates of illegal and destructive tree cutting.

The Lower Zambezi Community Forest Project is helping farming communities in Zambia to improve their livelihoods, protect disappearing forests and create a sanctuary for threatened wildlife. Located approximately 120 km southeast of Zambia's capital city Lusaka, the project protects one of the last intact areas of forested land within Lusaka Province. It provides a vital buffer to the adjacent Lower Zambezi National Park and is part of a globally significant conservation area which also includes a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. Purchasing a Stand For Trees Certificate supports these efforts to provide alternative, sustainable livelihoods that protect the remaining forest in the area.

14) Makira Natural Park Project - Madagascar

Operating in the area since 1993, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Madagascar's Ministry of the Environment and Forests began creation of the Makira project in 2003, to safeguard one of the largest remaining rainforests in Madagascar. Its establishment was finalized in 2012 and it is now the largest protected area in the country. Your support of this project helps to finance the long-term conservation of one of Madagascar's most pristine rainforest systems, improve community land stewardship and governance, and support sustainable livelihood practices for more than 90,000 people leading to improved household welfare.

15) Choco-Darien Forest Conservation Project - Colombia

Located in northwestern Colombia, this project protects 13,465 hectares of rainforest by helping local Afro-Colombian communities protect their ancestral lands and pursue sustainable livelihoods. When you offset your CO2 emissions by supporting the Chocó-Darién Forest Conservation Project, you simultaneously help protect one of the most biologically diverse rainforests on the planet. Your support for the project enables local communities to monitor encroachment by neighboring cattle ranchers who are deforesting the surrounding area for beef production. Your Stand For Trees purchase is critical in empowering these local communities to pursue more sustainable economic options, and to valuing this forest for the critical services it provides to us all.

16) Kariba African Wildlife Corridor - Northern Zimbabwe

The Kariba African Wildlife Corridor Project serves as a corridor between three existing national parks in Zimbabwe, namely Mana Pools, Matusadona and Chizarira as well as eight further wildlife reserves. By providing a corridor for wildlife, the project has a positive impact on biodiversity both within the project area and in the surrounding region. The project impacts include improved habitat for threatened species like the Black Rhinoceros, of which few individuals are left in the area. Zimbabwe's socio-economic crisis has taken a great toll on the country's agricultural sector, its people and its wildlife. Before the project, unsustainable forest clearing & wildlife poaching ran rampant in the region. Your support of this exemplary REDD+ project through Stand For Trees is critical to reducing pressure on the country's forests and providing sustainable means of livelihood.

17) BIOREDD+ Pacifico Project - Colombia

There’s lots of indigenous communities, trees, and forests to protect. The BIOREDD+ Pacifico Project in Columbia is coming soon!

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of each of the partners of Global Citizen.

Defend the Planet

17 Projects That Are Helping Protect the World’s Trees

Feb. 4, 2016

14 innovations led by young ecopreneurs that are protecting and restoring our planet

Investing in the next generation of ecopreneurs is key to securing the future of our planet. Image: jcomp/Freepick

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1t.org and UpLink, the World Economic Forum's platform for sourcing and scaling solutions that protect people and planet, unveils its first winning cohort of youth innovators.
The solutions address a range of ecosystem challenges, including deforestation and forest degradation and decline in pollinators, and the lack of conservation training and opportunities for young people to become equipped with the tools to protect nature.
Investing in the next generation of ecopreneurs is key to securing the future of our planet.

Young people and future generations will be the worst affected by climate change. Already, nearly all of the world’s 2.2 billion children have been exposed to at least one climate-related risk – from toxic air pollution to wildfires or droughts.

Critical to helping fight climate change and building resilience are Earth’s ecosystems. Forests, grasslands and wetlands are natural climate solutions in that they capture and sequester carbon. They also offer a broad range of other benefits – from cleaning our air, controlling temperatures, preventing floods, creating jobs and protecting our mental health.

