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23 Environmental Service Project Ideas

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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150+ Creative Sustainability Project Ideas: Join the Green Movement

• Post author By admin
• October 14, 2023

Discover a world of eco-conscious possibilities with our Sustainability Project Ideas. From reducing waste to renewable energy, find inspiration for a greener future.

Our planet has given us so many things. That is why it is quite important for all of us to make the combined efforts in order to make the planet greener and more sustainable.

But how can we make it possible? It can be possible through sustainability project ideas. Yes, you heard it right sustainability project ideas can motivate the people to take active part in order to make the plant greener and sustainable. 

Although most of us are aware of the recycling and saving energy. But in this blog we are going to cover some of the most innovative projects that are making the difference.

These project ideas can help you to explore a lot more about the environment and foster your learning. So let’s get started:-

Table of Contents

Sustainability Project Ideas

Check out sustainability project ideas:-

Energy Efficiency

• Retrofitting public buildings with energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems.
• Offering subsidies for energy-efficient appliances and solar water heaters.
• Promoting community-based wind energy projects.
• Implementing smart grid technologies for more efficient energy distribution.
• Providing incentives for industries to adopt cleaner energy sources.
• Creating awareness campaigns on energy conservation in schools.
• Developing energy-efficient transportation systems.
• Conducting energy-saving competitions for households.
• Supporting research on energy storage and grid stability.
• Encouraging businesses to implement telecommuting and virtual meetings to reduce travel-related energy consumption.

Waste Reduction

• Introducing mandatory recycling programs in residential areas.
• Establishing “Buy Nothing” groups for sharing items and reducing consumption.
• Implementing a “Pay as You Throw” waste collection system to reduce waste generation.
• Organizing community-based repair workshops for electronics and appliances.
• Supporting local artisans to create products from upcycled materials.
• Offering incentives for businesses to adopt zero-waste practices.
• Promoting the use of reusable bags and containers in stores.
• Conducting e-waste collection and recycling drives.
• Establishing a “Library of Things” for borrowing seldom-used items.
• Encouraging the adoption of circular economy models for businesses.

Water Conservation

• Installing rainwater harvesting systems in schools and public buildings.
• Promoting the use of low-flow faucets and showerheads in homes.
• Implementing water-efficient landscaping in parks and public spaces.
• Encouraging the use of dual-flush toilets in residential areas.
• Conducting community workshops on rain barrel installation.
• Creating water conservation awareness programs in local schools.
• Repairing leaky pipes and fixtures in municipal buildings.
• Developing a smartphone app to monitor water usage.
• Establishing water recycling systems for industrial processes.
• Educating the community about responsible water use in agriculture.

Sustainable Agriculture

• Creating community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs.
• Establishing rooftop gardens in urban areas.
• Promoting the use of indigenous crops for food security.
• Supporting small-scale farmers with organic farming practices.
• Implementing permaculture design in local farms.
• Developing farm-to-school programs to provide fresh, local produce to students.
• Establishing a “Seed Bank” to preserve heirloom and native crop varieties.
• Encouraging aquaponics and hydroponics in urban agriculture.
• Organizing farmer’s markets to connect producers with consumers.
• Supporting research on sustainable pest management in agriculture.

Biodiversity Preservation

• Restoring natural habitats through reforestation efforts.
• Conducting wildlife rescue and rehabilitation programs.
• Promoting the protection of endangered species and their habitats.
• Developing wildlife corridors to connect fragmented ecosystems.
• Creating butterfly and pollinator-friendly gardens.
• Hosting educational nature walks and bird-watching events.
• Implementing sustainable fishing and hunting practices.
• Establishing citizen science projects for monitoring local biodiversity.
• Encouraging the removal of invasive species in natural areas.
• Participating in biodiversity conservation through community land trusts.

Green Transportation

• Creating bike-sharing programs with designated bike lanes.
• Developing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
• Establishing carpooling and ridesharing apps for commuters.
• Promoting the use of electric scooters and public transport.
• Supporting cycling education for safer urban biking.
• Organizing “Walk to School” initiatives for students.
• Implementing electric bus fleets in public transportation.
• Encouraging telecommuting and remote work options.
• Designing pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and urban planning.
• Advocating for green infrastructure in transportation projects.

Education and Awareness

• Incorporating sustainability into school curriculums at all levels.
• Conducting environmental education programs in local libraries.
• Organizing climate action youth groups and eco-clubs.
• Hosting Earth Day events and sustainability fairs.
• Establishing community garden tours and workshops.
• Encouraging green building practices through architectural contests.
• Promoting the “One Hour of Darkness” initiative to save energy.
• Supporting educational documentaries on environmental issues.
• Organizing eco-challenges and green living workshops.
• Launching environmental book clubs in local communities.

