Fact Sheet: Kids in Action
Remember that some areas of your school may be off-limits without permission from your teacher or principal, and some projects should be done with at least one partner. Check with your teacher before beginning any of the activities or projects listed here.
Why It Matters
Kids play an important role in protecting the environment at school and in the community. But we can also make a difference farther from home -- across the country or even across the world. Kid power is strong. Use it!
What Kids Can Do
- Learn the facts: Learn about the environment and the threats it faces. Are you interested in oceans? Forests? Animals? Are you concerned about problems in your own community? In other parts of the world? Do you worry about air pollution? Habitat loss? Health? Information on all of these topics is available in libraries and on the Internet. Remember, the more you know, the more you can do.
- Raise awareness: A lot of the time, people don't realize their actions might be hurting the environment or they're not aware of steps they can take to protect it. Let people know what's going on. Talk to people in your school, at home and in your community. Make posters. Write letters. Send email.
- Speak out: Many activities that harm our health or environment take place because too few people know about them -- or speak out against them. When people do speak up, companies or governments often change their plans. A very effective way to do this is a letter-writing campaign. When hundreds or even thousands of people write to a company and oppose its plans, they can often put a stop to dangerous practices. Today, because of email, this process is easier than ever. Check out the websites of environmental groups and see if they're running email campaigns on issues that you care about.
- Get out and improve the environment: You can help make your neighborhood cleaner and greener in lots of ways. You can clean up trash, start a recycling program or plant a tree.
Project Ideas
- Investigate an issue: Your class can pick an environmental issue and learn more about it. Take global warming, for example. What is it? Why does it happen? What can people do about it? Good places to start your research include the EPA Student Center and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's students' page. Both have links to other resources for learning about the environment.
- Save wild places: Visit NRDC's BioGems website and choose one of the 12 endangered wild places. Send an action letter to help save your BioGem, then prepare a short presentation explaining the situation there to other kids. Where is your BioGem located? What is the situation that threatens it? What animals and other resources are in danger?
- Find out about environmental activities in your community: You can connect with local environmental groups through the National Environmental Directory.