But Earth’s ecosystems are at risk, and there has never been a more urgent need to protect and revive them.

Sparked by a formidable sense of responsibility, young people worldwide are leading by example. Their actions and innovative solutions indicate the power of an environmentally and technology-savvy generation to bring about real, concrete change.

To support young ecopreneurs, 1t.org and UpLink launched the #GenerationRestoration Youth Challenge in collaboration with funding partner Salesforce and supporting partner UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

We received over 170 submissions worldwide, which speaks to the magnitude of growing youth advocacy and leadership to help protect our planet. The top 14 ecopreneurs have been selected to join the UpLink Innovator Network, a growing community of innovators.

Throughout the year ahead, we will work with the cohort to help them scale their solutions through capacity building workshops, visibility and mentoring opportunities, as well as connections to experts and potential investors.

Here is the full list of our Top UpLink Innovators from the #GenerationRestoration Youth Challenge:

AkoFresh aims to solve post-harvest losses faced by smallholder farmers with an off-grid cold storage preservation unit.

Cábula Initiative aims to transform desertified land into a Mediterranean forest that was once the natural ecosystem.

CoalitionWILD offers free training and mentorship programmes designed to create a network of young global change agents equipped and empowered to lead the protection of biodiversity, culture, species and the seas.

CERIOPS Research Organization are on a mission to train local communities affected by impacts of mangroves degradation on best practices for ecosystem restoration while empowering actual restoration at a larger scale.

Green Generation Initiative nurtures young people to love nature and be environmentally conscious at a young age through education, greening schools, creating food forest establishments, and tree growing.

Millennium Kids Inc are creating green spaces, titled Green Labs, adopted by schools or local governments to use as outdoor classrooms and at the same time monitor, grow and protect the area adopted.

Mvutu is a technology platform providing end-to-end digital agricultural services to farmers, including pest diagnosis, weather insurance, agronomic advice, and crop monitoring.

Ecological Food Caterpillars Company is restoring biodiversity by planting and managing indigenous forest trees that are hosts for edible caterpillars, contributing to the environment, alleviating food insecurity, and creating a source of income for youth and indigenous people.

The Research Education for Sustainable Actions is establishing pollinator gardens in rural communities with intensive farming. Farmers provide pieces of land that they are not farming, and they provide the trees, shrubs, and herbs, alongside the training.

P.I.B Global Limited is restoring forests by taking an environmental hazard, water hyacinths, and making biochar seed balls thrown into the environment.

Saving the Amazon works towards the conservation of the Amazon Rainforest by collaborating with the indigenous inhabitants. Through their technology, any person or organization in the world can adopt a tree or a forest in the Amazon. This tree is planted and managed by the local communities to help reverse climate change and generate economic opportunities for the local communities.

Seawater Solutions is a multi-award winning start-up based in Glasgow, Scotland, that helps communities worldwide build integrated wetland farms in which coastal wetlands are constructed for climate adaptation and seawater agriculture.

The Urban Garden Initiative (TUGI) is a non-profit organization that aims to inspire and empower young people to achieve urban sustainability in their communities through an interactive and holistic gardening-based experience.

Treeconomy is on a mission to combat climate change, restore biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods by revolutionizing forestry-based carbon offsetting. They are pioneering an integrated suite of remote sensing, data science, and green finance tools to address the fundamental financial barriers that prevent reforestation at the landowner level.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Woman building a diy insect hotel outdoor. Guido Mieth / DigitalVision / Getty Images

By Courtney Lindwall

Experiment in the Kitchen

Enjoy a Dose of Nature

Sharpen your naturalist ID skills. Try to identify every species of plant in your backyard or on a neighborhood walk. You can do the same for wildlife—and share your findings through Project Noah , a citizen science platform to discover, share, and identify wildlife.

