14 innovative projects helping to save the planet and make the world a better place

Environment nature biodiversity conservation

UpLink helps communities across the world face the threats of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Image:  Unsplash/Noah Buscher

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  • Digital crowdsourcing platform UpLink was created to address the world’s most pressing problems.
  • The initiative seeks sustainable solutions to tackle issues such as climate change and social injustice.
  • Projects are also aimed at tackling the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic.

The importance of sustainable solutions came to the fore in 2020 as communities across the world faced the threats of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital crowdsourcing platform UpLink was created to address such challenges and help speed up the delivery of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Unveiled at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in 2020, the platform - launched with founding partners Deloitte and Salesforce - connects the next generation of change-makers and social entrepreneurs to networks of contacts with the resources, expertise and experience to help bring about change.

Since its launch, UpLink has surfaced the best entrepreneurial solutions through competitions such as its Ocean Solutions Sprint , Trillion Trees Challenge , COVID-19 Social Justice Challenge and COVID Challenges . Here are some of the most innovative.

Have you read?

3 innovations leading the fight to save our forests, these 15 innovations are helping us fight covid-19 and its aftermath, 4 ideas that could make our response to covid-19 more equal.

Ocean Solutions Sprint

Cubex Global

Oman-based Cubex Global aims to cut global shipping emissions by enabling businesses to easily buy and sell unused container space on existing cargo routes. The company claims that its blockchain-based marketplace could help reduce emissions from shipping vessels by up to 20% and recover about $25 billion in lost freight revenue each year.

Waste management service RecyGlo works with businesses in Myanmar and Malaysia to recycle and process material in a safe and non-hazardous manner, helping to avoid mismanaged plastic being dumped in the region’s rivers and ending up in the ocean. The Yangon-based company manages 500 tonnes of waste and saves 1,470 tonnes of CO2 each month .

Scottish biotech start-up Oceanium uses sustainably-farmed seaweed to create food and nutrition products and compostable biopackaging. It believes that a sustainable seaweed farming industry can help mitigate the effects of climate change and create jobs.

COVID Challenge

Intelehealth

Developed at Johns Hopkins University, Intelehealth is a telemedicine platform that connects patients and frontline health workers with remote doctors to deliver primary care services at a distance in countries such as India.

UpLink is a digital platform to crowdsource innovations in an effort to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

It is an open platform designed to engage anyone who wants to offer a contribution for the global public good. The core objective is to link up the best innovators to networks of decision-makers, who can implement the change needed for the next decade. As a global platform, UpLink serves to aggregate and guide ideas and impactful activities, and make connections to scale-up impact.

Hosted by the World Economic Forum, UpLink is being designed and developed in collaboration with Salesforce, Deloitte and LinkedIn.

Emergency services app Flare provides next-generation 911 for those who do not have access to help in case of an emergency. In Kenya, its ‘Uber for ambulances’ platform has reduced response times by 87% and helped save 2,500 lives since its 2017 launch.

Carbon Health

Tech-enabled primary care provider Carbon Health aims to improve access to world-class healthcare. In the US, it established pop-up COVID clinics in 30 cities, with doctors available on video call, and has so far tested more than 500,000 people .

Desolenator

Desolenator’s solar-powered water purification systems help remote communities produce clean drinking water, without the need for filters, chemicals or external energy sources. This helps them build water resilience in the face of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic .

Trillion Trees Challenge

Borneo Nature Foundation

For over a decade, Borneo Nature Foundation has developed planting methods to reforest degraded deep peatland, which is an important carbon store, key to local economies and home to populations of orangutans. It has planted more than 30,000 seedlings , and established community seedling nurseries in villages near Borneo’s remaining tropical rainforests.

Reforestum and Ecosphere+

Spain-based CO2 offsetting service Reforestum teamed up with UK climate solutions company Ecosphere+ to enable individuals and businesses to finance forest conservation and restoration by offsetting their carbon footprint.

Inga Foundation

Slash-and-burn farming is the only source of income for millions of farmers but it’s devastating the world’s rainforests. This is something that the UK-based Inga Foundation wants to counter through its Inga Alley farming method, which helps farmers build long-term food security on one plot of land.

Social Justice Challenge

Global platform citiesRise seeks to transform mental health policy and practice for young people across the world through its Mental Health and Friendly Cities framework – something that is only likely to become even more relevant in the COVID-19 era.

Philippines-based telerehabilitation platform TheraWee aims to improve access to rehabilitation services for children with difficulties by connecting their parents with individuals, groups and communities that can offer them support.

Noora Health

US start-up Noora Health provides families with medical skills training to help look after their loved ones, both in health facilities and at home. Its Care Companion Program has already reached more than 1 million relatives in India and Bangladesh .

Family Mask’s #PPEforAll

Global Citizen Capital and its company Family Mask’s #PPEforAll initiative was set up to boost access to affordable personal protective equipment (PPE) as the pandemic hit. By July 2020, more than 1 million masks had been distributed to elderly people across the world.

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23 Environmental Service Project Ideas

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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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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.

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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.

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The Ultimate Environmental Science Project List: 50 Ideas for a Sustainable Future

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that explores the complex interactions between humans and the natural world. As our planet faces unprecedented challenges such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution, environmental science projects play a critical role in understanding and addressing these issues.

In this list, we’ve compiled 50 potential environmental science projects that cover a broad range of topics, from renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to wildlife conservation and waste management. These projects can serve as inspiration for students, curious kids, and anyone interested in making a positive impact on the environment. Whether you’re looking to tackle a local issue or contribute to global efforts, there’s no shortage of exciting and impactful projects to explore.

  • Investigating the impact of plastic waste on marine life: This project would involve studying the effects of plastic waste on marine ecosystems, including the ingestion of plastics by marine organisms and the accumulation of plastic debris in ocean gyres.
  • Examining the effects of air pollution on human health: This project would involve analyzing the health effects of exposure to air pollution, including respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular disease.
  • Developing a more efficient and sustainable water treatment system: This project would involve designing and testing a water treatment system that is energy-efficient and sustainable, with minimal environmental impact.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of organic farming practices: This project would involve comparing the yields and environmental impacts of organic farming methods to conventional farming methods.
  • Creating a composting program for a community or school: This project would involve developing a composting program to reduce waste and produce nutrient-rich soil for gardening.
  • Investigating the environmental impact of mining operations: This project would involve studying the effects of mining on local ecosystems, including soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat destruction.
  • Studying the biodiversity of a local ecosystem: This project would involve identifying and documenting the plant and animal species in a local ecosystem, and analyzing the interrelationships between them.
  • Analyzing the effects of deforestation on climate change: This project would involve studying the impact of deforestation on carbon storage and the release of greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change.
  • Creating a solar-powered water desalination system: This project would involve designing and testing a system that uses solar energy to desalinate seawater, providing a sustainable source of fresh water.
  • Evaluating the impact of climate change on wildlife habitats: This project would involve studying the effects of climate change on the habitats and migration patterns of wildlife, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Developing a sustainable transportation system for a city or town: This project would involve designing and implementing a transportation system that is energy-efficient and sustainable, with minimal environmental impact.
  • Investigating the potential of algae biofuels: This project would involve studying the potential of algae as a source of biofuel, and developing methods for cultivating and harvesting algae for energy production.
  • Analyzing the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of ocean acidification on marine organisms, including coral reefs and shellfish, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Creating an energy-efficient home design: This project would involve designing and building a home that is energy-efficient and sustainable, with minimal environmental impact.
  • Designing a sustainable urban agriculture system: This project would involve designing and implementing an urban agriculture system that is energy-efficient and sustainable, with minimal environmental impact.
  • Studying the effects of pesticides on local wildlife: This project would involve studying the impact of pesticides on local wildlife, including birds, bees, and other pollinators, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Developing a sustainable waste management program: This project would involve designing and implementing a waste management program that is energy-efficient and sustainable, with minimal environmental impact.
  • Analyzing the impact of land use changes on local ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of changes in land use, such as urbanization and agriculture, on local ecosystems, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Investigating the effectiveness of renewable energy sources: This project would involve analyzing the effectiveness of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, in meeting energy demands and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Creating a green roof or wall system for buildings: This project would involve designing and implementing a green roof or wall system that provides insulation, reduces heat absorption, and
  • Studying the effects of noise pollution on wildlife behavior: This project would involve studying the impact of noise pollution on wildlife behavior, including changes in communication and reproductive success, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Developing a sustainable tourism program for a local area: This project would involve designing and implementing a tourism program that is sustainable and minimizes the impact on local ecosystems and communities.
  • Investigating the impact of microplastics on the environment: This project would involve studying the impact of microplastics, including their sources and effects on wildlife and human health, and developing strategies to reduce their release into the environment.
  • Analyzing the effects of water scarcity on human communities: This project would involve studying the impact of water scarcity on human communities, including access to clean water and the effects on health and livelihoods, and developing strategies to address the issue.
  • Creating a sustainable food distribution system: This project would involve designing and implementing a food distribution system that is sustainable and minimizes the impact on the environment while ensuring food security for all.
  • Evaluating the impact of climate change on crop yields: This project would involve studying the impact of climate change on crop yields, including changes in temperature, rainfall, and soil quality, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Studying the effects of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife: This project would involve studying the impact of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife, including changes in behavior and ecological interactions, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Developing a sustainable fishing program: This project would involve designing and implementing a fishing program that is sustainable and minimizes the impact on fish populations and marine ecosystems.
  • Investigating the potential of geothermal energy sources: This project would involve studying the potential of geothermal energy as a source of renewable energy, and developing methods for harnessing and using it.
  • Analyzing the impact of invasive species on local ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of invasive species on local ecosystems, including changes in biodiversity and ecological interactions, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Creating a sustainable packaging system for products: This project would involve designing and implementing a packaging system that is sustainable and minimizes the environmental impact of products.
  • Studying the effects of climate change on ocean currents: This project would involve studying the impact of climate change on ocean currents, including changes in temperature and circulation, and the effects on marine ecosystems and global climate.
  • Developing a sustainable water supply system for a community: This project would involve designing and implementing a water supply system that is sustainable and provides access to clean water for all.
  • Investigating the impact of deforestation on soil quality: This project would involve studying the impact of deforestation on soil quality, including changes in nutrient content and erosion, and developing strategies to restore degraded soils.
  • Analyzing the effects of global warming on Arctic ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of global warming on Arctic ecosystems, including changes in ice cover and wildlife habitats, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Creating a sustainable urban planning system: This project would involve designing and implementing an urban planning system that is sustainable and minimizes the environmental impact of cities.
  • Studying the effects of climate change on water availability: This project would involve studying the impact of climate change on water availability, including changes in precipitation and water storage, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Developing a sustainable energy storage system: This project would involve designing and implementing an energy storage system that is sustainable and minimizes the impact on the environment.
  • Investigating the impact of ocean currents on marine life migration patterns: This project would involve studying the impact of ocean currents on the migration patterns of marine organisms, including changes in distribution and population dynamics, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Analyzing the effects of urbanization on local ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of urbanization on local ecosystems, including changes in biodiversity and habitat fragmentation, and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Creating a sustainable transportation infrastructure for freight: This project would involve designing and implementing a transportation infrastructure that is sustainable and minimizes the impact of freight transportation on the environment.
  • Studying the effects of climate change on bird migration patterns: This project would involve studying the impact of climate change on bird migration patterns, including changes in timing and range, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Developing a sustainable food production system for cities: This project would involve designing and implementing a food production system that is sustainable and provides fresh, healthy food for urban populations.
  • Investigating the impact of sea level rise on coastal ecosystems: This project would involve studying the impact of sea level rise on coastal ecosystems, including changes in erosion and flooding, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Analyzing the effects of drought on soil health: This project would involve studying the impact of drought on soil health, including changes in nutrient content and erosion, and developing strategies to restore degraded soils.
  • Creating a sustainable pest management system for agriculture: This project would involve designing and implementing a pest management system that is sustainable and minimizes the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides.
  • Studying the effects of air pollution on plant growth: This project would involve studying the impact of air pollution on plant growth and productivity and developing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
  • Developing a sustainable wildfire management program: This project would involve designing and implementing a wildfire management program that is sustainable and minimizes the impact on local ecosystems and communities.
  • Investigating the impact of climate change on insect populations: This project would involve studying the impact of climate change on insect populations, including changes in distribution and abundance, and developing strategies to adapt to the changes.
  • Analyzing the effects of e-waste on the environment: This project would involve studying the impact of electronic waste on the environment, including the disposal and recycling of electronic devices, and developing strategies to reduce the release of harmful materials into the environment.

In conclusion, environmental science projects are essential for understanding and addressing the challenges that our planet faces. From mitigating the effects of climate change to protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainability, these projects play a critical role in shaping our future.

The 50 projects we’ve listed provide a diverse range of options for individuals and groups looking to make a positive impact on the environment. Whether it’s through scientific research, engineering design, or community-based initiatives, there are countless ways to get involved and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world. By taking action and pursuing these projects, we can work towards a better future for ourselves and the planet we call home.

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24 Creative Green Projects to Tackle Now

environment related project

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

By Courtney Lindwall

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.

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Restoring Florida Everglades Depends Upon Fixing State’s Freshwater Flow, Conservationists Say

In ‘vital victory for farmers and the environment,’ arizona court cancels epa’s approval of dicamba pesticide.

Scarlett ibis at Caroni Swamp, Trinidad and Tobago.

Small solutions, big impacts: 5 community-based projects tackling climate change

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There are thousands of small-scale, community driven initiatives making a huge difference in people’s lives and contributing to efforts to curb global warming.

In early April, 29 countries pledged more than $5 billion to the UN-backed Global Environment Facility ( GEF ). The Fund said this was “record support, providing a major boost to international efforts to protect biodiversity and curb threats to climate change, plastics and toxic chemicals ”.

But why such a major boost? Well, the GEF is a multilateral fund that serves as a financial mechanism for several environmental conventions including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

It has its own Small Grants Program (SGP) which grants of up to $50,000 directly to local communities including indigenous peoples, community-based organizations and other non-governmental groups investing in projects related to healing our planet.

The initiative is implemented in 127 countries by the UN Development Program ( UNDP ) which provides technical support to these selected local projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s wellbeing and livelihoods.

Here at UN News, we want to highlight just five of the over 25,000 projects implemented since 1992, the year the GEF started working. Though the Fund’s projects span the globe, this list features a few initiatives currently improving the future of humankind and wildlife in Latin-America and the Caribbean.

 1. Indigenous women solar engineers bringing light to rural Belize

The three Mayan solar engineers who are bringing electricity to rural villages in Belize.

For people living in cities is sometimes hard to believe that in 2022 there are still communities that don’t have electricity, but more than 500 million people worldwide don’t have access to this kind of service that many consider ‘basic’.

This is the reality for people in the District of Toledo, in Belize, where several rural villages lie far away from the national electricity grid making it hard – and costly – to electrify their communities.

