With a changing economy and new president, many are hopeful that volunteerism will be more linked to everyday life. Amidst severe inequality and an alarming disconnect betweens humans and their land base, the concept of volunteerism requires a guide like Planet Green's "How to Go Green: Volunteering."
Top Tips for Greening Your Volunteering
Appraise Your Schedule: Perhaps the most common excuse for not volunteering is time. However, even the busiest and most time-efficient of us could benefit from a calendar exam. We're likely to discover steps that might not only ease a hectic lifestyle but also create valuable space to give of ourselves.
Assess Your Skills: The desire to volunteer is where it starts. But those in need of volunteers typically call for some specific skills. Matching your individual gifts with others' needs is the best way to serve the greater good. However, keep a lookout for volunteer opportunities that may help you learn and develop new skills at the same time.
Evaluate Your Passions: If there's a green cause that always seems to be in the forefront of your consciousness, perhaps that's where you should aim your volunteerism. Find a cause, an issue, an organization that excites you, motivates you, or even angers you and you may just find where your efforts best fit in.
Did You Know?
- 56% of all American adults (109 million people) volunteer annually
- U.S. teenagers volunteer 2.4 billion hours each year
- The estimated dollar value of volunteer labor in the U.S. is $225 billion
For more on Volunteering Tips check out Planet Green's Guide, How to Go Green: Volunteering. For more on Going Green, check out the Planet Green How to Go Green Archives.