Do Some Handiwork and Art Projects

Build Your Community

Tune in to a new podcast . We recommend Hot Take , featuring NRDC’s own Mary Heglar and her cohost Amy Westervelt, which takes a critical but constructive, intersectional look at how climates issues are being covered in the media. And despite the weighty content of the podcast, laughter is one of its defining sounds.

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10 Things You Can Do to Help Save Earth

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The United Nations suggests that climate change is not just the defining issue of our time, but we are also at a defining moment in history. Weather patterns are changing and will threaten food production, and sea levels are rising and could cause catastrophic flooding across the globe. Countries must make drastic actions to avoid a future with irreversible damage to major ecosystems and planetary climate.

But what about individuals? What can we do to pitch in and help save Earth? There are plenty of things you can do every day to help reduce greenhouse gases and your carbon footprint to make a less harmful impact on the environment. Taking care of Earth is not just a responsibility, it's a necessity. In that spirit, HowStuffWorks has come up with 10 things you can do now to help save the planet.

Conserve Water
Be Car-conscious
Walk, Bike or Take Public Transit
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Give Composting a Try
Switch to LEDs
Live Energy Wise
Eat Sustainable Foods
Plant a Tree (or Two)
Give Up Plastics

1. Conserve Water

The little things can make a big difference. Every time you turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, you're doing something good. Got a leaky faucet? You might be dripping as much as 90 gallons (340 liters) of water down the drain every day [source: EPA ]. So fix it! It's easy and cheap. And stop drinking bottled water . Switch to filtered tap water. You'll save a ton of cash and help reduce a ton of plastic waste in the process.

2. Be Car-conscious

If you can, stay off the road two days a week or more. You'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds (721 kilograms) per year [source: EPA ]. It's easier than you think. You can combine your errands — hit the school, grocery store and dog daycare in one trip. And talk to your boss about teleworking. It's a boon for you and your company. But being car conscious also means maintaining your car on a regular basis. You can improve your gas mileage by 0.6 percent to 3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure, and be sure to make necessary repairs if your car fails emission [source: EPA ].

3. Walk, Bike or Take Public Transit

Walking and biking are obvious ways to reduce greenhouse gases. Plus you'll get some good cardio and burn some calories while you do it. If you live in an area that's not walkable , take advantage of your local mass transit if you can. Or carpool. Even one car off on the road makes a difference.

4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

You can help reduce pollution just by putting that soda can in the recycling bin. It really does make a difference. Paper, too. The average American household dumps 13,000 separate pieces of paper each year, most of it junk mail and packaging [source: Brigham Young University ]. But you can also take reusable bags to the grocery, and avoid using disposable plates, spoons, glass, cups and napkins. Contact companies that send you junk mail to get off their mailing lists. When you order online, see if you can group your packages together for mailing. Buy products that are made of recycled materials. And don't forget to recycle your own paper. It all makes a difference.

5. Give Composting a Try

In 2018, (the last year figures were available) Americans generated 292.4 million tons (265.3 million metric tons) of trash . Only 25 million tons (23 million metric tons) of that was composted. Some was recycled and some was combusted for energy, but half of it — 146 million tons (132 million metric tons) — ended up in the landfill. Imagine if you could divert more of that to your own compost? It would help reduce the amount of solid waste you produce, and what eventually winds up in your local landfill. Plus, compost makes a great natural fertilizer.

6. Switch to LEDs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are great. They can last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and they use at least two-thirds less energy, but even CFLS have issues. They're hard to dispose of because they contain mercury. Enter light-emitting diode , or LED, bulbs. They emit light in a very narrow band wavelength so they're super energy-efficient. Start replacing your old incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs now (if you haven't already). They do cost more than CFLs and incandescents, but equivalent LED bulbs can last at least 30,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs, or 8,000 to 10,000 hours for CFLs.