However, thanks to a partnership funded by the GEF’s Small Grants Program (SGP), three Mayan women solar engineers are installing solar energy systems and contributing to sustainable development in small indigenous communities in Southern Belize.

Florentina Choco, Miriam Choc and Cristina Choc, were trained by the Barefoot College in India to build and repair small household solar systems as part of a South-South cooperation exchange (Countries from the Global South sharing technical knowledge with their counterparts, without a developed country involved).

“ These women are shattering the glass ceiling! They have installed solar systems to four indigenous communities impacting over 1000 residents,” says Leonel Requena, SGP Belize National Coordinator.

In 2021, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, these solar engineers, along with national authorities and partners installed these solar energy systems to two of Belize’s most remote communities.

With the work in just one of these villages, Graham Creek , they powered 25 homes benefiting over 150 residents, as well as a primary school with 30 children.

The best of all, UNDP estimates they have helped avoid 6.5 tonnes of carbon emissions.

“Women are outstanding leaders in Belize driving the sustainable development agenda fostering harmony between nature and people for the benefit of both,” adds Mr. Requena.

2. Turning Barbados into a champion of Hawksbill turtles’ conservation

Sea turtle slowly swiming in blue water through sunlight.

Did you know that extreme temperatures during heatwaves fuelled by climate change are literally cooking baby turtles in their nest ?

Hawksbill sea turtles are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered as their population is decreasing around the world.

For ages, they have been hunted for their eggs and meat and now they are also at risk from coastal development and our changing climate, among other threats.

But a small grant 20 years ago turned into a big opportunity for this species to thrive in the Caribbean Island of Barbados.

The Barbados Sea Turtle Project , based at the University of the West Indies’ Campus, is the home of the regional Marine Turtle Tagging Centre and the wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network.

Tagging turtles helps scientists and conservationists to track their movements, calculate their growth rates, survival and reproductive output.

Barbados is currently home to the second-largest Hawksbill turtle nesting population in the wider Caribbean, with up to 500 females nesting per year. Turtle nesting occurs on most of the beaches around the island, which, like many in the region, is heavily developed with tourism infrastructure.

The Barbados Sea Turtle Project tags these creatures, measures them and archives and analyses the data for over 30 coordinated projects in the region. These research projects inform their conservation activities.

Each August when the baby turtles hatch, the project runners are on call seven days a week to respond to emergencies that might include hatchlings wandering off in the wrong direction or preparing for swells that can wash away nests during hurricane season.

The project runners also help communities promote ecotourism based on best practices, which provides a source of income for local communities.

Barbados is now well known for the success of its sea turtle conservation activities. The degree to which the Hawksbill population has recovered thus far allows trainees to work with large numbers of turtles and experience the challenges posed by extensive coastal development.

The widely renowned project recently received a new small grant from the GEF of $46,310.

“Thanks to this grant [this project has] been able to offer persons from other sea turtle projects in the region the opportunity to be trained alongside BSTP volunteers in a South-to-South Exchange… The ongoing work of the Project is integral to the conservation and protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles, their terrestrial and marine habitats,” said Karen Harper, Programme Assistant of SGP in Barbados.

3. Helping Venezuelan indigenous families mitigate the degradation of the Amazon Forest

Indigenous displaced families in Venezuela are learning to restore native forests while using their products to improve their livelihoods.

Puerto Ayacucho is the capital and largest city of the State of Amazonas in the south of Venezuela, its inhabitants include a number of local indigenous tribes, including the Yanomami, the Panare, the Bari, Piaroa and Guajibo (also known as Jibis).

Many of these populations have been displaced from their lands due to the socioeconomic crisis in the country, as well as the presence of armed groups and illegal mining activities.

The project Amazonas Originaria is currently training a group of indigenous displaced families to sustainably use and care for the tropical forests in the vicinity of Puerto Ayacucho. They are learning how to manage crops of cocoa, cupuaçu, manaca and túpiro (all amazon native plants) as well as how to transform their fruits into pulp, chocolates, baskets and other products.

“This project, in particular, is interesting and inspiring, as it is led by women… it supports the fight against climate change, since its purpose is to conserve the Amazon Forest as the main carbon sink in southern Venezuela, working hand in hand with native communities, valuing their traditions and protecting their ancestral habitat,” explains national SGP coordinator Alexis Bermúdez.

According to the UN Environment Programme, or UNEP , in the Amazon, the world’s largest remaining tropical rainforest, deforestation is reducing carbon stocks and altering the regional climate. The effects of climate change, forest degradation and more forest fires could result in 60 per cent of the Amazon rainforest disappearing by 2050.

The SGP-supported initiative not only trains members of the community to make Amazon-derived products and ecological packaging helping them to diversify their livelihoods, but at the same time it works to restore parts of the degraded tropical forest by re-planting native trees and other species.

“When families pass on this knowledge, we make indigenous communities gain the necessary strength and confidence to face the conservation of their culture and their environment, organize the community for the production and marketing of their products in more select markets and contribute directly to creating a sustainable economy,” Kenia Martinez from Amazonas Originaria notes.

4. Exchanging ideas to make tourism more eco-friendly and sustainable

Leaders of community tourism in Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica got together to exchange good practices.

Clearly, climate change and environmental degradation can´t be tackled by a single community, instead, unity is strength when we talk about exchanging ideas that have already proven successful.

The project Dialogue of Latin American Knowledge around Community Tourism has brought together community tourism ventures from Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Mexico to exchange experiences and good practices.

Tourism is the backbone of some economies and the source of livelihood for many people, especially those living in developing countries, but if mismanaged, it often puts pressure on natural resources through overconsumption, induces stress on local land use, as well as increases pollution and natural habitat loss.

Community tourism, on the other hand, is an economic alternative that allows local communities to generate complementary income to their main productive activities and at the same time protect and value the natural and cultural wealth of their territories.

“Alone we go faster, but together we go further,” Beatriz Schmitt, SGP Panama National Coordinator highlights.

The SGP-supported dialogues consisted of virtual trainings and good practices exchanges with 23 rural organizations focusing on local development, collaborative working networks, marketing, institutional perspective and biosafety protocols.

At the end of the virtual training, participants visited community tourism experiences in Costa Rica where the programme has been promoting rural tourism for 20 years and has established a robust institutional framework.

“Community tourism is a local strategy that brings income to rural communities. This project is important because tourism is not approached only as a business but instead, it is derived from experiences of land conservation where these communities live,” Viviana Rodriguez, SGP Programme Assistant in Panama tells UN News.

She adds that by conserving these areas for tourism and reducing other activities such as large-scale agriculture, small communities are also contributing to the fight against climate change.

5. Saving the water-rich Colombian Paramos, with a gender twist

Páramo is a type of alpine moorland—cold, wet and windy—concentrated in the northern Andes above the treeline from Venezuela through Northern Peru.

Colombia's paramos, tundra ecosystems in the Andes mountains that are above the forest line but below the snowline, occupy just 1.7 per cent of the national territory, yet they produce 85 per cent of its drinking water.

Guardianas de los Páramos  (Paramos Women Guardians) is an Alliance between the GEF Small Grants Program and two other organizations that are supporting a variety of community projects focused on conservation and climate change adaptation in the Paramos Pisba and TotaBijagual-Mamapacha, about 280 km to the northeast of Bogotá.

The alliance puts special emphasis on women’s participation since historically, the intervention of women in environmental management has been diminished because of discrimination and inequitable access to resources.

A total of 37 projects were selected benefiting 2,400 families who had been working since 2020 to restore native plants, thus strengthening biological corridors and maintaining protected areas.

The initiatives also include aqueduct adaptation, as well as the implementation of homemade agroecological gardens to reduce the use of traditional productive systems that are harmful to the environment.

“It is necessary to implement actions aimed at controlling or reducing pressures on the paramo and to mitigate negative actions by extractive activities in the area, establishing conservation areas and measures to reduce risks associated with climate change”, says Catalina Avella, the alliance field coordinator.

Paramos are a unique Andean ecosystem, only found in high mountains of the north of South America, they are strategic not only due to their plant and animal biodiversity but also of their ecosystem services, including carbon sequestrations in the soil and water regulation.

The increase in temperatures and changes in rain patterns due to climate change poses a threat to these ecosystems, as well as mining and infrastructure projects.

Young climate activists take part in demonstrations at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Great projects, right? So, how can you get involved?

If you have a project related to climate change mitigation, reversing land degradation, sustainable forest management, or protecting biodiversity, visit the Small Grants Program website where you can find out how to apply depending on your country.

SGP grants are made directly to community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations in recognition of the key role they play as a resource and constituency for environment and development concerns. The maximum grant amount per project is $50,000 but averages around $25,000.

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Land & Water Stories

5 Conservation Projects Focused on Long-Term Success

To protect nature through the ages, creativity and local champions go a long way.

By Adam Bloom, Senior Writer | February 15, 2022

Lush vegetation surrounds thick tree trunks in an old-growth forest in Alaska.

Climate change and a drop in the world's biodiversity make it essential that we conserve more of nature faster than ever.

And so we’re speeding up our work. But sometimes to go faster, we must also go slowly (or at least deliberately). We need to ensure that our conservation efforts not only protect nature now but keep it protected throughout the years.

Enduring conservation is an active process that involves elements like:

Buy-in from local people sustains our work.

Partnership

We can go so much further together than alone.

Long-term conservation costs money and needs long-term funding.

New methods help us protect more, and share successes with others.

Human creativity expands what conservation can be, finding new paths forward.

So how do these elements come together, and what does lasting conservation really look like?

Here are 5 projects where we’re finding the people and paths to make conservation last through the ages.  

Breathing new life into the “Lungs of North America”

Centering the needs of Indigenous peoples is the key to securing the Tongass Forest's future.

Lush green vegetation and moss covers the thick trunks of trees in an old growth forest in Alaska.

Elements in this project:

Community, partnership, funding, innovation.

Southeast Alaska’s Tongass is the largest remaining coastal temperate rainforest on Earth. This lush landscape is called the “Lungs of North America” due to the massive amount of carbon it stores and the oxygen it produces.

For generations, the Tongass was the scene of tense conflict over old-growth timber cutting. Ancient forests were lost. Loggers and conservationists feuded, and both sides left out the voices of Indigenous peoples such as the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.

12 years ago, with the scars still fresh, tribal governments, community groups, government agencies and TNC took a chance on an experimental partnership.

Harnessing the power of trust-building, the  Sustainable Southeast Partnership  has succeeded at developing sustainable economic solutions that support Indigenous stewardship and authority.

4 young adults wearing boots and jackets stand in a forest while holding various tools.

And now, the partnership can realize its vision across Southeast Alaska’s 22 million acres.

TNC and partners recently launched the Seacoast Trust, a fund to permanently support programs weaving Indigenous values into resource management, ecological revitalization, and economic development.

Seacoast Trust will fund efforts to restore salmon runs, bring forests back to health, establish forest carbon projects, increase local food sovereignty, and inspire Indigenous youth.

It’s the future of conservation, but the lesson is quite old: center efforts around the needs of communities who have long stewarded the land and the land will heal.

Raising coral superheroes

Think in-vitro fertilization, but with a lot more scuba diving.

A swarm of fish and other marine life surround a large coral reef full of staghorn, elkhorn, sponge and brain corals.

Partnership, Science, Funding

Coral reefs aren’t just beautiful: they support roughly 25% of the ocean’s biodiversity and protect coastal communities from waves. In just three decades, 60% of the iconic coral reefs in the Caribbean have disappeared due to pollution, overfishing and climate change.

To give these reefs the best chance to survive and thrive, TNC is uniting some of the world’s best coral science to nurture a new generation of coral diversity.

And scientists are swimming in a sea of coral eggs and sperm to accomplish the mission.

It’s all part of TNC’s U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Innovation Hub , an international coral research center offering a powerful network to share and test techniques in the ocean and at a new land-based coral nursery.

Many coral species release their eggs and sperm only once or twice a year. The team checked nightly on elkhorn coral, and when the moment arrived, they collected enough to raise 750,000 coral embryos in protected nurseries.

By collecting across multiple colonies, the new coral have higher genetic diversity and a better chance of surviving warmer water or fighting off disease into the future.

When strong enough, these young corals can be planted back in the ocean in strategic locations where ocean currents can continue the natural genetic exchange between coral colonies.

Getting dams to go with the flow—for nature

More water at the right time goes a long way for freshwater ecosystems.

Huge cypress trees grow out of the water at a lake in Texas. The tree trunks widen dramatically near the water's surface. Many trees are displaying autumn colors with branches full of spanish moss.

Science, Funding, Innovation

The United States built many large dams during the 20th century to generate power, provide drinking water and reduce flooding in downstream towns. Along the way, these structures have disrupted how water flows through countless freshwater ecosystems.

Seasonal patterns of high and low flows help trigger important events in the lifecycles of freshwater animals and plants. Losing these natural pulses can stop whole ecosystems from functioning.

A desert river's banks are covered in reedy marshy plants and an island of the plants splits the river into two channels. The green vegetation contrasts against the red rock hills in the background.

Removing all these dams is not practical—there’d be too much damage to historic towns and population centers. The solution is to recreate Mother Nature within the limits of these dams.

A TNC science collaboration is helping the US Army Corps of Engineers write up the unique prescription of flows that individual rivers need and then rework dam operations to achieve them.

The partnership is not new— TNC and the Army Corps have worked together on rivers since 2002 —but a new expansion is bringing a lot of momentum.

The program is already restoring over 5,000 miles of river (in places like Texas’s Caddo Lake and Arizona’s Bill Williams River) and new funding could soon more than double this range.

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Efforts like these are critical because rivers and freshwater ecosystems are the most threatened habitat type on Earth. Here’s where the conservation impact could truly endure: the sustainable water operations could one day apply to the more than 600 dams the Army Corps operates, potentially restoring flows across 53,000 miles of US rivers.

Making a wave in sustainable tuna

We helped launch a tuna company. Wait, what?

A closeup of a skipjack tuna on a blue fishing boat

Community, Science, Innovation

In the middle of the Pacific, the island nation of the Marshall Islands controls more than 750,000 square miles of ocean. Pacific Island nations have for many years leased tuna-fishing rights in their waters to large international fishing fleets, often with limited control over how sustainable the fleets' practices are.

Without safeguards in place, commercial tuna fishing can unintentionally catch sea turtles, sharks and juvenile tuna in their nets. Losing apex predators like sharks and long-distance grazers like sea turtles hurts marine ecosystems from deep water all the way to coastal dunes.

A skyward image of a hawksbill sea turtle gliding through clear blue ocean water. Above the turtle is the ocean surface glimmering with sunlight

Ceasing tuna fishing was not an option–tuna is important to the Marshall Islands’ economy and culture.

The solution? A new business model that puts the Marshall Islands in control of every link in the supply chain of skipjack tuna caught in its territory.

TNC and the government of the Marshall Islands launched Pacific Island Tuna , a joint venture that helps ensure that tuna fleets haul in sustainable catches that also benefit local Pacific Island communities.

The partnership also directs long-term profits to climate resilience projects for low-lying communities. Hopefully, the model will grow to include other island nations as well.