Sustainable Business Practices

• Encouraging local businesses to adopt green certification programs.
• Implementing zero-waste supply chains and packaging initiatives.
• Offering grants to businesses adopting sustainable practices.
• Organizing sustainability awards for eco-conscious companies.
• Promoting eco-labeling for environmentally friendly products.
• Establishing a “Shop Local, Shop Green” campaign.
• Supporting eco-entrepreneurship and sustainable startups.
• Conducting workshops on sustainable business practices.
• Encouraging eco-conscious business associations and networks.
• Hosting sustainability expos and business fairs.

Renewable Energy Initiatives

• Supporting community solar panel installations.
• Promoting the use of wind turbines in windy regions.
• Launching educational campaigns on home solar systems.
• Establishing a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
• Advocating for green construction practices in buildings.
• Organizing renewable energy seminars and webinars.
• Encouraging the use of solar-powered outdoor lighting.
• Supporting research on innovative energy storage solutions.
• Implementing net-zero energy homes in residential areas.
• Collaborating with local utilities for clean energy initiatives.

Climate Action

• Organizing climate marches and protests in the community.
• Supporting climate adaptation projects, such as flood defenses.
• Creating climate resilience plans for local areas.
• Implementing carbon footprint tracking for individuals and businesses.
• Promoting climate education and climate literacy programs.
• Advocating for carbon pricing and emissions reduction goals.
• Establishing climate action task forces in local governments.
• Organizing tree-planting campaigns to offset carbon emissions.
• Encouraging water and energy conservation in response to climate change.
• Supporting renewable energy projects as a climate action strategy.

These diverse sustainability projects can serve as inspiration for individuals, communities, and organizations looking to make a positive impact on the environment and promote a sustainable future.

Sustainability Project Ideas High School

Here are some sustainability project ideas suitable for high school students:

Eco-Warrior Recycling Challenge

Turn recycling into a fun competition. Create teams within the school and see who can collect and recycle the most materials. Offer prizes for the winning team.

Wildlife Habitat Restoration

Restore a small wildlife habitat area on the school grounds by planting native species and creating birdhouses. This project brings wildlife closer to home and helps students learn about local ecosystems.

Eco-Art Extravaganza

Get artsy with sustainability! Host an art competition where students use recycled materials to create sculptures, paintings, and more. The most creative entries win awards.

Green Energy Show and Tell

Encourage students to bring in or demonstrate sustainable energy devices they use at home. This can include solar-powered gadgets, wind turbines, or even hand-crank flashlights.

Beekeeping Club

Beekeeping is not only fascinating but also essential for pollination. Start a beekeeping club, and not only will students learn about these crucial insects, but the school can also benefit from honey production.

Trash to Treasure Sale

Students can collect and upcycle unwanted items into something valuable. Then, host a sale or auction, with proceeds going toward a school sustainability fund.

Zero-Waste Picnic

Organize a picnic day where everything, from the food to the utensils, is waste-free. Challenge your peers to pack eco-friendly lunches and enjoy a day outdoors.

Environmental Escape Room

Create an environmental-themed escape room for students to solve sustainability-related puzzles and challenges. It’s a fun way to educate while entertaining.

Green TikTok Challenge

In the age of social media, encourage students to create short videos showcasing sustainable practices. You’ll be amazed at how creative and influential they can be. In the age of social media, encourage students to create short videos showcasing sustainable practices. You’ll be amazed at how creative and influential they can be. By using platforms like TikTok, where trends spread like wildfire, students can reach a vast audience and inspire positive change in eco-conscious behaviors. Encouraging them to share their passion for sustainability not only educates but also build a a community of like-minded individuals. increasing their TikTok followers and amplifying the message of environmental responsibility.

Environmental Documentary Night

Choose a thought-provoking environmental documentary and host a movie night at the school. Afterward, discuss the film’s message and inspire action.

Artificial Reef Building

If you live near the coast, consider working with local organizations to build and sink artificial reefs. This helps marine life flourish and provides valuable hands-on experience.

Nature-Themed Poetry Slam

Let the poets in your school shine with a poetry slam focused on nature and sustainability. It’s an excellent way to express feelings about the environment.

Green Book Club

Start an eco-themed book club to read and discuss books about environmental issues, conservation, or green living.

Sustainable Fashion Swap

Hold a fashion swap event where students can exchange clothing and accessories. It promotes the idea that fashion can be sustainable and stylish.

Hydroponics Garden

Explore hydroponics gardening to grow plants without soil. It’s a futuristic approach to agriculture and allows students to understand resource-efficient food production.

Outdoor Classroom

Create an outdoor classroom space on the school grounds, complete with benches and a whiteboard. It’s a wonderful place for eco-lessons.

DIY Solar Phone Chargers

Teach students how to make solar-powered phone chargers using affordable materials. It combines STEM education with sustainability.