7. Live Energy Wise

Make your home more energy efficient (and save money). Your home's windows are responsible for 25 to 30 percent of residential heat gain and heat loss. If they're old and inefficient, consider replacing them. Also be sure your home has proper insulation. Insulation is measured in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value — the higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation. The amount of insulation your home needs depends on the climate, type of HVAC system, and where you're adding the insulation. Smaller things you can do right away include replacing your air filter regularly so your HVAC system doesn't have to work overtime. Keep your window treatments closed when it's extremely hot and cold outside. You can also consider installing a programmable thermostat like Nest so your system isn't running (and wasting energy) when you're not home.

8. Eat Sustainable Foods

Today, large-scale food production accounts for as much as 25 percent of the greenhouse emissions . So how do you eat sustainably? Choosing food from farmers that aim to conserve the natural resources and have as little impact on the land as possible. But even buying as much as you can from local farmers makes a different. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and less red meats and processed foods does too. Grow your own fruits and vegetables. You can grow a garden !

9. Plant a Tree (or Two)

The 2023 United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found that things are worse now than ever before. Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and most countries are not reducing carbon emissions. But there is a natural way to combat climate change: Plant a tree. Plants naturally absorb carbon from the air. One young tree can absorb CO2 at a rate of 13 pounds (5 kilograms) per tree . Every. Single. Year. And that's just an itty bitty baby tree. Once that tree reaches about 10 years old, it's at its most productive stage of carbon storage. Then it can absorb 48 pounds (21 kilograms) of CO2 per year. Trees also remove all other kinds of junk from the air, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and small particles . So go ahead, plant a tree. It's good for everybody.

10. Give Up Plastics

The statistics are shocking: People around the world buy 1 million plastic drinking bottles every minute , and use up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags every year. Humans are addicted to plastic, and hardly any of it — about 9 percent — gets recycled. A staggering 68 to 219 million tons (75 to 199 million metric tons) of plastic is currently in our oceans. Break the cycle . Stop buying bottled water. Say no to plastic shopping bags and use cloth bags instead. Don't use plastic straws . Drink from a reuseable cup instead of a plastic one. Avoiding plastic can divert a ton of waste from the oceans and landfill.

This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

Save Earth FAQ

How can we save earth, why is it important to save the earth, how can you adjust your habits to save earth, what year will the earth die, what will happen to the earth if we keep polluting, lots more information, related articles.

What's the Difference Between Global Warming and Climate Change?
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Protecting Our Planet Starts with You

Ten simple choices for a healthier planet..

Infographic showing ten things you can do to protect the earth.

Protecting our planet starts with you. Here are just a few of the things you can do.

Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth

Reduce, reuse, and recycle . Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the three "R's" to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
Volunteer . Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in protecting your watershed, too.
Educate . When you further your own education, you can help others understand the importance and value of our natural resources.
Conserve water . The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually end up in the ocean.
Choose sustainable . Learn how to make smart seafood choices at www.fishwatch.gov .
Shop wisely . Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
Use long-lasting light bulbs . Energy efficient light bulbs reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room!
Plant a tree . Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change.
Don't send chemicals into our waterways . Choose non-toxic chemicals in the home and office.
Bike more . Drive less.

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23 Environmental Service Project Ideas

Our environment is more than a background: it’s our home. Lions and Leos are committed to caring for it. Here are some environmental service project ideas* that you and your club can do to help sustainably protect and restore our environment and improve the well-being of all communities.

Beginner Environmental Projects Ideas

Plant trees. Consult your local environment authorities to determine the type and number of trees needed, as well as the location for planting. Download our Tree Planting Project Planner .
Meet on a monthly basis and clean up a beach, community space or roadside area as a club.* Video: Keeping Greenland Clean
Hold an environment-themed photo contest at a local school. Reward the winner with a tree planted in their honor or another green form of recognition.
Using a reusable water bottle or coffee mug rather than disposable products.
Changing to energy-saving lightbulbs.
Setting a time limit for your shower to reduce water consumption.
Develop a Green Living Tip Sheet and share it electronically with members of your community or network.
Recognize a local organization or community leader for their efforts in environmental conservation.
Volunteer with your local park service to maintain trails . You will help more people access and enjoy nature! Blog: Jarvis Lions Walking Trail
Commit to “Meatless Mondays” , or to not eating meat one day each week.
Collect used cellphones and donate them to individuals in need.