Funding the future for a Central American rainforest

A forest teeming with wildlife is permanently protected. Thank the trees!

Holding notes on a clipboard, Dr. Elma Kay stands in a tropical rainforest and talks with two people.

Partnership, Community, Science, Funding, Innovation

Snaking across Belize, Mexico and Guatemala, Selva Maya makes up the largest tropical rainforest in the Americas north of the Amazon. It's home to 400 species of birds, 200 tree species and Central America’s largest population of jaguars.

When a 236,000 acre section of rainforest in Belize recently went up for sale,  TNC and partners stepped up to purchase it, protecting it from being cleared for large-scale farming.

Together with an adjacent protected area that TNC helped establish over 30 years ago, the purchase bolsters protection along an 11-million-acre corridor of Selva Maya.

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But the effort to protect this forest is only beginning. Illegal logging and farming threaten rainforests around the globe, even protected ones.

To ensure long-term protection for the forest, TNC and partners helped launch a local group to 1) carefully manage the preserve and 2) build strong ties with neighboring communities.

Farmers whose lands buffer the park are already helping deter poaching and logging.

Continuous management of a place like this requires dedicated funding, and for that, we can thank the trees! TNC worked with the Belize government to support the sale of credits based on the forest’s ability to store carbon dioxide. So trees here will continue to fight climate change while helping fund their own protection.

We have a window of opportunity for our planet.

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's goals for 2030.

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Community Service Environmental Project Ideas for Students and Educators

Want to help your local community and environment? Then donate your time to a community service project.  Learn more about what service learning is and see sample projects below. 

Healthy Watershed Projects in Your Area Learn about what groups in your area are doing to protect watersheds, and find out how you can help.

GLOBE: Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment This site is a worldwide network of students, teachers, and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment.

Service-Learning Education Beyond the Classroom  (2002) (PDF 934K, 32 pp) Need ideas for activities? This on-line booklet highlights environmental projects done by students throughout the country. You'll find ideas for students of all ages!

Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools  (PDF, 44 pp) EPA's Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools helps your school and school district reduce the amount of waste you generate. You'll learn how to start a waste reduction program or expand an existing one. The guide will show you how your program can benefit your school, your community, and the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling your waste.

Volunteer for Change: A Guide for Environmental Community Service  (PDF 567K, 24 pp) This guide to environmental community service features the ABCs of volunteering plus projects on reuse, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste. Voluntarios para el Cambio: Una Guía para el Servicio Comunitario Ambiental   (PDF 577K, 23 pp) This guide to environmental community service features the ABCs of volunteering plus projects on reuse, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste.

Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Find out how to start a water monitoring program in your area. Explore water quality monitoring methods as well as links to national water monitoring sites.

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School-Based Environmental Service Learning

Find ways to engage students in environmental service learning projects in the classroom or on school grounds.

Biology, Earth Science, Astronomy, English Language Arts, Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography, Social Studies, Civics

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Photograph by Jon T. Schneeberger/National Geographic Creative

How can students connect with the natural environment while in school, in both practical and engaging ways? Find ways students can make difference and learn valuable skills through service learning projects.

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Promote Natural Disaster Preparation

Find out what forces of nature could potentially strike your community. Discuss how to prepare for natural disasters and how families could respond to the natural disasters they may face in their community. Create and distribute tip sheets for family and community members’ emergency preparedness. Find helpful resources at Ready.gov .

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Calculate Daily Water Use at School

Use this online tool to help start a school-wide campaign encouraging everyone to use less water. Get the word out with persuasive writing via posters or skits. Challenge your fellow students to a video public service announcement (PSA) contest. With drought conditions affecting many states, helping to save water in your community will be a step in the right direction.

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Raise Ocean Awareness

Watch videos from An Imbalance in the Ocean to examine ways that human actions can throw a marine ecosystem out of balance and lead to species decline. Discuss the threats as well as actions people can take, considering the stakeholders who stand to gain or lose from the success or failures of these actions. Present the data and findings to local stakeholders in a forum or through local news media. Find teacher resources at Earth Echo, an organization founded by the family of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau and dedicated to inspiring youth to solve environmental challenges that impact waterways: http://earthecho.org .

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Investigate Local Environmental Issues

Investigate the effects of human activities in the local community. Create a scrapbook or slideshow of local environmental issues using newspaper and magazine articles, brochures, and other resources. Identify both the direct and the indirect impacts of human actions, including stories of local environmental stewardship projects or other human actions that have helped or had a negative effect on the local area. Present “Hero Awards” to local citizens and fellow students who are environmental stewards.

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Grow a School Garden MakerSpace

MakerSpaces, or areas in schools dedicated to innovative, creative pursuits, can help kids become independent thinkers. See School Makerspaces: Growing Farmers, Gardeners, and Cooks to see how seeds and food have sparked creativity, excitement, and wonder. Students might have a small pantry in addition to their school garden and a kitchen. Parent and community groups might enthusiastically supply other needed supplies. Kids can go from reading a recipe to inventively cooking with whatever is on hand, especially if food service providers and science teachers team together.

Innovating around food, of course, doesn’t have to include cooking. In a non-food-focused Makerspace with wood, nails, and glue, students can design and create gardening tools, container beds, or a solar food dehydrator to store summer’s bounty. For schools with a tech budget, 3-D printers allow students to dream and generate parts for gardens and tools that will help them take care of their space. Try Renovated Learning for more ideas.

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Create Recycled Art

Create a work of art made of recycled objects. Using your school or classroom’s recycling bin, collect cans, jars, and other recyclables. Add discarded wood, paper, and twine, and let students create sculptures, mobiles, jewelry, or other work. Write a short narrative of what you used and how you recycled the material. Give artwork away as a gifts to family members or to residents of a nursing home in your community.

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Start a School-side Recycling Effort

Work with the school principal and food service workers to get bins for recycling in the lunchroom. Ask the school to buy recycled paper and to recycle printer cartridges. Clean up litter around the school and recycle it! Collect and store plastics, glass, cardboard, and cans until you can have it picked up or taken to a recycling center. Use any money earned to keep the recycling effort going, or donate to an environmental cause. Promote the use of reusable water bottles to reduce harmful plastics in the trash as well as the use of fossil fuels. Create video public service announcements (PSAs) to share lessons learned through this project with other schools and community partners.

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Raise Money or Collect Food to Help Those in Need

Start a book or coat, fundraising, or canned goods drive to help people affected by natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, or wildfires. Schools may also be relocated or otherwise disrupted by disasters. Collect school supplies and write notes of encouragement for the impacted students.

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23+ Sustainability Project Ideas to Help Save the Planet

sustainability project ideas

Climate change and environmental degradation are two of the biggest challenges the world is facing today. As individuals, we can make a significant impact by adopting sustainable practices in our daily lives. However, we can amplify our efforts by taking on sustainability projects that make a tangible difference in our communities.

If you’re looking for ways to contribute to the fight against climate change and environmental degradation, then you’re in luck. In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 23+ sustainability project ideas that you can undertake to help save the planet. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or a concerned citizen, there’s something for everyone in this list.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into these innovative and impactful sustainability project ideas that can make a real difference in our world.

What is Sustainability?

Table of Contents

Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is a holistic approach to economic, social, and environmental issues that seeks to balance the needs of people, planet, and prosperity.

Sustainability is about finding ways to create a future where all people can thrive within the limits of our planet’s natural resources. It involves making choices that promote long-term well-being for society, the economy, and the environment.

The concept of sustainability is becoming increasingly important as we face pressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, and social inequality. Achieving sustainability requires collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to taking actions that benefit both current and future generations.

Role of Sustainability Project In Future

The role of sustainability projects is to contribute to a more sustainable future by promoting positive change in communities, organizations, and society as a whole. Sustainability projects aim to address environmental, social, and economic challenges by implementing innovative and impactful solutions.

Sustainability projects play a critical role in raising awareness about sustainability issues and inspiring people to take action. They provide a platform for individuals and organizations to collaborate and share best practices for promoting sustainable practices.

Sustainability projects can take many forms, from community-led initiatives to corporate sustainability programs. Some examples of sustainability projects include:

  • Renewable energy projects, such as solar or wind power installations, to reduce carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
  • Sustainable agriculture projects, such as community gardens or urban farming initiatives, to promote local food production and reduce the carbon footprint of food transportation.
  • Waste reduction and recycling projects, such as composting programs or plastic waste reduction campaigns, to reduce landfill waste and promote circular economies.
  • Sustainable transportation projects, such as bike-sharing programs or electric vehicle charging stations, to reduce emissions from transportation and promote alternative modes of transportation.

Overall, sustainability projects play a crucial role in driving the transition towards a more sustainable future by demonstrating that it is possible to balance economic, social, and environmental considerations for the benefit of all.

Elements Of Sustainability Project 

Sustainability projects involve multiple elements that work together to create a positive impact on the environment, society, and the economy. Here are some key elements of sustainability projects:

1. Goal setting

Sustainability projects begin with defining clear and measurable goals. These goals can be specific to reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, or increasing access to clean water, among others.

2. Collaboration

Sustainability projects require collaboration among stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and local communities. Collaborating with these stakeholders can bring diverse perspectives and ideas to the project, leading to more effective and inclusive solutions.

3. Innovation

Sustainability projects often involve innovative approaches to problem-solving. This can include the use of new technologies, business models, or policy frameworks that help achieve sustainability goals in a more efficient and effective manner.

4. Education and awareness

Sustainability projects involve educating and raising awareness among stakeholders about the importance of sustainability issues and the benefits of taking action. This can include public outreach campaigns, educational programs, or community engagement initiatives.

5. Monitoring and evaluation

Sustainability projects require ongoing monitoring and evaluation to assess progress towards the project goals and identify areas for improvement. This allows for course correction and adaptation as needed to ensure the project is meeting its intended objectives.

6. Long-term thinking

Sustainability projects require a long-term perspective to ensure that solutions are sustainable and have a lasting impact. This involves considering the needs of future generations, as well as the immediate needs of the present, to ensure that sustainability efforts are not undermined by short-term thinking or immediate concerns.

Sustainability projects require a holistic approach that balances economic, social, and environmental considerations, and involves collaboration, innovation, education, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Here are 23+ trending sustainability project ideas with a brief explanation of each:

1. Urban gardening

Creating urban gardens can help reduce food waste and promote local food production, while also improving air quality and increasing green spaces in urban areas.

2. Composting

Composting is a natural process that converts organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, reducing waste sent to landfills and improving soil health.

3. Solar energy

Installing solar panels can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and provide renewable energy to power homes and businesses.

4. Rainwater harvesting

Collecting rainwater can help reduce water consumption and promote water conservation, while also providing a source of water for gardens and landscaping.

5. Recycling

Promoting recycling and implementing effective recycling programs can help reduce waste and conserve natural resources.

6. Sustainable transportation

Encouraging sustainable transportation, such as biking, walking, or public transit, can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and promote healthier, more active lifestyles.

7. Zero-waste living

Living a zero-waste lifestyle involves reducing waste by avoiding single-use plastics and other non-recyclable materials, promoting reusable products and packaging, and composting.

8. Green roofs

Installing green roofs can help improve air quality, reduce urban heat island effects, and provide additional green spaces in urban areas.

9. Sustainable agriculture

Promoting sustainable agriculture practices, such as regenerative farming, can help reduce soil erosion, conserve water, and promote biodiversity.

10. Sustainable forestry

Promoting sustainable forestry practices, such as reforestation and responsible logging, can help reduce deforestation and promote forest conservation.

11. Plastic-free oceans

Reducing plastic waste and promoting ocean conservation can help protect marine ecosystems and reduce the negative impacts of plastic on the environment.

12. Sustainable fashion

Promoting sustainable fashion practices, such as upcycling and using sustainable materials, can help reduce waste and promote ethical and environmentally responsible fashion.

13. Green building

Building sustainable and energy-efficient buildings can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote more comfortable and healthier living and working spaces.

14. Community gardens

Creating community gardens can help promote local food production and community engagement, while also providing green spaces in urban areas.

15. E-waste recycling

Recycling electronic waste, such as old computers and smartphones, can help reduce waste and recover valuable materials.

16. Sustainable tourism

Promoting sustainable tourism practices, such as eco-tourism and responsible travel, can help reduce the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and promote cultural preservation.

17. Green schools

Creating green schools can help promote sustainable education, reduce waste, and improve energy efficiency.

18. Water conservation

Promoting water conservation practices, such as low-flow fixtures and rainwater harvesting, can help reduce water consumption and protect water resources.

19. Sustainable seafood

Promoting sustainable seafood practices, such as sustainable fishing and aquaculture, can help protect marine ecosystems and promote ethical and environmentally responsible seafood consumption.

20. Green cleaning

Using environmentally friendly cleaning products can help reduce the negative impacts of chemicals on the environment and human health.

21. Carbon offsetting

Carbon offsetting involves investing in projects that reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions, such as renewable energy projects or reforestation.

22. Sustainable supply chains

Promoting sustainable supply chain practices, such as responsible sourcing and reducing waste, can help reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of manufacturing and production.

23. Renewable energy education

Educating communities about renewable energy and its benefits can help promote the adoption of renewable energy solutions.

24. Biodiversity conservation

Promoting biodiversity conservation practices, such as habitat restoration and protecting endangered species, can help preserve the natural world.

25. Sustainable waste management

Promoting sustainable waste management practices, such as recycling and composting, can help reduce waste and conserve natural resources.

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Things to Consider While Making Sustainability Project

When making a sustainability project, there are several things that should be considered to ensure the project is effective, impactful, and sustainable. Here are some key considerations:

1. Identify a clear goal

A clear and specific goal should be identified for the sustainability project. This goal should be measurable, achievable, and relevant to the sustainability challenge being addressed.

2. Engage stakeholders

It is essential to engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to ensure that the project is inclusive, collaborative, and well-rounded. This can include local communities, government agencies, businesses, NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.

3. Conduct a sustainability assessment

A sustainability assessment can help identify the key sustainability issues and potential impacts of the project. This can include assessing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the project to ensure that it is sustainable in the long term.

4. Use a systems thinking approach

Sustainability projects should consider the complex interactions between environmental, social, and economic systems. A systems thinking approach can help ensure that solutions are holistic, interconnected, and effective.

5. Consider the life cycle of the project

The entire life cycle of the project should be considered, from planning to implementation to post-project evaluation. This can help identify potential risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement.

6. Evaluate the project’s impact

The project’s impact should be evaluated to determine if it achieved the intended outcomes and if there were any unintended consequences. This can help inform future sustainability projects and improve the effectiveness of the project.

7. Communicate and engage

Sustainability projects should be communicated effectively to ensure that the project’s goals, activities, and results are well understood. This can include engaging with stakeholders, reporting progress and outcomes, and sharing best practices and lessons learned.

How To Find Sustainability Project Ideas?

