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Community Green Projects

Getting local people involved in a green project helps improve the community and brings people together. Some projects, such as community gardens or recycling swaps, also help people save money. Volunteers can have fun while they clean up a park or build a community garden. Green projects are for people of all ages who want to get involved and give back to the community.

  1. Community Gardens

    • Community gardens are plots of land or raised garden beds that belong to the community. People in cities and suburbs who don't have enough land for a garden can start community gardens. Surplus produce can be distributed to soup kitchens to help low income families. Community gardens make fresh food accessible to more people and reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to transport food from far away.

    Beautification

    • Start a beautification project to clean up your community. Volunteers can pick up trash in local parks, beaches and along roads. Cleanup projects are ideal service projects for youth groups. Other ways to beautify a community include planting trees and flowers in urban areas, or building parks and green spaces.

    Watershed Protection

    • People can work together to protect and restore watersheds. Watersheds provide drinking water and recreation, such as fishing and boating. Find out which rivers, lakes or streams in your area need protection. Watershed groups remove trash, monitor water quality, and educate residents about reducing polluted runoff into the nearby waters.

    Clothing Swap

    • A clothing swap is a way to exchange barely used clothes. Recycling clothes keeps them out of the trash and helps people save money. The clothes can be free or part of a sale to raise funds for a nonprofit. Find a place where people can gather. Create guidelines about what quality of items will be accepted. A clothing swap can have a theme, such as children's clothes.

    Composting

    • Composting recycles biodegradable waste that usually ends up in the landfill. Start a composting project in your community to make it easier for people to dispose of pet waste. Make biodegradable pet disposal baggies available in parks so pet owners will stop using plastic bags. Food waste can be composted and used as fertilizer for gardens.

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