Intermediate Environmental Projects Ideas

Lead an after-school nature walk* for young students. Encourage them to make observations and ask questions, then have them draw a picture of their experience afterwards. LION Magazine: Outdoor Learning with Tucson Lions
Host a virtual watch party of an environmental film or documentary.
Work with city officials to paint “no dumping” signs near road drainage areas.
Identify where to recycle toxic items and share/advertise its schedule of collection campaigns.
Organize an environmental mural competition . Paint the winner’s artwork in an appropriate area to beautify your community and promote environmental awareness. LION Magazine: Mural Increases Visibility of Lions
Host a community recycling drive where people donate gently used items or trash to support local charity organizations. LION Magazine: Cans for Kids with Cancer
Organize a Lunch and Learn meeting* with students at your school. Afterward, teach them how to sort their recyclables and trash.

Advanced Environmental Projects Ideas

Develop a demonstration garden or landscaping plot using native plant species to encourage restoration of the local natural habitat and water conservation.
Sponsor a training program for small farmers on how to make and use organic fertilizers and pesticides .
Produce a monthly nature program on the local public radio station. Feature environmental topics of interest, interview environmental activists in your community and promote Lions environmental projects.
Host a public debate* on controversial environmental issues in your community. Share the results with government officials.
Partner with a local carpenter (or DIY tutorial) to build a rain barrel . Then, hold a training with community members to promote using barrels for watering and irrigation. Video: Rain Barrels Conserve Water
Organize an alternative transportation incentive program in your community to encourage walking, biking, public transportation and carpooling.
Work with local schools to develop school gardens and composting programs to improve the quality of school meals and reduce waste. Videos: Lions Build School Gardens in Uruguay and Montana

Download Service Project Ideas List: Environment

Learn more about the Lions Global Cause: Environment

*Serve safely. Adhere to local COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, wear a mask and organize virtual gatherings and trainings where possible.

Jacqui MacKenzie is the social media and community manager for Lions Clubs International.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted communities around the world in different ways. To ensure we’re serving safely wherever we live, Lions should follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization or local health authorities. Visit our Serving Safely page for resources that can help you safely serve your community.

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Your partner to save the planet.

The Partnership Project provides fiscal sponsorship and organizational support to environmental campaigns and partners working to protect our environment and sustain it for future generations.

What we do — and why we do it.

The Partnership Project is a movement infrastructure organization – we want to create a stronger, more connected, and more equitable environmental movement.

Through our work as a fiscal sponsor, we are focused on supporting environmental campaigns and partners working on some of the most important issues of our time: addressing the climate crisis, accelerating the transition to clean energy, reducing the use of fossil fuels, and amplifying the work of environmental justice.

In other words, we make sure those working to protect our environment can focus on their mission.

Creating a stronger and more connected environmental movement

The Partnership Project provides fiscal sponsorship to organizations working to protect our environment. Here are some of the amazing partners we support.

Partner Spotlight – Environmental Polling Consortium

Making public opinion data more accessible

The Environmental Polling Consortium (EPC) helps environmental advocates to use public opinion research in their campaigns. By collecting, distributing, and interpreting polling data on public opinion research about climate and environmental issues, the EPC works to make this research more accessible and to democratize data across the movement.

Partner Spotlight – Green Leadership Trust

Creating more diverse leadership

The Green Leadership Trust (GLT) is a network of Black, Indigenous, and people of color who serve on U.S. nonprofit environmental boards. GLT is working to build a more powerful environmental movement by diversifying its leadership.

During Climate Week in New York City, the Green Leadership Trust team had extraordinary demands for support to review and process a myriad of transactions related to the convenings. We deeply appreciate the time, attention, and dedication of the Partnership Project staff – they seem to always go above and beyond our expectations.