Recycled Art Murals

Collaborate on large art projects like murals using recycled materials. The school’s walls will tell a story of creativity and sustainability.

Seed Bombing

Make seed bombs containing wildflower seeds and distribute them in areas that need a little extra greenery, like abandoned lots or urban spaces.

Environmental Podcast

Record a podcast discussing sustainability topics, and invite experts and teachers to share their knowledge.

These engaging high school sustainability project ideas make learning about the environment and green living both educational and fun, sparking enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility among students.

Sustainability Project Ideas for Preschool

Check out sustainability project ideas for preschool:-

Recycled Art Show

Introduce preschoolers to the world of recycling by turning trash into art. Gather materials like empty egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, and scrap paper.

Let the little artists create sculptures and paintings with these recyclables, and host an art show for parents.

Garden Growing

Set up a mini-garden in your preschool. Teach the kids about plant growth by letting them plant seeds, water the plants, and watch them sprout. You can use small containers or even recycled milk cartons as plant pots.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Take the children outdoors on a nature scavenger hunt. Provide a list of items to find, such as pinecones, leaves, or feathers. It’s a great way to connect with the environment.

Recycle Sorting Game

Create a game where kids learn to differentiate between different types of waste—compost, recyclables, and trash. Use pictures or actual items to make sorting fun.

Eco-Friendly Crafts

Encourage the use of sustainable materials for arts and crafts. Consider activities like making paper from recycled newspaper or using eco-friendly paint.

Storytime with an Environmental Twist

Incorporate eco-friendly themes into storytime. Choose books that teach kids about nature, animals, or recycling.

Composting Worms

Teach kids about composting with the help of friendly worms. Create a small vermicomposting bin where kids can watch these creatures turn food scraps into rich soil.

Recycled Toy Day

Challenge children to bring in a recycled toy from home. Discuss how reusing toys is a way to be sustainable and save resources.

Bird Feeder Fun

Craft bird feeders from recycled materials, such as empty plastic bottles or milk cartons. Hang them outside the classroom window and observe the birds that visit.

Reduce and Reuse Game

Play a game to learn about reducing waste and reusing items. For example, let the kids pretend to shop for groceries and discuss using reusable bags instead of plastic.

Rainwater Collector

Discuss the importance of water conservation with preschoolers. Set up a simple rainwater collector with a bucket and show how it can be used for plants.

Recycled Fashion Show

Have a “fashion show” day where kids come dressed in recycled materials. Let them get creative with cardboard hats, paper bag vests, and other imaginative outfits.

Outdoor Exploration

Take kids on an outdoor adventure to explore the local environment. Visit a nearby park or natural area to observe and appreciate nature.

Earth Day Celebration

Make Earth Day a big event at your preschool. Plant a tree, create Earth-themed crafts, and talk about ways to care for our planet.

Eco-Friendly Picnic

Organize a picnic day where everything is eco-friendly. Use reusable containers, bamboo utensils, and cloth napkins to reduce waste.

Light Switch Reminder

Teach kids to conserve energy by turning off the lights when they leave a room. Make it a fun routine to remind everyone in the class.

Butterfly Garden

Plant a butterfly garden to teach kids about the life cycle of butterflies. They’ll observe caterpillars transforming into beautiful butterflies.

Ocean Exploration

Dive into the world of oceans by setting up a mini-ocean in a sensory table. Let kids play with seashells, sand, and toy sea creatures.

Sustainability Pledge

Create a colorful “sustainability pledge” board where kids can put their handprints or drawings, promising to do their best to protect the Earth.

Recycling Heroes

Teach kids about recycling by designating recycling heroes each week. They can help collect recyclables from their peers and put them in the right bins.

These sustainability project ideas for preschool are designed to instill eco-consciousness from a young age, turning preschoolers into Earth’s little stewards while having a lot of fun.

What are some sustainable projects?

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a real-world concept that shapes our future. It’s about making choices today that benefit us without harming the prospects of tomorrow.

So, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of sustainability with some practical project ideas:

Renewable Energy Revolution

Imagine vast solar farms, spinning wind turbines, and hydroelectric power plants . These projects are like the superheroes of the sustainability world. They combat climate change by reducing harmful greenhouse gases.

Energy Efficiency Makeover

Imagine giving your home or workplace an energy efficiency facelift. It’s like upgrading to the latest, most energy-efficient appliances, sealing up those sneaky drafts, and using smart systems to manage energy use. The result? Lower bills and a healthier planet.

Waste Warriors

Think about projects that cut down the amount of garbage we generate and turn more of it into something useful. It’s all about recycling, upcycling, and reducing waste. This helps protect our precious resources and keeps our environment cleaner.

Water Saviors

Water is life, and water conservation projects make sure we don’t waste a drop. They involve smart water use, protecting water sources, and finding creative ways to keep our rivers and lakes healthy.