There are many ways to find sustainability project ideas. Here are a few:

1. Identify local sustainability challenges

Look for sustainability challenges in your community, such as energy use, waste management, water conservation, and transportation. These challenges can provide inspiration for potential sustainability projects.

2. Research best practices

Research best practices and success stories from other sustainability projects. This can provide inspiration and ideas for new projects that can be adapted to your local context.

3. Connect with local stakeholders

Connect with local stakeholders, such as community organizations, government agencies, and businesses, to identify potential sustainability project ideas. These stakeholders may have specific sustainability challenges that they need help addressing.

4. Attend sustainability events and workshops

Attend sustainability events and workshops to learn about new sustainability ideas, projects, and technologies. This can provide inspiration for potential sustainability projects.

5. Use online resources

Use online resources such as sustainability blogs, forums, and databases to research potential sustainability project ideas. For example, websites like Sustainable Brands, GreenBiz, and TreeHugger offer insights and resources on sustainability best practices and emerging trends.

6. Conduct a sustainability audit

Conduct a sustainability audit of your home, school, workplace, or community to identify areas where sustainability projects could make a difference. This can provide a starting point for developing new project ideas.

Benefits Of Choosing Appropriate Sustainability Project Ideas

Choosing appropriate sustainability project ideas can bring a variety of benefits, including:

1. Positive environmental impact

Sustainability projects are designed to address environmental issues and promote sustainability. By choosing appropriate project ideas, individuals and organizations can make a positive impact on the environment, reduce waste and conserve natural resources, and help address climate change.

2. Improved community engagement

Many sustainability projects are community-focused and can help bring people together around a common goal. This can lead to improved community engagement and social cohesion, as well as a sense of shared responsibility for the environment.

3. Cost savings

Many sustainability projects are designed to be cost-effective, such as implementing energy-efficient technologies or reducing waste. By choosing appropriate project ideas, individuals and organizations can save money over the long term while also promoting sustainability.

4. Increased brand reputation

Choosing appropriate sustainability project ideas can also improve an organization’s brand reputation, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

5. Enhanced innovation and creativity

Sustainability projects often require creative thinking and innovative solutions. By choosing appropriate project ideas, individuals and organizations can foster a culture of innovation and creativity that can lead to new ideas and solutions for sustainability challenges.

6. Improved health and well-being

Many sustainability projects, such as promoting active transportation or reducing exposure to harmful chemicals, can have positive impacts on human health and well-being.

Choosing appropriate sustainability project ideas can bring a range of benefits, both for the environment and for individuals and organizations themselves.

In conclusion, creative sustainability projects offer a valuable opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment and promote sustainability. By considering the elements of a sustainability project, as well as the things to consider when developing a project idea, individuals and organizations can identify innovative and effective ways to reduce their environmental impact and conserve natural resources.

With a wide range of trending sustainability project ideas available, there are many opportunities to make a difference and contribute to a more sustainable future. By choosing appropriate project ideas and working together towards common goals, we can all help to protect the planet and create a better world for future generations.

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environmental projects for high school students

10 Top Environmental Projects for High School Students

High school students are often more likely to listen to and engage with environmental messages that come from their peers, rather than teachers and other adults in the school environment.

 That’s why environmental groups like Green Up have identified schools and community centers as ideal places to implement environmental projects for high school students across the country, and that’s why we’re here with some ideas to get you started on your own high school environment project. Check out these 10 great environmental projects for high school students’ ideas.

Environmental Projects for High School Students

  • Save energy with a Kill-A-Watt
  • Green your school cafeteria
  • Reduce waste in schools
  • Recycle metals into jewelry
  • Use an air filter in your room
  • Plant trees at school
  • Educate others on the importance of environmentalism
  • Build a compost bin
  • Recycle Electronics
  • Build an outdoor classroom

Let’s look into these environmental projects for high school students in detail.

1) Save energy with a Kill-A-Watt

A Kill-A-Watt is a device that can be plugged into any electrical outlet and will measure how much energy the appliance is using. If you’re worried about high energy bills, the Kill-A-Watt is an easy way to reduce your power usage without sacrificing your lifestyle.

The easiest way to start saving on electricity is by turning off lights when they aren’t in use. When you leave the room, turn off light switches at the breaker box if possible so you don’t waste power on lights left on in empty rooms or hallways.

Another quick trick for cutting down on electric bill costs: unplug anything that isn’t being used (i.e., cell phone chargers). These are surprisingly wasteful appliances! If you have a stereo system, wireless speaker, TV set, or DVD player; make sure it’s turned off when not in use.

Make it easier for yourself by plugging these items into a power strip which can be shut down with one flick of the switch. This is one of the environmental projects for high school students where you’ll save money on your utility bills and eliminate loads of wasted energy.

2) Green your school cafeteria

Greening your school cafeteria can be as simple as swapping out plastic straws and plastic wraps with reusable versions.

It might also involve hosting a bake sale to raise funds for new utensils, or just asking parents to bring in their own containers when picking up their kids’ lunches.

Find the source of your food waste: With so many student cafeterias going green these days, food waste has become an issue on campuses nationwide.

Look at what is being wasted most often and work to reduce that food production. When cafeteria workers know where their biggest problem areas are, they can allocate resources better.

Create a compost area near the kitchen: Put together instructions for students about how to make sure all of those lunchtime scraps go into the compost bin instead of down the garbage disposal (so you don’t accidentally add cheese leftovers to your sink disposal).

This is one of the environmental projects for high school students where If you want it to be truly sustainable, it should include steps for worm composting too.

3) Reduce waste in schools

High schools produce a lot of trash, but it is possible to reduce waste. One way to cut back on garbage is to eliminate food waste in the cafeteria by distributing reusable trays and containers instead of serving food on paper plates.

Schools can also save money on their utility bills by installing energy-efficient lighting, using natural light whenever possible, and replacing old equipment with newer models that use less power.

Finally, make sure you recycle! It takes less time to sort recycling from trash than it does to create new materials from scratch.

And reducing the number of recyclable materials that go into landfills means we are saving space for more important things like our children’s future. Recycling reduces pollution and saves energy; when enough people work together to recycle, we will get closer to achieving true sustainability.

4) Recycle metals into jewelry

Recycling metals is one of the environmental projects for high school students. It is a fun and creative way to reduce the number of metals that end up in landfills. It’s also a great way to spend time with friends or family.

Below are instructions on how to make recycled metal jewelry, so get your hands dirty.

Find out what type of metal you want to work with. You can recycle scrap pieces into beads and spoons into charms by hammering them down until they are thin enough to string onto a necklace.

You can melt gold coins or jewelry using low heat over an open flame (gas stove) then pour it into molds to create bars, buttons, shapes, or ingots. Make some eco-friendly candles: Making candles at home can be an inexpensive alternative to purchasing mass-produced ones from stores.

Beeswax is one of the best materials for making natural candles because it burns cleanly, produces a nice scent, and does not produce smoke when burning.

To make beeswax candles all you need is beeswax, which may be available at local craft stores or farmer’s markets if you live near apiaries. Add essential oils like vanilla extract for fragrance.

5) Use an air filter in your room

An air filter will remove dust, pollen, and pet dander from the air in your room. Place the air filter in a strategic location such as near your bed, where you spend most of your time during the day. This way, you will be breathing cleaner air while you sleep.

To save money, use an old pillowcase to cover the filter to protect it from dust particles.

Do not vacuum more than once a week: Over-vacuuming your carpet can create more allergens that contribute to people with asthma or allergies feeling worse.

Vacuum once a week at the very least; if you live with pets who shed often, vacuum every other day instead of daily.

If you are using a high-powered vacuum cleaner then this is especially important because vacuums that have a HEPA filter are better at trapping dirt particles and removing them from the air. For example, Dyson vacuums have excellent filters so they don’t produce any fine particulate emissions.

6) Plant trees at school

Planting trees at school is one of the environmental projects for high school students. Schools often have a number of trees on their campuses, but sometimes they are not in the best locations. If you are interested in planting new trees near your school, find out if there is a tree that needs to be removed and replaced with something different.

If there isn’t, talk to your guidance counselor or principal about finding a location where you could plant new trees. You can either use seeds from other existing trees on campus or purchase plants from a nursery.

Tree planters are available at Home Depot (HD) stores to help make this process easier. You may need to remove sod before you plant new trees, which will take some time and requires more water when it’s hot outside.

Another option is to plant fruit trees in areas where there might not be any food sources nearby, like playgrounds or sports fields.

7) Educate others on the importance of environmentalism

In the age of global warming and climate change, environmentalism is an important part of our daily lives. Not only do we need to be environmentally conscious in our day-to-day lives, but high school students should have the opportunity to explore their creativity when it comes to environmental projects.

If you’re a high school student looking for ideas, check out these 8 environmental projects for high school students under this category.

  • 8) Create solar-powered window clings that promote alternative energy.
  • 9) Encourage recycling with signs posted around your town or city.
  • 10) Take pictures of different locations in your area to see what has changed due to pollution.
  • 11) Teach others about the benefits of planting trees by holding workshops on tree planting at local parks or nature reserves.
  • 12) Lobby your community council to create green spaces throughout the neighborhood.
  • 13) Pick up litter at least once per week and report where you found it so that the proper authorities can come to clean it up.
  • 14) Get together with friends to collect recyclable items for donation bins near local schools or places of worship.
  • 15) Work with youth groups to plant fruit trees in low-income neighborhoods so people can get fresh produce within walking distance from home.

16) Build a compost bin

A composting system is a great way to reduce the amount of garbage you produce. By doing this, not only are you helping the environment, but you’re also generating new soil and fertilizers. To make your own compost bin, all you need is some wood or metal wire mesh and something to contain it in. You can buy some of these items at most hardware stores.

And once you have made your compost bin, just add leaves, kitchen scraps, and other organic matter that would typically go into a landfill. It’s an easy way to do your part!

Just make sure you remember to turn your compost pile every few weeks so different types of materials get turned over and decompose evenly.

Start by placing two parallel pieces of wood on the ground as if they were going to form a rectangle. Make sure they are perpendicular to each other.

17) Recycle Electronics

Recycling electronics is also one of the environmental projects for high school students. It helps the environment and can provide you with a little extra spending money. You just need a few supplies, some time, and a little bit of know-how to get started. First, open up your laptop and unplug it from the wall.

Then use an anti-static wristband or something else that provides static protection to help prevent any static electricity buildup in your body that could damage other electronic devices nearby. Next, remove any hard drives or other accessories inside your laptop before removing the screws that keep it closed together.

Dispose of these items according to whatever recycling guidelines apply in your area before turning on your laptop again.

Once you’re ready to turn your laptop back on, remember to plug it into the power cord before closing it up and screwing everything back together.

If you want to recycle more than one computer at once, make sure they are all shut down and disconnected from power cords beforehand so they don’t have any electrical surges while transporting them.

18) Build an outdoor classroom

One way to get kids excited about the environment is to take them outside. One of the easiest and most fun ways to do this is by building an outdoor classroom. The process of going through all of the steps in building an outdoor classroom will help students learn skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and resourcefulness.

Plus, it will be a space where they’ll be able to create their own environmental projects that they can show off to friends and family or put on display at school! Here’s how to make your very own:

A) Decide what type of project you want your students to complete during class time.

B) Research ideas from books or magazines, then have groups come up with their favorite concept and work together in order to build it.

C) Gather supplies, such as lumber and paint, from nearby retailers.

D) Have an adult who’s not participating supervise the project construction (or find someone who wants to volunteer)

What are some good environmental projects?

In order to make a difference, you have to get your hands dirty. In this list of 10 projects, high schoolers can find the perfect project that suits their interests and abilities.

If they are looking for something new, they can start an urban farm or build their own compost bin. If they prefer more outdoor work, they might like to plant trees in the local area or help with beach cleanups.

And if they want to be really adventurous, students can even design their own custom environmental project! Whatever it is, getting involved is always better than staying on the sidelines.

What can I do to help the environment of high school students?

The environment is a very important topic, and it’s best to start educating younger generations early on. Here are some projects that high school students can do to help the environment:

  • Buy energy-efficient appliances for your home
  • Turn off lights when you leave a room or use a night light instead of turning on the overhead light. It only takes 5 minutes of your time to conserve energy.

Teaching students about the importance of environmental responsibility, recycling, and conservation can be a lot of work.

Luckily, there are many ways to help high school students develop environmental responsibility without taking up their valuable time. Encourage them to volunteer at their local recycling center or take part in a beach clean-up. Do you have other environmental projects for high school students you think are worth considering? Please leave a comment below.

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List of Projects Related to Environmental Engineering

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Following are few topics which can be used for your Project Works. You can choose the project from the list below depending on your field of interest and your project duration.

environment related project

Kanwarjot Singh

Related posts, what is asphalt flooring its uses, preparation and installation, modern day methods of dealing with cracks in concrete, what is the gradient of the road and types of gradient of road, what is shoring in construction, latest innovative construction materials, parapet wall – applications and types.

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33 comments on " List of Projects Related to Environmental Engineering "

Am an environmental student from uganda, I have appreciated your website because of its materials. It is of great importance

how can found BOD VALUE?

hw can i get a full details and materials 4 ds project

PLEASE, help me the prepare the project concerning; Recycling And Reuse Of Building Waste In Construction

I must confess I like these topics

Hello and could you help me come up with a good topic in solid waste management for a master research

I m civil diploma engg student and I want to make a my final year project on environmental problems… plz guide me and give some new idea

PLEASE, help me to prepare the project concerning; Recycling And Reuse Of Building Waste In Construction

Need a ppt of eco freindly fuels

HI please give some idea about generating a project related to environmental engineering and waste management

im a civil enng(BE) student i need make a project in environmental engineering so pls guide me …

Hlllo dear I am Sandeep and I pursuing M.Tech environment engg. I want knw some minor project related to env. Can u help me.

i am very thanksful to this web site and for project ideas. i had the topic but i lost the paper and my friend told me to go this web site and i had a gud time thxs

pls advice me .to make project on environment

hi can you please help me with a topic on water supply or water resource engineering

I am study in environment engineering I want to make project related to environment fild. I need unique type and some new idea project

I am study in civil engineering. I want to make my project for that I want a new concept or ideas. So plz help me for choose a subject.

hello I need a help on a research topic on environmental engineering precisely on waste management or waste water treatment

hw can i get a full details and materials 4 ds project for BE civil

its better re do it the project to access all people

I am student of environment engineering diploma . please help me for select my project for last year . I want to do any use full project . help me

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Top 35 Projects Based on Renewable Energy

Latest Projects Based on Renewable Energy

The following projects are based on renewable energy. This list shows the latest innovative projects which can be built by students to develop hands-on experience in areas related to/ using renewable energy.

1. Automated Solar Grass Cutter

Today the most promising source of energy where everyone focusing is the concept of Solar Power and its Utilization. Generally, we see people who had gardens use lawn mowers manually to cut the unwanted grass. Those lawn movers are powered from normal household’s power through cables or using petrol/diesel. Using cables creates messing problem and if there is any power cut, we can’t use that lawn mower. Similarly, if we use petrol/diesel powered machine, it requires money and they create pollution through the smoke. Through this project, you are going to build a unique Automatic Solar Grass Cutter (Lawn Mower) which is powered by solar energy and it will overcome all the above-mentioned problems.