Your partner to save the planet.

EPA awards $20 billion in green bank grants for clean energy projects nationwide

D ETROIT (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday awarded $20 billion in federal green bank grants to eight community development banks and nonprofit organizations to use on projects combating climate change in disadvantaged communities and helping Americans save money and reduce their carbon footprints.

The money could fund tens of thousands of eligible projects ranging from residential heat pumps and other energy-efficient home improvements to larger-scale projects such as electric vehicle charging stations and community cooling centers.

“We have the capacity with this approach to empower communities to decide which projects they want that will have the greatest impact from their perspective in the place they call home,” said Vice President Kamala Harris, who traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to unveil the funding.

It was Harris' fourth trip to the battleground state this year as Democrats hope to win a state that they narrowly lost to Republican Donald Trump in the last presidential election.

In a local radio interview conducted before her trip, Harris said North Carolina will “really help determine the outcome of who will occupy the White House for the next four years. And this election, we've got everything on the line.”

The green bank that oversees the grants announced Thursday was created by Biden's landmark climate law , the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022.

Formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the $27 billion bank is one of many federal efforts to invest in solutions that cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and address human-caused climate change , a topic President Joe Biden has emphasized in his presidency and Democratic reelection campaign.

The bank’s goals are to reduce climate and air pollution and mobilize public and private capital in the communities that need it most.

“While every community has the capacity to join the clean energy economy, not every community has had the opportunity to do that," Harris said.

Before her speech at a community center, Harris joined Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan at a home in the Grier Heights neighborhood that had taken advantage of financing opportunities to become more energy efficient.

Harris told the homeowner that she hopes others “will see for themselves what is possible for them and their families.:

As part of Thursday's news, the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund program granted money to three nonprofits that will partner with states and the private sector to provide affordable financing for projects across the country.

The $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator also granted money to five institutions that will work with other groups to establish hubs that make funding and technical assistance accessible to community lenders.

Recipients committed to spending $7 in private sector funding for each $1 from the federal investment money, to “reduce or avoid” 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year and earmark 70% of the money for disadvantaged and low-income communities. These groups are often passed over by commercial banks and investors yet are disproportionately impacted by climate change.

Among the eight funding recipients are:

—Coalition for Green Capital, a nonprofit working with a nationwide network of state, local, and nonprofit green banks, received $5 billion.

—Power Forward Communities, a nonprofit coalition formed by five housing, climate, and community investment groups, received $2 billion.

—Appalachian Community Capital, a nonprofit community development financial institution working with lenders in Appalachia, received $500 million.

Also part of the bank is the $7 billion Solar for All program, which will award states, tribes and municipalities money for a variety of residential and community solar projects at a later date.

Specifics around the bank were outlined last February , with applications for the programs sought in July and due last fall.

“I do think this is a really important part of our national strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and engage every community in the clean energy revolution,” Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen told The Associated Press in an interview. The Democrat first introduced legislation to create a national green bank 15 years ago. “Now we just need to work very hard on implementation," he said.

But the taxpayer-funded green bank has also faced opposition , notably from Republicans in Congress, who have called it a “slush fund” and voiced concern over accountability and transparency on how the money is used. House Republicans passed a bill last month to repeal the bank and other parts of the president’s climate agenda.

At the state level, Connecticut’s Green Bank and others have been successful in tracking the impact of their programs.

Through the national program, projects included could be larger, make more money and be more impactful.

“The scale envisioned for these entities could model successful state green banks while supercharging the number of communities served,” Katherine Hamilton, chair of public policy firm 38 North Solutions and who worked on underlying legislation for the fund, said in an email. She said that would help the country move “more quickly through the energy transition.”

Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report from Washington.

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @alexa_stjohn . Reach her at [email protected] .

