5 Volunteers and their communities protect the environment

What does it mean to lead grassroots efforts to protect the environment and strengthen understanding of environmental issues? Here's what Peace Corps Volunteers and their communities are doing to teach environmental awareness and empower communities to make their own decisions about how to conserve the local environment.

1. Allison Bell, an Environment Volunteer serving in Paraguay

“We love encouraging others in our community to find their own personal connection with the environment and outdoors – whatever that may look like! Now more than ever, it is crucial that each individual does their part to protect the environment for generations to come. In the environment sector, we also have so much to learn from Paraguayans – collectively, they are very creative when it comes to reusing items, and it seems like everyone has knowledge on native species and the best remedios to put in your mate [a popular local tea] when you have a sore throat!”

3. Stefani Gee, an Education Volunteer serving in Samoa

“I have collaborated with my colleagues to create more environmental awareness among the children in my village. We want to ensure understanding of human impact on the natural resources, as issues such as [littering] and pollution are prominent in the village. We created an ocean awareness camp that was offered to children in the village during the school term break. The four-day camp included snorkeling (equipment donated by the local dive company), [lessons] about marine life and human impact on the ocean, games and activities about ocean conservation, a rubbish pick-up, and a marine debris art project utilizing garbage collected during rubbish pick up.”

4. Dylan Kintish, an Environment Volunteer serving in Paraguay

“Our site is near what used to be the Atlantic Forest. Paraguay has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, so it is imperative to preserve what remaining forests are left, and replant where possible. We helped organize a big reforestation effort in our local waterfall park. Members of the ecological committee gave radio and TV interviews in preparation for this event. Information was passed out on social media as well. On the day of the event, about 80 volunteers planted 200 trees and placed five environmental [conservation] signs in the park.”

5. Corley Hicks, an Environment Volunteer serving in Vanuatu

“We are piloting a program for trash collection, in partnership with a local group that already provides eco-friendly trash collection for urban communities near the capital. We’ll start collecting waste in biodegradable bags which will be transported to the landfill on the other side of the island. At present all waste is thrown into piles in the jungle, in the river, and sometimes directly into the ocean. We are excitedly planning a ‘launch day’ and community clean-up!”

7. Patrick Herring, a Peace Corps Response Volunteer serving in Peru

“My primary work plan is to research, identify, assess, and develop a sustainable and profitable educational eco-tourism program. I assist in identifying and developing new partnerships to share the positive social change that women leaders, promotoras, have achieved in the Amazon. By providing eco-friendly educational adventures, the community hopes to secure long-term financial self-sustainability for all their Amazon programs in conservation, health, leadership, and communication.”

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