2. Generating Electricity From Sound Waves

In today's world, we are facing scarcity of Electricity. Generally, in lots of places in INDIA and SOUTH AFRICA, some villages are not getting electricity. In that way, you might be thinking about the hydropower or wind or solar but there is something crazy about generating electricity through industrial machine sounds or sound produced by the crowd in stadium or vehicle traffic noise. Sounds cool right! SLNOTE

3. Turning Gravity into Light

In today's modern world we have ample amount of facility which can satisfy above our basic need, unfortunately this condition is not satisfied everywhere in countries like Kenya, India where millions of people don't have electricity to lighten their house even renewable energy(wind, solar, water) are hardly available at some places and they are using harmful fuels like kerosene to power their house spending 20% of their income. What is the solution?

4. Smart Power Shoe

Humans are harvesting energy in wonderfully different ways, which means they think a lot to innovate something which is helpful to society. It's not easy to think about the alternative energy apart from solar, hydro, biogas. Renewable energies are the best alternative energy in today's world. We are generating power through nature by converting heat/pressure/kinetic energy into electrical energy in a more effective way.

5. Ocean Drone

DronDrones are something we call as UAV(unmanned Aerial Vehicles) an aircraft without an human pilot. UAVs are basically an ground controlled system means they are fully Autonomous. Application of Drones are expanding from commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and other applications.IT can be used in Landways, waterways, airways or in space.

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6. Dual Wind Turbine

A new wind turbine generator system (WTGS) is introduced, and its mathematical model, blade pitch control scheme, and nonlinear simulation software for the performance prediction are presented. The notable feature of WTGS is that it consists of two rotor systems positioned horizontally at upwind and downwind locations, and a generator installed vertically inside the tower.

7. Electric Harvesting Tiles

It's all about generating energy from people's footsteps. Every time the people walk we are capturing that kinetic energy and turns into electricity the more people walk moreover we can create. Well, it's not just about the power it's about power data and engagement. You can generate 10 seconds of light from one foot. We don't want any large transformer for generating power. Yes, this creation is helpful for human resources. It requires no natural resources.

8. Battery Bottle

Adventure come with obstacles. Life is full of adventure but now where ever you go you phone is always with you or some other electronic devices which helps you to keep in touch and you find your way but these devices need to be charged. It's also very important to be hydrated in this adventurous life. But what if clean water is not available any solution? In this project you are going to make an innovative model with battery pack having USB connection and which also purifies water.

9. Air Pollution Detector

Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the atmosphere that causes serious health and environmental health but what causes air pollution for our planet. Most of the air pollution comes from human activities very least are from natural activities like a volcano eruption. Most of the harmful gases formed are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfates, nitrates, through Greenhouse gases, smog, toxic pollutants like lead and mercury now the question is do we have a solution? In this project, you are going to make an air pollution detector by using an Arduino and some air quality sensors. You need one Arduino Uno, LCD display, and 5-volt power supply

10. Noise Pollution Detector

Noise is basically an unwanted sound(>90db)One more type of pollution that harms the environment and living entities in a big way is Noise pollution. It's a machine created unpleasant noise which disrupts the human or animal life construction, transportation, railway, aircraft noise. these increase in high-pressure waves can cause you high blood pressure, headaches, hypertension.

11. Water Pollution Detector

Water is the bases of life and only a tiny share of water all the water on earth is fresh and renewable. More than 97% of water is salty to drink.another 2% is locked up in ice form and glacier. Less than 1% ii left for Drinking, Agriculture, Industry, and nature. Water is a global issue but it's also a very local issue.

12. Transparent Solar Building

13. solar backpack.

A backpack — also called bookbag, kitbag, knapsack, rucksack, rucksack, pack, backpack or backpack — is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be variations to this basic design. Backpacks are commonly used by hikers and students and are often preferred to handbags for carrying heavy loads or carrying any sort of equipment, because of the limited capacity to carry heavy weights for long periods of time in the hands.

14. Vortex Type Bladeless Windmill

As you are well aware of the fact the natural energy is the need of future considering a small initiative by Government of India to supply electric current to every home in the country and supply it for 24 Hours, alternatives to hydropower, which credits natural energy its own importance in the market.

15. EWICON- Electrostatic Wind Energy Converter

As you are well aware of the fact the natural energy is the need of future considering a small initiative by Government of India to supply Electric Power to every home in the country and supply it for 24 Hours, alternatives to hydropower, which credits natural energy its own importance in the market.

16. How to Design a Water Cleaning Boat?

Due to lack of circulation, water can become stale and undrinkable. In order to ensure safe and clean drinking water on board, your boat freshwater system needs to be sanitized if it hasn’t been used for some time, for example before your first use of the system after your boat has been stored for the winter. In order to clean boat water tanks, you have to remove the old water before starting the disinfection procedure.

17. Battery Free Flashlight

Do you think by using battery constrain you to run the technology anywhere in the world or in a solar system. Our drawback is battery we need some platform or power source for storage of power in the form of chemical energy. What if you are making your project without battery sounds crazy right! You don't need to store energy anywhere or neither you need to convert into another form. What happens when you use the battery you are converting in the chemical energy to store in battery and then again to are converting into electrical energy in that process you are losing some amount of energy in form of power. Usually batteries are made of terrible chemicals among very few are being recycled and finally, in the end, we have to dispose of them in the earth which might be very dangerous for humans in future

18. Salt Light Lamp

The idea behind this project salt lamp is the chemical conversion of energy. It utilizes the scientific process behind the Galvanic cell, but instead of electrolytes, the SALt lamp uses saline solution, making it harmless and non-toxic. SALt lamp project is an LED lamp powered by the galvanic reaction of an anode with saline water. It also has a USB port to charge low-power mobile devices such as cellphones, smartphones, and mp3 players.The anode must be replaced approximately every six months and the saline water daily; sea water is usable.

19. Eco Cooler

As temperature is rise in many parts of the country, we are suffering from heat cramps, exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke.According to studies in America, hundreds of people around the world die every year from heat-related conditions, which can be completely avoided if preventive measures are taken.where temperature reach up to 45 deg Celsius making corrugated tin huts unbearable to live in.

20. Solar powered Environmental system

To save the city it is very high time to take necessary steps. Creating public awareness is first one of the steps. For creating public awareness we need real time data of the noise we are creating everyday. If every one can see the noise level and air quality in real time it will create a mental pressure for taking steps against the pollution. Researcher will also be benefited from this open source real time data.

21. Matlab Simulation on HydroEnergy system

Hydropower is common for many years in countries that have mountains and water. Small hydroelectric power plants harness the falling water kinetic energy to generate electricity. Turbine transform falling water kinetic energy into mechanical energy and then,

22. Simulation Of Solar Energy System With MATLAB

Solar energy is that energy which we gain from the sun through radiation on daily basis. Solar energy is present on the earth continuously and the energy generated by the sun is abundant for all types of application but harnessing that energy is the major factor.

23. Matlab simulation on Wind Energy system

Wind energy is an efficient and emerging field of power generation since high power can be generated without many losses compared to other types of power generation. Wind energy is extracted from the blowing winds which hit the turbine blades causing them to rotate along their axis.

24. Aluminium Powered Car

About the project.

Alternate power sources are rapidly spreading into research fields. Multiple sources are being experimented to replace the combustion fuels from petroleum products. One such experiement is power by aluminium

25. Perpendicular Wind Turbines

Perpendicular Wind Turbines. Rising sea levels and escalating pollution levels has generated worldwide interest and has given rise to new wind turbines designs.(Check out EWICON, Bladeless windmill)

26. Electricity from Sand Bacteria

Given the finite supply of fossil fuels, this biofuel cell is a promising approach for generating power in a renewable, carbon-neutral way. One approach is use of fuel cell and generating the energy using bacterias from muds

27. All About Buildings With Photovoltaic Glazing System

28. hydropower using treated sewage water.

Urban migration is the major reason for the generation of large amounts of sewage water. To overcome that large number of sewage treatment plants are built.

29. Ocean Electricity

There are different electricity sources and from them some cause high pollution to the environment and while others are free from pollution but the efficiency is very less. If there is no water in the dam then there is no electricity from the hydroelectric station.

30. Underwater Turbines

We are in an era where we can’t live without electricity even for ten minutes. The major proportion of electricity is produced is from non-conventional or non-renewable sources. Thermal power station alone accounts for about 70 - 80% of the electricity generation.  And the remaining is produced by hydro, wind, etc.

31. Hybrid Solar Energy

These days electricity has become a need for the survival of the human being on this earth. The major source of the electricity is conventional energy sources which is produced in thermal power stations by using Coal. And the reserves of the coal are been depleted day by day.

32. Automatic Solar Tracker

You can build this project at home. You can build the project using online tutorials developed by experts. 1-1 support in case of any doubts. 100% output guaranteed. Get certificate on completing.

33. 4 Smart Energy Projects

34. solar & smart energy systems, 35. 5 arduino projects, latest projects based on renewable energy, any questions.

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15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2024

15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2024

While the climate crisis has many factors that play a role in the exacerbation of the environment, some warrant more attention than others. Here are some of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime, from deforestation and biodiversity loss to food waste and fast fashion.

1. Global Warming From Fossil Fuels

2023 was the hottest year on record , with global average temperatures at 1.46C above pre-industrial levels and 0.13C higher than the eleven-month average for 2016, currently the warmest calendar year on record. The year was marked by six record-breaking months and two record-breaking seasons.

What’s more, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have never been so high . After being consistently around 280 parts per million (ppm) for almost 6,000 years of human civilisation, CO2 levels in the atmosphere are now well above 420 ppm, more than double what they were before the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Rick Spinrad, the steady annual increase is a “direct result of human activity,” mainly from the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation but also from cement manufacturing, deforestation , and  agriculture .

This is undoubtedly one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime: as greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat, leading to global warming.

Monthly mean carbon dioxide CO2 measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii. Image: Global Monitoring Laboratory

Monthly mean carbon dioxide (CO2) measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii. Image: Global Monitoring Laboratory

Increased emissions of greenhouse gases have led to a rapid and steady increase in global temperatures, which in turn is  causing catastrophic events all over the world – from Australia and the US experiencing some of the most devastating bushfire seasons ever recorded, locusts swarming across parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, decimating crops, and a heatwave in Antarctica that saw temperatures rise above 20C for the first time. S cientists are constantly warning that the planet has crossed a series of tipping points that could have catastrophic consequences, such as  advancing permafrost melt in Arctic regions, the Greenland ice sheet melting at an unprecedented rate, accelerating sixth mass extinction , and increasing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest , just to name a few.

The climate crisis is causing tropical storms and other weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and flooding to be more intense and frequent than seen before. However, even if all greenhouse gas emissions were halted immediately, global temperatures would continue to rise in the coming years. That is why it is absolutely imperative that we start now to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in renewable energy sources, and phase our fossil fuels as fast as possible.

You might also like: The Tipping Points of Climate Change: How Will Our World Change?

2. Poor Governance

According to economists like Nicholas Stern, the climate crisis is a result of multiple market failures .

Economists and environmentalists have urged policymakers for years to increase the price of activities that emit greenhouse gases (one of our biggest environmental problems), the lack of which constitutes the largest market failure, for example through carbon taxes, which will stimulate innovations in low-carbon technologies.

To cut emissions quickly and effectively enough, governments must not only massively increase funding for green innovation to bring down the costs of low-carbon energy sources, but they also need to adopt a range of other policies that address each of the other market failures. 

A national carbon tax is currently implemented in 27 countries around the world , including various countries in the EU, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Ukraine and Argentina. However, according to the 2019 OECD Tax Energy Use report, current tax structures are not adequately aligned with the pollution profile of energy sources. For example, the OECD suggests that carbon taxes are not harsh enough on coal production, although it has proved to be effective for the electricity industry. A carbon tax has been effectively implemented in Sweden ; the carbon tax is U$127 per tonne and has reduced emissions by 25% since 1995, while its economy has expanded 75% in the same time period. 

Further, organisations such as the United Nations are not fit to deal with the climate crisis: it was assembled to prevent another world war and is not fit for purpose. Anyway, members of the UN are not mandated to comply with any suggestions or recommendations made by the organisation. For example, the Paris Agreement , a historic deal within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), says that countries need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly so that global temperature rise is below 2C by 2100, and ideally under 1.5C. But signing on to it is voluntary, and there are no real repercussions for non-compliance. Further, the issue of equity remains a contentious issue whereby developing countries are allowed to emit more in order to develop to the point where they can develop technologies to emit less, and it allows some countries, such as China, to exploit this. 

3. Food Waste

A third of the food intended for human consumption – around 1.3 billion tons – is wasted or lost. This is enough to feed 3 billion people. Food waste and loss account for approximately one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions annually ; if it was a country, food waste would be the third-largest emitter  of greenhouse gases, behind China and the US. 

Food production accounts for around one-quarter – 26% – of global greenhouse gas emissions. Our World in Data

Food production accounts for around one-quarter – 26% – of global greenhouse gas emissions. Our World in Data

Food waste and loss occurs at different stages in developing and developed countries; in developing countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the post-harvest and processing levels, while in developed countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels. 

At the retail level, a shocking amount of food is wasted because of aesthetic reasons; in fact, in the US, more than 50% of all produce thrown away in the US is done so because it is deemed to be “too ugly” to be sold to consumers- this amounts to about 60 million tons of fruits and vegetables. This leads to food insecurity , another one of the biggest environmental problems on the list. 

You might also like: How Does Food Waste Affect the Environment?

4. Biodiversity Loss

The past 50 years have seen a rapid growth of human consumption, population, global trade and urbanisation, resulting in humanity using more of the Earth’s resources than it can replenish naturally. 

A 2020 WWF report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. The report attributes this biodiversity loss to a variety of factors, but mainly land-use change, particularly the conversion of habitats, like forests, grasslands and mangroves, into agricultural systems. Animals such as pangolins, sharks and seahorses are significantly affected by the illegal wildlife trade, and pangolins are critically endangered because of it. 

More broadly, a recent analysis has found that the sixth mass extinction of wildlife on Earth is accelerating. More than 500 species of land animals are on the brink of extinction and are likely to be lost within 20 years; the same number were lost over the whole of the last century. The scientists say that without the human destruction of nature, this rate of loss would have taken thousands of years. 

In Antarctica, climate change-triggered melting of sea ice is taking a heavy toll on emperor penguins and could wipe out entire populations by as early as 2100 , according to 2023 research.

You might also like: The Remarkable Benefits of Biodiversity

5. Plastic Pollution

In 1950, the world produced more than 2 million tons of plastic per year . By 2015, this annual production swelled to 419 million tons and exacerbating plastic waste in the environment. 

plastic packaging waste; plastic pollution; beverage single-use plastic bottles in landfill. Photo: PxHere

The world generates 300 million tonnes of plastic waste on average each year.