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

ARCHIVO - La vicepresidenta Kamala Harris habla sobre salud pública en Raleigh, Carolina del Norte, 26 de marzo de 2024. Los organismos federales deben demostrar que sus herramientas de inteligencia artificial no hacen daño a la gente, o bien dejar de usarlas, según nuevas normas reveladas por la Casa Blanca el jueves 28 de marzo de 2024. (AP Foto/Matt Kelley, File)

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Netflix's '3 Body Problem' makes some big changes from the book. Here's how the show and novels differ.

"3 Body Problem" is based on Liu Cixin's "Remembrance of Earth's Past" novel trilogy.
Here are nine of the biggest differences between the show and books.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season one of "3 Body Problem" and Liu Cixin's novels.

Netflix's "3 Body Problem" is an adaptation of Liu Cixin's wide-ranging "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy of novels. And while the show hews close to its source material in some instances, it wildly diverges in others.

The series was adapted for the small screen by "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, in addition to "True Blood" writer Alexander Woo. Liu's original novels are strongly anchored in China: They begin during the Cultural Revolution , something that carries over to the show, and primarily feature Chinese characters in the modern day.

"3 Body Problem" moves the show's focus away from China to a more global stage, and its modern-day sequences take place primarily in England rather than China. As a result, the show features a global cast.

Here are the other major differences between the books and the show. Warning — major spoilers ahead for all eight episodes of "3 Body Problem," and Liu Cixin's novels, which will likely serve as a roadmap for a potential season two .

The show splits up one of the book's main characters into several different people

In "The Three-Body Problem," the first of Liu's novels, Wang Miao is one of the primary characters. He's a nanomaterials researcher who starts to see a countdown in his photographs after becoming embroiled in an investigation into the deaths of scientists alongside gruff police officer Da Shi. In the process, he begins playing an immersive video game about a world within a three-star system. Wang Miao learns that the world — and its inhabitants — are real, and is brought into an organization preparing for their arrival on Earth.

Wang Miao maps most closely onto Augustina ("Auggie") Salazar, played by Eiza González in the show. Auggie is working on developing nanofiber technology — that is, until she stops her research when she begins seeing a countdown in her field of vision. In both the books and the show, it's Wang Miao and Auggie's nanofibers that get put to use slicing apart the Judgment Day in order to gain intel on the aliens.

However, parts of Wang Miao's character were also incorporated into Jin Cheng, played by Jess Hong. In the show, Jin is the one who first plays the virtual reality game, and she does so under the name "Copernicus," Wang Miao's player name. When she progresses far enough in the game, she's also told the truth about the aliens, serving as a double agent.

Jin Cheng also bears similarities to another character in the novels

Wang Miao aside, Jin Cheng more precisely corresponds to the character Cheng Xin, who doesn't appear until "Death's End," the third book in the series.

In the books, Cheng Xin proposes the Staircase Project, an initiative to launch a probe towards the alien fleet. She's also the one who persuades her terminally ill former classmate Yun Tianming to participate in the Staircase Project.

Speaking of Yun Tianming, he got turned into Will Downing

"3 Body Problem's" answer to Yun Tianming is Will Downing, part of the cohort of Oxford alums in the show. He's quit research to teach physics — that is, until he receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. After coming into a large amount of money following their friend Jack Rooney's death, Will purchases a star for Jin Cheng and agrees to participate in the Staircase Project.

Saul is based on a character named Luo Ji

Saul, another member of the Oxford Five, spends much of the show's first season mucking around. However, in its final episode, he's named a "Wallfacer," a position created by the United Nations that gives three individuals unlimited power to fight the San-Ti. The trick? They can't tell anyone their plans due to the San-Ti's observational powers. By the end of the first season, Saul isn't too keen on being a Wallfacer and doesn't understand why he was chosen.

In the books, he most closely resembles Luo Ji, the primary character of the second novel, "The Dark Forest." The UN bizarrely chooses Luo Ji to act as a Wallfacer, and he shirks the responsibility after realizing that he can't turn down the role. Eventually, he's the one to temporarily solve the Trisolaran problem, locking them into a deterrence-based stalemate.

