Nature is beautiful, it has the power to revitalize, rejuvenate and make you feel refreshed after spending time in it. One of the reasons being out in nature can have this effect on people may be because that’s quite literally where we came from. When we go out into nature it’s a little like returning back to our root’s, feeling the ground beneath us as opposed to an office floor, concrete sidewalks and classroom desks.
Sadly, we live in a time where these spaces are being threatened. Mass deforestation is leading to erosion of land, loss of wildlife and warmer climate. Unprocessed waste from factory farms cerate’s dead zone’s in the ocean and shady business practices with oil companies lead’s to not only leakage but massive spills (I’m looking at you BP) both of which makes the affected area’s being virtually uninhabitable by marine life.
While things like this are currently occurring here and now, there is still time to take action and take steps to move toward a more environmentally oriented and sustainable economy and lifestyle. One of the best ways to take action is to volunteer some of your time to companies and organizations that specialize in sustainability and environmentally friendly practices. While there are many different organizations to volunteer with in Milwaukee, This article will focus on 3 in particular, those are:
1. Growing Power
2. The Urban Ecology Center
3. Keeping Greater Milwaukee Beautiful
1. Growing Power
Growing Power is an urban agriculture center with its headquarters located on 5500 W Silver Spring Drive here in Milwaukee, with another center located down in the Chicago area and over in the Madison area as well.
Growing power focuses on many different kinds of sustainable way’s to produce organic foods in an urban setting through the use of aquaponics, greenhouses and composting. Between internships, workshops and volunteer positions, there is plenty of room to get involved and get to work assisting staff all over the farm and learning different ways you can decrease your carbon footprint as well.
You do need to attend orientation before you’re allowed to start working however that takes only around 30 minutes, and then you’re ready to get your hands dirty!
2. Urban Ecology Center
The Urban ec
ology center started off as an effort to clean up Riverside Park. The area had become a hotbed of crime, garbage and invasive plants. Local residents of the area used a double-wide trailer as their headquarters and classroom to organize events, cleanup, and educational programs. In 2004, their center of operations finally received an upgrade to what we see today, a multi-story complex with many unique features ranging from rental equipment for outdoor play to educational areas for classes and training.
On their Website is a calendar with many different orientation times so there should certainly be a time that can work with your schedule.
3. Keeping Greater Milwaukee Beautiful
Keeping greater Milwaukee beautiful is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with businesses and communities to promote more sustainable styles of living and educate them on different environmental issues, and what they can do to help make the Milwaukee area a more environmentally friendly place.
There are many different opportunities for volunteering that can take place during the day, evening, and weekends. There are opportunities for larger groups and internships as well.
There is an application process that must be filled out first however before volunteer work is allowed, however, this company has the most variation in opportunities which range from education to group leadership and regular old volunteer work.
These 3 organizations provide an excellent opportunity to not only get involved in environmental work, but it shows that really making a difference in the area you live in is easy, and can have far larger benefits than you may initially be aware of, so get out there, get your hands dirty, and go green!