A report by science journal, Nature, determined that currently, roughly 14 million tons of plastic make their way into the oceans every year, harming wildlife habitats and the animals that live in them. The research found that if no action is taken, the plastic crisis will grow to 29 million metric tons per year by 2040. If we include microplastics into this, the cumulative amount of plastic in the ocean could reach 600 million tons by 2040.

Shockingly, National Geographic found that 91% of all plastic that has ever been made is not recycled, representing not only one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime, but another massive market failure. Considering that plastic takes 400 years to decompose, it will be many generations until it ceases to exist. There’s no telling what the irreversible effects of plastic pollution will have on the environment in the long run. 

You might also like: 8 Shocking Plastic Pollution Statistics to Know About

6. Deforestation

Every hour, forests the size of 300 football fields are cut down. By the year 2030, the planet might have only 10% of its forests; if deforestation isn’t stopped, they could all be gone in less than 100 years. 

The three countries experiencing the highest levels of deforestation are Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia. The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest – spanning 6.9 million square kilometres (2.72 million square miles) and covering around 40% of the South American continent – is also one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems and is home to about three million species of plants and animals . Despite efforts to protect forest land, legal deforestation is still rampant, and about one-third of global tropical deforestation occurs in Brazil’s Amazon forest, amounting to 1.5 million hectares each year . 

deforestation

The world has been chopping down 10 million hectares of trees every year to make space to grow crops and livestock, and to produce materials such as paper.

Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, another one of the biggest environmental problems appearing on this list. Land is cleared to raise livestock or to plant other crops that are sold, such as sugar cane and palm oil . Besides for carbon sequestration, forests help to prevent soil erosion, because the tree roots bind the soil and prevent it from washing away, which also prevents landslides. 

You might also like: 10 Deforestation Facts You Should Know About

7. Air Pollution 

One of the biggest environmental problems today is outdoor air pollution .

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that an estimated 4.2 to 7 million people die from air pollution worldwide every year and that nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants. In Africa, 258,000 people died as a result of outdoor air pollution in 2017, up from 164,000 in 1990, according to UNICEF . Causes of air pollution mostly comes from industrial sources and motor vehicles, as well as emissions from burning biomass and poor air quality due to dust storms. 

According to a 2023 study, air pollution in South Asia – one of the most polluted areas in the world – cuts life expectancy by about 5 years . The study blames a series of factors, including a lack of adequate infrastructure and funding for the high levels of pollution in some countries. Most countries in Asia and Africa, which together contribute about 92.7% of life years lost globally due to air pollution, lack key air quality standards needed to develop adequate policies. Moreover, just 6.8% and 3.7% of governments in the two continents, respectively, provide their citizens with fully open-air quality data.

In Europe, a recent report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) showed that more than half a million people living in the European Union died from health issues directly linked to toxic pollutants exposure in 2021.

More on the topic: Less Than 1% of Global Land Area Has Safe Air Pollution Levels: Study

8. Melting Ice Caps and Sea Level Rise

The climate crisis is warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet. Today, sea levels are rising more than twice as quickly as they did for most of the 20th century as a result of increasing temperatures on Earth. Seas are now rising an average of 3.2 mm per year globally and they will continue to grow up to about 0.7 metres by the end of this century. In the Arctic, the Greenland Ice Sheet poses the greatest risk for sea levels because melting land ice is the main cause of rising sea levels.

Representing arguably the biggest of the environmental problems, this is made all the more concerning considering that last year’s summer triggered the loss of 60 billion tons of ice from Greenland, enough to raise global sea levels by 2.2mm in just two months . According to satellite data, the Greenland ice sheet lost a record amount of ice in 2019: an average of a million tons per minute throughout the year, one of the biggest environmental problems that has cascading effects. If the entire Greenland ice sheet melts, sea level would rise by six metres .

Meanwhile, the Antarctic continent contributes about 1 millimetre per year to sea level rise, which is one-third of the annual global increase. According to 2023 data, the continent has lost approximately 7.5 trillion tons of ice since 1997 . Additionally, the last fully intact ice shelf in Canada in the Arctic recently collapsed, having lost about 80 square kilometres – or 40% – of its area over a two-day period in late July, according to the Canadian Ice Service .  

Over 100,000 images taken from space allowed scientists to create a comprehensive record of the state of Antarctica’s ice shelves. Credit: 66 North/Unsplash

Antarctica has lost approximately 7.5 trillion tons of ice since 1997

Sea level rise will have a devastating impact on those living in coastal regions: according to research and advocacy group Climate Central, sea level rise this century could flood coastal areas that are now home to 340 million to 480 million people , forcing them to migrate to safer areas and contributing to overpopulation and strain of resources in the areas they migrate to. Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Manila (Philippines), and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) are among the cities most at risk of sea level rise and flooding.

You might also like: Two-Thirds of World’s Glaciers Set to Disappear by 2100 Under Current Global Warming Scenario

9. Ocean Acidification

Global temperature rise has not only affected the surface, but it is the main cause of ocean acidification . Our oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide that is released into the Earth’s atmosphere. As higher concentrations of carbon emissions are released thanks to human activities such as burning fossil fuels as well as effects of global climate change such as increased rates of wildfires, so do the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed back into the sea. 

The smallest change in the pH scale can have a significant impact on the acidity of the ocean. Ocean acidification has devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and species, its food webs, and provoke irreversible changes in habitat quality . Once pH levels reach too low, marine organisms such as oysters, their shells and skeleton could even start to dissolve. 

However, one of the biggest environmental problems from ocean acidification is coral bleaching and subsequent coral reef loss . This is a phenomenon that occurs when rising ocean temperatures disrupt the symbiotic relationship between the reefs and algae that lives within it, driving away the algae and causing coral reefs to lose their natural vibrant colours. Some scientists have estimated coral reefs are at risk of being completely wiped by 2050. Higher acidity in the ocean would obstruct coral reef systems’ ability to rebuild their exoskeletons and recover from these coral bleaching events. 

Some studies have also found that ocean acidification can be linked as one of the effects of plastic pollution in the ocean. The accumulating bacteria and microorganisms derived from plastic garbage dumped in the ocean to damage marine ecosystems and contribute towards coral bleaching.

10. Agriculture 

Studies have shown that the global food system is responsible for up to one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, of which 30% comes from livestock and fisheries. Crop production releases greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide through the use of fertilisers . 

60% of the world’s agricultural area is dedicated to cattle ranching , although it only makes up 24% of global meat consumption. 

Agriculture not only covers a vast amount of land, but it also consumes a vast amount of freshwater, another one of the biggest environmental problems on this list. While arable lands and grazing pastures cover one-third of Earth’s land surfaces , they consume three-quarters of the world’s limited freshwater resources.

Scientists and environmentalists have continuously warned that we need to rethink our current food system; switching to a more plant-based diet would dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the conventional agriculture industry. 

You might also like: The Future of Farming: Can We Feed the World Without Destroying It?

11. Food and Water Insecurity

Rising temperatures and unsustainable farming practices have resulted in increasing water and food insecurity.

Globally, more than 68 billion tonnes of top-soil is eroded every year at a rate 100 times faster than it can naturally be replenished. Laden with biocides and fertiliser, the soil ends up in waterways where it contaminates drinking water and protected areas downstream. 

Furthermore, exposed and lifeless soil is more vulnerable to wind and water erosion due to lack of root and mycelium systems that hold it together. A key contributor to soil erosion is over-tilling: although it increases productivity in the short-term by mixing in surface nutrients (e.g. fertiliser), tilling is physically destructive to the soil’s structure and in the long-term leads to soil compaction, loss of fertility and surface crust formation that worsens topsoil erosion.

With the global population expected to reach 9 billion people by mid-century, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) projects that global food demand may increase by 70% by 2050 . Around the world, more than 820 million people do not get enough to eat. 

The UN secretary-general António Guterres says, “Unless immediate action is taken, it is increasingly clear that there is an impending global food security emergency that could have long term impacts on hundreds of millions of adults and children.” He urged for countries to rethink their food systems and encouraged more sustainable farming practices. 

In terms of water security, only 3% of the world’s water is freshwater , and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. 

You might also like: Global Food Security: Why It Matters in 2023

12. Fast Fashion and Textile Waste

The global demand for fashion and clothing has risen at an unprecedented rate that the fashion industry now accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, becoming one of the biggest environmental problems of our time. Fashion alone produces more greenhouse gas emissions than both the aviation and shipping sectors combined , and nearly 20% of global wastewater, or around 93 billion cubic metres from textile dyeing, according to the UN Environment Programme.

What’s more, the world at least generated an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste every year and that number is expected to soar up to 134 million tonnes a year by 2030. Discarded clothing and textile waste, most of which is non-biodegradable, ends up in landfills, while microplastics from clothing materials such as polyester, nylon, polyamide, acrylic and other synthetic materials, is leeched into soil and nearby water sources. Monumental amounts of clothing textile are also dumped in less developed countries as seen with Chile’s Atacama , the driest desert in the world, where at least 39,000 tonnes of textile waste from other nations are left there to rot.

fast fashion waste

Of the 100 billion garments produced each year, 92 million tonnes end up in landfills.

This rapidly growing issue is only exacerbated by the ever-expanding fast fashion business model, in which companies relies on cheap and speedy production of low quality clothing to meet the latest and newest trends. While the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action sees signatory fashion and textile companies to commit to achieving net zero emission by 2050, a majority of businesses around the world have yet to address their roles in climate change.

While these are some of the biggest environmental problems plaguing our planet, there are many more that have not been mentioned, including overfishing, urban sprawl, toxic superfund sites and land use changes. While there are many facets that need to be considered in formulating a response to the crisis, they must be coordinated, practical and far-reaching enough to make enough of a difference. 

You might also like: Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact

13. Overfishing

Over three billion people around the world rely on fish as their primary source of protein. About 12% of the world relies upon fisheries in some form or another, with 90% of these being small-scale fishermen – think a small crew in a boat, not a ship, using small nets or even rods and reels and lures not too different from the kind you probably use . Of the 18.9 million fishermen in the world, 90% of them fall under the latter category.

Most people consume approximately twice as much food as they did 50 years ago and there are four times as many people on earth as there were at the close of the 1960s. This is one driver of the 30% of commercially fished waters being classified as being ‘overfished’. This means that the stock of available fishing waters is being depleted faster than it can be replaced.

Overfishing comes with detrimental effects on the environment, including increased algae in the water, destruction of fishing communities, ocean littering as well as extremely high rates of biodiversity loss.

As part of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14) , the UN and FAO are working towards maintaining the proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels. This, however, requires much stricter regulations of the world’s oceans than the ones already in place. In July 2022, the WTO banned fishing subsidies to reduce global overfishing in a historic deal. Indeed, subsidies for fuel, fishing gear, and building new vessels, only incentivise overfishing and represent thus a huge problem. 

You might also like: 7 Solutions to Overfishing We Need Right Now

14. Cobalt Mining

Cobalt is quickly becoming the defining example of the mineral conundrum at the heart of the renewable energy transition . As a key component of battery materials that power electric vehicles (EVs), cobalt is facing a sustained surge in demand as decarbonisation efforts progress. The  world’s largest cobalt supplier is the Democratic Republic of Congo  (DRC), where it is estimated that up to a fifth of the production is produced through artisanal miners.

Cobalt mining , however, is associated with  dangerous workers’ exploitation and other serious environmental and social issues. The environmental costs of cobalt mining activities are also substantial. Southern regions of the DRC are not only home to cobalt and copper, but also large amounts of uranium. In mining regions, scientists have made note of high radioactivity levels. In addition, mineral mining, similar to other industrial mining efforts, often produces pollution that leaches into neighbouring rivers and water sources. Dust from pulverised rock is known to cause breathing problems for local communities as well.

15. Soil Degradation

Organic matter is a crucial component of soil as it allows it to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Plants absorb CO2 from the air naturally and effectively through photosynthesis and part of this carbon is stored in the soil as  soil organic carbon (SOC). Healthy soil has a minimum of 3-6% organic matter. However, almost everywhere in the world, the content is much lower than that.

According to the United Nations, about 40% of the planet’s soil is degraded . Soil degradation refers to the loss of organic matter, changes in its structural condition and/or decline in soil fertility and it is often the result of human activities, such as traditional farming practices including the use of toxic chemicals and pollutants. If business as usual continued through 2050, experts project additional degradation of an area almost the size of South America. But there is more to it. If we do not change our reckless practices and step up to preserve soil health, food security for billions of people around the world will be irreversibly compromised, with an estimated 40% less food  expected to be produced in 20 years’ time despite the world’s population projected to reach 9.3 billion people.

Featured image by Roy Mangersnes (Earth.Org Photographer)

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How to Manage Project Environment from Initiation to Close

ProjectManager

Managing a project is difficult. You have a deadline to meet and budgets to keep. And within that narrow lane, you have to deliver a quality product or service.

And that’s just the project! What about all those things that can impact the project? There are forces outside your control that can sidetrack your work. There are even issues that can arise from your team or stakeholders.

All of these things make up the project environment. Just as you live in an environment that impacts your life, so does your project. You need to be aware of the project environment and prepare for its influence on your project throughout the project management life cycle.

What Is a Project Environment?

A project environment is all the internal and external forces that exert on your project management. These are things from inside and outside the project that can impact your schedule, budget, team morale and much more.

The project manager must understand the project environment and proactively plan to manage the factors that might influence the project. It’s sort of like managing risk in that way.

Think of the project environment as the context the project exists in. There’s an old expression that says, “Context is everything.” Any project manager who thinks they don’t need more data is a project manager who is going to get a tough lesson.

Why Is Project Environment Important?

When managing a project, it’s second nature to define its objectives, scope, budget and schedule—but often you neglect the project management environment. Do this at your own peril. There are f actors at play that you must identify and manage to make sure you deliver the project successfully.

For example, where is the project happening, and does that space have potential risks? There could be an earthquake, a hurricane or even something as simple as poor infrastructure that makes it difficult to get your resources to the job site.

Another factor is the social environment. What does the local community think of the project? Will they be upset and potentially stand in the way of your progress? It could also be less dramatic, such as the demographic of the area which might influence the project management plan in some way.

The project environment is of utmost importance. Collecting this information is where project management software can help. ProjectManager is an online tool that allows you to upload unlimited documents and images to the tool. Organize them on our list view and they’re always at your fingertips, whether you’re onsite, in the office or even at home. Try ProjectManager today for free!

List view in ProjectManager

Key Elements of the Project Environment

Two of the main elements of a project environment are internal and external factors:

Organizational Structure and Organizational Culture

The organizational structure impacts how you manage the project. These are the various systems that outline how processes are done to achieve the goals of the organization, and in turn, the workings of the project. In addition, the organizational culture also shapes how you execute the project.

Physical Environment

The other key factor is the physical environment. This includes the local ecology to the physical geography—weather, site access constraints, utilities, local service availability and availability of human and material resources. These are external factors, as they are outside of the control of your organization.