The aliens are called 'Trisolarans' in the books

In the English translation of Liu's novels, the alien colonizers are referred to as "trisolarans," as a reference to their tri-solar world. The organization preparing for their arrival on Earth is the ETO: the Earth-Trisolaris Organization. However, in the Netflix series, they're called the "San-Ti."

The moniker in the show is a reference to Ye Wenjie's first contact with the aliens while she was based in China. "Sān tǐ-rén" means "three-body people" in Chinese.

The show doesn't explore the factions of the ETO

In the books, the ETO has a few different factions: the Adventists, who want the Trisolarans to destroy humanity; the Redemptionists, who religiously worship the Trisolarans; and the Survivors, who serve the Trisolarans in the hope that they and their descendants may be spared when they invade.

In the show, things are a bit simpler. Mike Evans is a leader of the movement, while Ye Wenjie is its founder. The members of the organization refer to the San-Ti as their "Lord," and some, like Tatiana (Marlo Kelly), display religious zealousness.

Sophon comes in much earlier in the show

In both the show and the books, sophons are protons that the San-Ti have turned into supercomputers. They're sentient, and make the San-Ti essentially omniscient on Earth.

In the books, Sophon doesn't manifest as a physical character until the third novel in the series, "Death's End." In the book, she's a robot representative of the Trisolarans on Earth.

However, Sophon, played by Sea Shimooka, shows up in season one of the show as the katana-wielding game master. She's also the voice of the San-Ti during conversations with Evans. Shimooka told Business Insider in a recent interview that she drew from performances like Alicia Vikander in "Ex Machina" and Evan Rachel Wood in "Westworld" while crafting her approach to the character.

"Where we see her in season 1 is so far from where we see her down the line," Shimooka told BI. "I really had to rely on the scripts the writers gave me. When I had finished the books by the time we started filming, I was glad that I had already zeroed in on her calm demeanor even if her arc changes dramatically."

The VR headsets are way simpler in the series

The silver, metallic headsets of "3 Body Problem" are one of its most prominent symbols. In the show, they're completely seamless, transporting the viewer into a hyper-realistic virtual world immediately after donning them.

In the book, things aren't quite so advanced. Wang Miao plays the video game through a V-suit, composed of a "panoramic viewing helmet and a haptic feedback suit." This suit is able to mimic hot and cold temperatures, as well as physical sensations like getting hit.

"In the books, it's meant to be kind of a slightly advanced consumer technology where it would be as if everybody had an Oculus headset and this was a game that showed up," Weiss told BI during a roundtable interview.

"Whereas we'd made a conscious choice to make something a lot, lot farther along than that," he continued. "Something that obviously was tied in its origins to the alien civilizations that we were in contact and conflict with. So that meant photo-real, or at least a hyper-real kind of feeling."

In the show, Ye Wenjie has a child with Mike Evans, not a Red Coast colleague

In "3 Body Problem," Ye Wenjie's daughter Vera Ye dies by suicide in the first episode. We later learn that her father was Mike Evans, the oil heir and one of the leaders of the organization preparing for the San-Ti's arrival.

In the book, Vera Ye is Yang Dong, Ye Wenjie's daughter who also dies by suicide early in the novel. She's the daughter of Yang Weining, one of Ye Wenjie's supervisors at the Red Coast base, whom Ye Wenjie married during her time there.

"3 Body Problem" is now streaming on Netflix .

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

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Plant a tree in your yard.

Cut back on driving.

Volunteer to clean up your community.

Recycle items properly.

Upcycle items.

Compost your food scraps and yard waste.

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Shop at second-hand stores.

Choose reusable items over single-use plastic.

Reduce the amount of paper you print and use.

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Conserve water around the house.

Use fewer chemicals in your daily life.

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Donate to environmental causes.

Encourage others to help save the environment.

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