Political Environment

The political environment the project takes place can impact how the project team interacts with stakeholders. There can be illegal activities at play, such as corruption, differences in local and national policies, changes in political power or influence and more.

There are also cultural and religious issues to consider. These might cause your project plan to change because of personnel accommodations in work facilities, holidays, acceptable working hours and security considerations.

Other Internal Project Environment Factors

Other internal factors include the tools, skills and experience of your team. What’s their availability? Do they need training? Do you have the tools you need? This can impact the speed and efficiency of the project, as well as the scope and standards.

Outside forces also include market conditions, which are always changing. Depending on the economic environment, you might not have the ability to finance the project. There could be a lack of human and material resources.

Don’t forget the project stakeholders. Understanding them might be one of the most important aspects of managing a project environment. Know their experience, the culture they come from, the structure in which they work, their appetite for risk, priorities, etc.

Project Environment and the Project Management Life Cycle

One of the best ways to manage the project environment is by following the project phases. A project has five phases: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control and close. During each of these project management phases, you need to take into account the project environment.

  • Project initiation: This phase is where you determine if the project is viable. Considerations for your project environment include identifying the needs of your customers, performing a feasibility study and aligning the project planning with organizational goals.
  • Project planning: Project planning involves you creating a budget, a schedule and analyzing risk (which is a major component of any project environment). This is you decide what will be done by the internal project team, and what will be contracted out.
  • Project execution: When you execute the project, the project environment includes the resources and equipment necessary to do the tasks. The team will keep an eye out for any risks, and identify issues as they arise. Any testing and verification of performance will occur, too.
  • Monitoring and controlling: These two activities take place at the same time as the project execution. At this point, the project environment expands to include processes and tools that track progress and performance. Any variance from the project management plan will be reported and adjustments will be made to keep the project on track.
  • Project closure: Closure occurs once the final deliverable has been completed. Now the loose ends need to get tied up. The project environment at this point includes managing the review and acceptance process, settling all open accounts and closing contracts. This is followed by a review of the project, documenting all lessons learned and closing all project records.

environment related project

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Project Environment Example

Let’s take a moment to think of the project environment for a highway extension.

  • First, the project is being executed outside. You need to think about the physical environment and determine what season is best to execute the project—preferably when the ground isn’t soaked from rain or frozen solid in winter.
  • Then, there is the political environment to consider. Is the state or county on board with the project, and do they have sufficient funds to execute it? Are there any policies or regulations that might impact the project? Is there political goodwill to complete it?
  • What is the environmental impact of the project, and does it have support from the community? If you don’t have the locals behind the project, there can be an impasse. There may also be security concerns for the site—or maybe the highway is proposed to go through land that is protected in some capacity.
  • An internal project environment could include the complexity of the design, and the available human resources to execute that plan. This can impact the speed and efficiency of your work. An external environment to consider is if market conditions support the project. This can change the project scope.

The project environment touches every aspect of the project. The most obvious and important issues are often the hardest to see. That’s why managing the project environment must never be taken for granted.

How ProjectManager Helps You Manage Project Environment

ProjectManager can monitor and manage the project environment through all five phases of your project. It can collect project documents and serve as a central hub for all project records, connecting teams on its collaborative platform to help them plan, track and report on the project environment in order to stay the course.

Plan From Start to Finish on Gantt Charts

Project plans have to take into account the project environment. ProjectManager’s Gantt charts are robust enough to organize all the activities on your project, link dependencies that can delay your progress and even set a baseline once you’ve created the project schedule. With a baseline, you can quickly see the project variance and in real time as our software is updated instantly when the project status is filed.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart

Get Real-Time Status with Live Dashboards

Getting a high-level view of the project allows you to see the full project environment and capture issues fast so they can be resolved quickly before negatively impacting the project. ProjectManager’s live dashboard doesn’t have to be configured like on lightweight tools but is ready to go when you are. It collects data in real time and automatically calculates project metrics that are then displayed in easy-to-read graphs and charts.

ProjectManager’s dashboard view, which shows six key metrics on a project

One-Click Reports Provide Data Quickly

If you need a closer look at the data, use ProjectManager’s one-click reports. Generate reports on project variance, tasks, costs and much more. All our reports can be filtered to allow you to zero in on only the information you want to see. You can filter reports to show what stakeholders want to be updated on, too, and then easily share with them.

ProjectManager's status report filter

From planning to closure, our software has all the features you need to manage your project environment and mitigate any risks involved with it. Get notifications, resource management tools and kanban boards that visualize your team’s workflow so you can catch bottlenecks and reallocate resources fast to keep teams working at capacity. Plus, you get multiple project views so everyone on the team can work how they want and stay up-to-date.

ProjectManager is award-winning software that organizes your work and keeps you productive. Its real-time data helps you monitor the project environment and make better decisions to keep your project on track. Try ProjectManager free today.

Click here to browse ProjectManager's free templates

Deliver your projects on time and under budget

Start planning your projects.

Blog Creating a better place

Creating a better place

https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/15/porlock-vale-streams-riverlands-project-offers-nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change/

Porlock Vale Streams Riverlands Project offers nature-based solutions to climate change

The National Trust, in partnership with the Environment Agency, are continuing work on the Porlock Vale Streams Riverlands (PVSR) Project on Holnicote Estate, West Somerset, and recently completed the River Aller Floodplain Reconnection scheme.

The project includes both trees and wetlands

The project started in 2018 under the National Riverlands Programme. It aims to deliver nature-based solutions to climate change through unique river restoration and habitat creation techniques.

So far, the project has cost approximately £2.4m to carry out. It has been funded by Interreg 2 Seas Co-adapt with contributions from the Environment Agency, the National Trust, Somerset Rivers Authority and the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

The Environment Agency (EA) provided funding from the Water Environment Improvement Fund and Local Levy NFM funding to the project on an annual basis. Local EA teams within the Wessex Area provided support and expertise throughout the project’s lifetime.

  What changes have been made to the area?

The PVSR project has restored natural processes and ecological function through five main schemes across the Holnicote Estate, covering a 12,500 acre stretch of land and encompassing two river catchments: the River Aller and Horner Water. Many smaller interventions have also been delivered in the area at catchment scale.

The site of the EA restoration project

The River Aller Floodplain Reconnection scheme is the first large main river restoration scheme of this scale implemented in the UK. The work was designed to take the River Aller back to a natural state from being a single thread channel to a system of multiple, cross-connected channels. This technique reconnects the river to its floodplain, helping to hold back floodwater during high flows and protect downstream communities. Groundwater levels are raised to store more water throughout the year. This helps the river become more resilient during times of prolonged dry weather and drought.

The National Trust reversed historical land drainage by filling in the ditch network and spreading deadwood across the system, allowing water to flow freely across the meadow. New flow pathways formed naturally, creating channels connected to the floodplain. This ensures the land remains wet for longer periods of time, boosting biodiversity and increasing water storage capacity.

The EA site at Selworthy

On a larger scale, similar work has been undertaken across 125 hectares of Tivington Farm upstream of the River Aller scheme. Several kilometres of ditches were restored using the same techniques deployed at Mudpool Meadow. The farm was also put through arable reversion to reduce the impact of land management on the water environment.

Additional projects and local community involvement

Two beaver families were introduced to Holnicote Estate and they have already developed the sites into complex wet woodland habitats. Beavers are nature’s engineers, re-building the lost wetland habitats and offering nature-based solutions to existing environmental problems.

Paddocks beaver enclosure

Volunteers from the community surrounding Holnicote Estate assisted in planting 25,000 trees suitable to the wetland environment, including willow, bird cherry and black poplar. In addition to increasing carbon storage capacity and biodiversity, tree planting reduces the risk of flooding.

Dr Stewart Clarke, National Trust specialist for Freshwater, Catchments and Estuaries said:

“We are creating the best possible conditions we can for the river to adapt and respond to whatever comes its way in the face of more severe and regular floods and droughts predicted with climate change”.

The work continues…

The Porlock Vale Streams Riverlands Project at Holnicote Estate is due to continue over the coming years, helping to strengthen working relationships between the Environment Agency and the National Trust.

Further work is planned to restore natural habitats, including in the Lower Hawkcombe area, where the stream and floodplain will be reconnected to extend saltmarsh and wetland habitats on Porlock Marsh.

Somerset Rivers Authority chairman Cllr Mike Stanton said: “After so many years of hard work and planning, it is great to see this scheme flourishing”.

The work ensures Holnicote Estate is a more climate resilient and sustainable landscape, achieving improvements for the environment, biodiversity, and local residents.

Tags: Climate Change , conservation , environment agency , partnership

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Controversial energy project in southern Washington state moves closer to breaking ground

The Goldendale Energy Storage Project would be the largest pumped storage project in the Pacific Northwest.

The Goldendale Energy Storage Project would be the largest pumped storage project in the Pacific Northwest.

Courtesy of Rye Development

A controversial energy project in south central Washington is one step closer to breaking ground. A federal commission released its final environmental review for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project — to the consternation of several tribes and environmental groups.

The project is part of a potential solution to one of the biggest problems for renewable energy development: the variability of wind and solar. As the Northwest transitions off fossil fuels, power will need to be stored for when the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow.

In a final environmental impact statement , the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, recommended moving forward with the project, with some conditions to account for harms the project could cause.

In an emailed statement, Erik Steimle, vice president of Rye Development, praised the release of the final environmental review. Rye Development is developing the energy storage project.

“The release of FERC’s final environmental impact statement is a significant milestone for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, which will create thousands of jobs and help the state meet its climate goals with minimal environmental impacts,” Steimle wrote.

Related: Pumped storage hydropower is the greenest renewable energy technology, study says

According to FERC’s environmental review, the alternative proposal would provide a dependable source of energy and would adequately protect environmental resources.

According to the document, the alternative proposed by FERC would be worth the cost.

The closed-loop pumped storage project would act like a battery. It would pump water more than 2,400 feet above the Columbia River. The water would stay in a 61-acre upper reservoir until more energy is needed.

Then, the upper reservoir would release water down through underground concrete- or steel-lined tunnels and turbines, into a lower 63-acre reservoir, generating energy on-demand. When there’s too much energy on the grid, the water would be pumped back to the upper pool.

If constructed, it would be the largest pumped storage project in the region, potentially generating 1,200 megawatts of carbon-free energy. That’s the equivalent of 12-hours of electricity for residents in a city the size of Seattle, Steimle said.

That's about one-fifth of the region's need for energy storage, he said in an earlier interview . In addition, Steimle said, the project is key to the Northwest's carbon-free energy future.

Pushback from Northwest tribal nations

However, that solution comes with a price. The project is within ceded lands of the Yakama Nation. Northwest tribal nations have called the Goodnoe Hills area sacred for thousands of years .

"Green energy is not so green if it's creating so much environmental injustice," said Elaine Harvey in an earlier interview . Harvey is a Ka-milt-pah member, known in English as the Rock Creek Band of the Yakama Nation.

“It’s not going to come back after you destroy it. It’s irreversible,” Harvey said.

Related: Federal regulators want public input on Goldendale Energy Storage Project

Moreover, previous environmental impact reviews from Washington state have concluded the project would result in adverse and unavoidable impacts to tribal cultural resources, including gathering and digging spots for roots, berries and medicines, burial grounds, and sacred locations that date back long before colonization.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s final environmental impact statement released Thursday found similar conclusions.

The Yakama Nation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have written to FERC, stating that no mitigation would be acceptable because the loss would be irreversible.

“Our medicines, foods, lands, and waters are sacred to us,” said Yakama Tribal Council Chairman Delano Saluskin in a statement. “For too long, these sacred places where we gather our foods and hold our ceremonies have been threatened by development without consultation with, or consent from, our sovereign tribes. This is unacceptable.”

In addition, tribal nations argue they weren’t properly consulted for the project and that government-to-government relations never happened correctly. Advocates argued the lack of consultation in the review led to a less-than-optimal written section on cultural ramifications.

Related: Goldendale, Washington, energy project would harm tribal resources, environmental impact statement finds

More tribal consultation needed, advocacy group says

According to the Yakama Nation’s comments on FERC’s draft environmental impact statement, “FERC has substantially failed thus far to uphold its statutory and federal trust obligations to the Yakama Nation and to honor duties codified by the Treaty.”

In 2022, 17 tribal leaders sent a letter to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee asking for better consultation on the project. Inslee has supported the Goldendale Pumped Storage Project, signing a bill in 2020 that deemed the project of statewide significance and expediting its permitting process.

Environmental groups also have strongly advocated for more tribal consultation. The tendency to treat consultation as a box to check off is concerning, especially as more renewable energy projects are proposed, said Simone Anter, staff attorney for Columbia Riverkeeper, an environmental advocacy group.

“It’s a real national issue. As we continue to meet our climate change goals, with our transition to more renewable energy sources, we’re going to see this come up over and over again,” Anter said.

Related: Northwest clean-energy advocates eye pumped hydro to fill gaps, with tribes noting concerns

If consultation is pushed to the side, and not a true government-to-government process, she said, that could slow down projects.

“Tribal nations need to trust these processes, too,” Anter said. “Historically, that’s not been there, and it’s very quickly eroding away with the renewable energy transition, as well.”

Correction made Feb. 14: An earlier version of this story misspelled Simone Anter’s last name.

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Related stories.

environment related project

Pumped storage hydropower is the greenest renewable energy technology, study says

A new study from the National Renewable Energy Energy Laboratory says closed-looped storage hydropower has the lowest carbon footprint than other renewable energy storage technologies like lithium-ion batteries.

environment related project

Federal regulators want public input on Goldendale Energy Storage Project

A major new energy storage facility for the Northwest is one step closer to being built, with federal regulators releasing new documents outlining some of the impacts of the Goldendale Energy Storage Project in south-central Washington – including likely damage to sacred Indigenous sites.

Goldendale, Washington, energy project would harm tribal resources, environmental impact statement finds

A proposed pumped storage project near Goldendale in south central Washington is one step closer to starting up construction, after the state releases its final environmental impact statement.

environment related project

Northwest clean-energy advocates eye pumped hydro to fill gaps, with tribes noting concerns

Many states – including Oregon and Washington – have set renewable energy goals. But, there’s a problem. The wind isn’t always blowing, and the sun isn’t always shining. That’s why wind and solar power are variable, or intermittent. So advocates for pumped hydro are pumping up their proposals for big projects.

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  • Swamp trips prime students on Everglades’ restoration

Swamp trip primes students on Everglades restoration

Students in the Everglades law class participate in a swamp walk through Big Cypress National Preserve in the southwestern part of the Everglades. Photo: Kelly Cox/University of Miami

Students in the Everglades law class participate in a swamp walk through Big Cypress National Preserve in the southwestern part of the Everglades. Photo: Courtesy of Kelly Cox

By Janette Neuwahl Tannen [email protected] 02-12-2024

Sam Stephens had been to the Everglades once or twice, but he had never actually set foot in the swamp. 

Yet, as part of the University of Miami’s newest environmental law course, last month Stephens and seven of his classmates meandered through waist-deep water in Big Cypress National Preserve on the second day of class. At one point, a rare barred owl stared down at them from a branch above. 

It was just one highlight of a new five-day short course called Everglades Law that gave students at the School of Law the chance to learn about the River of Grass and its restoration firsthand. 

“I was nervous about it, but it was also my favorite thing we did,” said Stephens, a third-year law student, referring to the swamp walk. “This class was the most time I’ve spent in the Everglades, and it was an incredible experience because we were immersed in the ecosystem while learning about the policies that have affected it for the last 150 years.”

The day before, the group came across a family of river otters while kayaking, said lecturer Kelly Cox , an alumna of the School of Law and the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science , who led the course. Although Cox now serves as director of Everglades policy for the National Audubon Society, she has worked on South Florida environmental issues since graduation, so when Jessica Owley , professor of law and director of the Environmental Law Program, envisioned the class, she knew Cox, who also teaches at the Rosenstiel School, would be an ideal instructor. Fortunately, Cox agreed. 

“We have the largest collection of ecosystem restoration projects going on in our backyard, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce students to the dynamics of that, and all the legal nuances that helped get the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP) off the ground,” said Cox.

For the pilot course, students lived in cabins on the Seminole Reservation’s Big Cypress RV Resort in Clewiston. Each day, the group learned about different aspects of CERP—a massive, $23.2 billion, 35-year project approved by Congress in 2000 to restore the wildlife and water quality to the Florida Everglades that once existed naturally. The health of the Everglades deteriorated rapidly after the ecosystem was drained to convert the land into agricultural fields in the early 1900s. 

Students spent the first day learning about the unique Everglades ecosystem by kayaking through its mangrove tunnels. Lisa Andrews, park ranger and outreach and education coordinator at Big Cypress National Park, spoke to them about endangered species native to the Everglades, such as the Florida panther, and efforts to get the elusive Ghost orchid listed also. 

Marisa Carrozzo, senior coastal and wildlife manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, explained to students how her organization and other environmental groups are working to create a wildlife corridor in Southwest Florida, called the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area , to protect the panthers from getting hit by cars, which has killed the majority of them in recent years. 

The class also cruised around Lake Okeechobee, a major water source for the Everglades, and visited water distribution facilities along its southern edge, including the Herbert Hoover Dike. Students spoke with commercial fishermen who work on the lake and toured filtration facilities, reservoirs, and marsh systems operated by the South Florida Water Management District—all working to ensure that the water moving south is safe. 

“Students got to see an active restoration site where they are turning an old sugar cane field into a stormwater treatment area, which is basically a constructed wetland that helps store water at a higher quality before it flows south,” Cox said. “This is just one of the projects of CERP where several agencies are working together.” 

The restoration site intrigued Patrick Roesser, a second-year law student from the Port St. Lucie area. 

“I didn’t know about the marsh filtration system that was set up starting with the Everglades Forever Act , and I found it to be a really interesting and intuitive way to filter out the phosphorus coming from the agricultural zone,” he said. “There’s about 10 tons of phosphorus at the bottom of Lake Okeechobee, so these marshes prevent the blue green algae from wreaking havoc in the surrounding waters.” 

They also learned about the two tribes who consider the Everglades home. The class visited the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum to learn about the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and took an airboat ride with Edward Ornstein, a lawyer who represents the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida on environmental issues. Ornstein explained the importance of the Everglades to the Miccosukee on one of its sacred tree islands, and the class even met a tribal elder who told them about the impact of Everglades restoration. 

“I can’t think of another time when I had the opportunity to learn about the laws and to see the impacts firsthand like I did in the Everglades,” Stephens said. “Also, since [Cox] works in the field, taking the course with Kelly was great—her perspective and knowledge of the Everglades was incredible.” 

Third-year law student Delaney Reynolds agreed. 

“Even if you’re not focused on environmental law, I would apply for this class because you learn so much about environment that we are surrounded by, and how impactful rerouting water flow can be to the entirety of the state,” said Reynolds, who is also earning her doctoral degree from the Rosenstiel School. “These concepts also apply to many other classes we have taken in law school.” 

Cox enjoyed the experience, and said she hopes to offer the class next January. 

“It’s really meaningful and important to get law students out in nature to remind them why they are doing this work,” she said. “I hope this class solidifies that commitment for the next generation of legal minds working to protect our environment.” 

Owley said Everglades restoration is a vital lesson for future environmental lawyers. 

“Understanding the many pieces and layers in a complex, thorny, environmental problem is key because it’s hard to find one as complicated as the Everglades, with all of these different stakeholders,” she said. “If students can understand how these come together, then they can translate it to other big, complicated topics.”

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What is Project Environment in Project Management?

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Project Environment

The influence of infrastructure and facility building on the physical environment is becoming more recognized and concerned. Fortunately, today's technical disciplines in charge of such work are becoming more aware of the need to mitigate the negative effects of their undertakings. The Project Manager, too, must be concerned with the project's technology and manage it properly. This is true for both the project's execution and short-term practical construction implications, as well as its conceptual development and long-term consequences.

Today's Project Manager, on the other hand, must be aware of the project's cultural, organizational, and social contexts. So, what is the project environment? Identifying project stakeholders and their potential to influence the project's success is part of comprehending what is project environment. This entails collaborating with others to produce the most outstanding outcomes, particularly in highly technical and complicated contexts like those seen in current building projects. Therefore, it is crucial that the Project Manager and the project team feel at ease in their cultural, organizational, and social environments, as well as sympathetic to them.

Consequently, there is an opportunity to positively influence the project environment, resulting in a better reception of the change that the project is intended to bring about. Some of the stakeholders, for example, will undoubtedly demonstrate their customary opposition to change. Others might have personal or organizational goals that are only tangentially tied to the project. If the challenges are accordingly identified at the early stages, be dealt with proactively, reducing the risks that might otherwise jeopardize the project's success. If you don't adopt this method, your project will almost certainly fail.

Influencing the Cultural Environment of the Project

The Project Manager of a successful project will grasp the importance of influencing the project's cultural environment for the project stakeholders' advantage. Every project team member, and indeed every member of the workforce, must be made to believe that every other project stakeholder is equally as essential as they are. It entails instilling a global attitude of "We care!" and a dedication to service, even if it is painful at times. It also entails understanding what is project environment in which every decision and action is made with the goal of improving the stakeholder experience above what it would have been if the project had not been done.

Rather than obsessing about computer printouts and weekly progress reports, it necessitates a focus on the quality of the stakeholder's experience at every level of the project. This connection replicates the Project Manager/team relationship, so it's obvious where to start. Because solid Project Management methods may be attained in the short and long term via solid team interaction, the Project Manager may develop productive connections with team members by attending to what they require in order to fulfill their different contributions. These qualities of cooperation and support as a team are eventually passed on to the project's stakeholders. This uplifting atmosphere is seldom overlooked.

When creating Project Management strategies at the start of the project, the project's executive should realize the critical role that human resources development, particularly Project Management training, may play in strengthening the project's cultural environment. Such training is an effective tool for increasing project expertise and commitment, boosting team performance, and ultimately improving project quality.

Internal Project Management Strategies That Work

There could be a multitude of causes for a project's fiasco, some of which are technical and others which are management. Even technological failures, however, are often linked back to a failure on the part of the project's senior management to identify and address these inherent managerial risks. On the other hand, it is likely that the majority of ostensibly successful enterprises do not represent their full potential.

A number of criteria have been associated with successful projects based on project experience. While these requirements do not ensure future project success, their absence may likely result in sub-optimal results, if not outright failure. The Project's Executive plays a critical part in the project's success and should insist on the following:

  • Executive Support: Through active sponsorship and control, the executive must clearly show support for the Project Management philosophy.
  • External Authority: In interacting with all partners, the Project Manager must be viewed as the authoritative representative and the sole point of official contact.
  • Internal Authority: To guarantee that his/her criteria are met, the Project Manager must have the required management authority inside the company.
  • Commitment Authority: The power and duty to govern the commitment of resources, including cash, within specified boundaries shall be given to the Project Manager. The outcomes of these judgments must be transparent and accountable.
  • All Key Decisions Should Involve the Project Manager: No significant technical, cost, scheduling, or performance-related decisions should be arrived at without the notice, knowledge, and advice of the Project Manager.
  • Project Team: The Project Manager should have a voice in the composition of the project team, as this will aid in obtaining personal dedication, support, and the appropriate level of service.
  • Management Information Systems: Information and control systems for Project Management must be in place.
  • Competence is required of the Project Manager and the team members. The project's other functional workers must likewise be competent.

External Project Environments

External occurrences on specific projects catch the Project Manager and their team off guard and are therefore seen as roadblocks to development. However, as previously said, projects are often only possible due to the external environment. Thus, the project team must know that they also are sensitive to it. 

What is the external project environment?

It comprises the project's established and cutting-edge state-of-the-art technologies, consumers and rivals, geographical, climatic, social, economic, and political surroundings, and almost anything else that might influence its success. These issues may have an impact on the Project Manager's primary tasks of planning, organizing, staffing, and directing.

This external project environment is made up of a complex web of interconnected interactions that are continually reacting to the project as it takes shape. In contrast, most projects, especially infrastructure projects, are designed to have an influence on the project environment in some manner. As a result, these interdependencies must be considered in order for the project to be successful in the end.

Even more importantly, the elements mentioned above have a tendency to change throughout the course of a project's life cycle, particularly if the project is phased in and completed over many years. As a consequence of the project environment, there is a significant level of uncertainty or risk around it. In fact, the more reliance there is, the more uncertainty there is, and the greater the task for the Project Manager and the team.

Obviously, the setting for each project will be different. In actuality, it is likely to be decided primarily by three factors: the project's product or service, the technology and the method in which it is used, and the project's geographical location.

The project team must learn to interact frequently with the individuals and institutions that make up the most essential elements of the project's external environment in order to identify potential difficulties arising from the project's stakeholders, assess their likelihood of occurrence, and try to head them off in advance. Together with the project's sponsors, owners, and users, these individuals make up the project's direct and indirect stakeholders.

Creating a Healthy Stakeholder Environment

Adopting a good stakeholder environment is similar to influencing the project's cultural environment, which was defined above as a matter of developing the proper mindset. Perhaps the simplest way to express this mindset is to flip the typical organizational chart hierarchy.

To put it another way, the project stakeholders are at the top of the chart, then the front-line project team members, and finally the Project Manager. Perhaps the project team will be better seen as a true service organization, motivated to complete the given project with absolute perfection, both in terms of perception and reality.

Learn how to understand the role of various stakeholders and how to use this information in order to enhance the way in which the information is received as well as the way in which it is perceived. Identify the true nature of each stakeholder group's business and their consequent interest in the project. Understand how motivated they are and how they behave. Assess how they may react to various approaches. Learn about Project Management's role in reacting to the project's stakeholders' motivations. Identify the main areas that will have the most influence on the project's success.

Always keep in mind that even a tiny stakeholder group might find the project's "fatal defect," which could put the project to a halt!

Identifying Project Participants

A stakeholder analysis is one method for efficiently dealing with the external project environment. The goal of such an analysis would be to first identify all prospective stakeholders who may have an effect on the project and then to assess their respective power to influence it.

Groupings of Stakeholders

Project stakeholders may be classified into one of the following categories:

  • Those who are directly involved in the project, such as input suppliers, output consumers, and Project Managers;
  • Those who have a considerable say over the various matters, including physical, social, economic, and legal situations;
  • Those who have a nexus based on a hierarchical setup to the project, such as local, regional, and national government authorities; and
  • Those individuals, groups, and associations who have an interest in the project.

Types of Stakeholders

After the different stakeholders have been identified, they may be categorized according to their respective capacity to affect the project. The stakeholders can be categorized into three types based on the nature of their personality: those who can be controlled, those who can be influenced, and those who need to be appreciated.

  Each stakeholder may then be ranked by degree of relevance based on their potential to affect the project within each area. Appropriate members of the project team may therefore prioritize their efforts in order to maintain the required stakeholder links, increasing the project's chances of success. The project team's work may be allocated to a particular group within the project team if the project is big enough or the stakeholder connections are strong enough.

Clearly, the Project Manager's role has expanded beyond directing events inside his or her own project organization. As many software products may have suggested, Project Management is no longer only the monitoring of time and expense via planning, scheduling, and resource-leveling. It also includes the Project Manager's many other organizational responsibilities as the project team's leader is insufficient.

All of these factors are critical, but they are insufficient in today's dynamic environment for effective and successful Project Management. The necessity to monitor the project's links to the external environment is as vital - and frequently more so to achieve a good project conclusion. This is particularly true for infrastructure projects that prioritize growth and innovation and must adapt to ever-faster change.

The rationale is straightforward. Every building project serves a certain function in relation to and within its surroundings. As a result, its design and execution must be sensitive to the environment, maximizing the benefits to all stakeholders as much as possible while avoiding negative consequences via conscious mitigation. Clearly, the Project Manager's performance within the broader question of “what is project environment” may make all the difference in the project's success or failure.

  • https://www.project-risk-manager.com/blog/the-importance-of-understanding-project-environment-and-context/
  • https://www.systemation.com/dont-forget-about-the-project-environment/
  • https://www.can-do.de/en/blog/project-environment-analysis-puma-how-you-correctly-raise-and-assess-expectations

Is a passionate learner and blogger on Agile, Scrum and Scaling areas. She has been following and practicing these areas for several years and now converting those experiences into useful articles for your continuous learning.

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  • Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project - Environmental Impact Assessment pdf (3.9 MB)

Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project - Environmental Impact Assessment

February 14, 2024.

This document is a draft of the ESIA that is currently being prepared – it is a work in progress, therefore not a completed document. The purpose of making this draft available is to provide stakeholders with early access to details of the project, to provide background information for community consultation that is now commencing, and to stimulate feedback on the project concept.

The draft ESIA has also been disclosed in order to meet the requirements of UNDP’s disclosure policy, that is making draft information available at least 120 days ahead of any activities which have been categorized as ‘Substantial risk’ under the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure.

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Disaster Financial

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Disaster financial preparedness analysis report.

This report is intended to raise awareness of the fiscal impact that natural disasters have on the Fijian public finance. In this context, the report recommend...

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Fiji Water Supply, Sanitation And Hygiene (WASH) Disaster...

The Fiji WASH sector DRF Guide for Fiji was prepared under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance project Building Disaster-Resilient Infrastruc...

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PDNA Guidelines Water and Sanitation – Fiji Infrastructur...

The Fiji WASH Sector PDNA guidelines complements PDNA Guidelines Volume A and is contextualised for the Fiji WASH Sector. It is primarily intended for use by m...

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    6. Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. This wetlands restoration project in Delaware aims to restore 4,000 acres, in what YaleEnvironment360 calls "one of the largest and most complex wetlands restoration projects ever mounted.". Coastal wetlands are valuable because they sequester carbon, and, according to YaleEnvironment360, " [they ...

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  27. What is Project Environment?

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