Eco-Friendly Farming and Forestry

Imagine farms and forests that work in harmony with nature. These projects use practices that protect the land, water, and wildlife while still producing the food and materials we need.

Green Commutes

Visualize a city where most people walk, bike, or take eco-friendly public transport instead of driving gas-guzzlers. These projects reduce air pollution and make our cities more vibrant.

Sustainable Spaces

Think of buildings designed with the environment in mind. They use less energy, produce less waste, and provide healthier indoor air. It’s like a breath of fresh air for our planet.

These sustainability projects can happen at every level, from individuals and families to entire communities and nations.

Whether you’re making small changes at home or pushing for big projects in your city, remember that every step counts. So, go ahead, join the sustainability movement, and be the change you want to see in the world!

What are 5 example of sustainability?

Check out the top 5 example of sustainablity:-

Renewable Energy: Harnessing Nature’s Bounty

• Go green with renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power.
• They’re sustainable, replenishing naturally, and emitting minimal greenhouse gases.
• Together, we combat climate change and power a brighter future.

Energy Efficiency: The Smart Energy Path

• It’s the practice of doing more with less, an energy-wise approach.
• Upgrade insulation, switch to energy-efficient appliances, and adopt smart energy management.
• This sustainable route conserves resources and trims greenhouse gas emissions, all while saving you money.

Waste Reduction and Recycling: Less Waste, More Good

• Reduce waste by making mindful purchases, reusing items, and composting organic waste.
• Recycling keeps materials out of landfills, ignites innovative products, and lowers pollution.
• Small choices, big impact – a more sustainable world begins with you.

Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry: Cultivating a Greener Tomorrow

• Farm and harvest with an eco-conscious mindset.
• Practices like crop rotation and integrated pest management ensure that we can feed the world without harming it.
• Sustainable agriculture and forestry safeguard our planet’s future.

Green Building: Where Sustainability Meets Shelter

• Constructing sustainable and energy-efficient buildings is our ticket to a greener future.
• These structures use eco-friendly materials, innovative construction methods, and features like solar panels.
• By choosing green buildings, we’re conserving resources, reducing greenhouse gases, and creating healthier indoor spaces.

These are more than just ideas; they’re pathways towards a sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. Join the movement today, and be part of the change our world needs.

What is a sustainability project plan?

A sustainability project plan is like a compass guiding us toward a greener and more responsible future. It’s a blueprint, a masterplan, if you will, that spells out precisely how we’re going to make our world a better place.

So, what’s in this grand sustainability strategy?

Executive Summary

Think of this as the teaser to an exciting movie. It gives you a sneak peek into the project’s goals and the fantastic benefits it brings.

Ever heard of the “why” behind a project? Well, this section spills the beans. It explains the problem at hand, the ingenious solution, and why this project is worth every ounce of effort.

Goals and Objectives

In this part, we set the bar high. The goals and objectives are like our North Star, keeping us on track and focused. But they’re not vague; they’re SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Strategies and Actions

This is where the rubber meets the road. It’s a step-by-step guide on how we’re going to make our lofty goals a reality. From the first gear to the last, we’ve got it all planned out.

Timeline and Budget

Every project needs a schedule and some cash to get off the ground. We lay out the start and finish dates, celebrate essential milestones along the way, and tally up the expenses.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Just like a watchful eye, we’re keeping tabs on the project’s progress. We want to ensure it’s not veering off course and that it’s still hitting those SMART goals.

Sustainability project plans are like our treasure maps, showing us the path to a better world. They can apply to all sorts of projects, whether it’s a local community garden or a colossal infrastructure overhaul.

These plans are our way of making sure we leave behind a planet that’s not just habitable but thriving for future generations. Let’s go green! 

What are sustainable ideas?

Sustainable ideas are the cornerstone of a better future, ensuring our needs are met without compromising the well-being of generations yet to come. These ideas encompass environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Here are some sustainable ideas that can make a significant impact:

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Among the most pivotal sustainable ideas is the practice of reducing waste, reusing items whenever possible, and recycling materials. These actions play a crucial role in conserving resources and curbing pollution.

Embrace Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources, like solar, wind, and hydro power, offer sustainability by naturally replenishing themselves. Furthermore, they generate minimal to no greenhouse gas emissions, actively combating climate change.

Prioritize Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency, a sustainable idea, involves achieving the same tasks while using less energy. This is achievable through enhanced insulation, replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models, and implementing smart energy management systems. These practices contribute to resource conservation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Support Sustainable Businesses and Products

By endorsing businesses and products committed to sustainability, we play a pivotal role in nurturing a more sustainable economy.

Look for certifications from reputable third-party organizations like B Corporation or Fairtrade to make informed choices.

Engage with Your Community

There are numerous avenues for active participation in promoting sustainability within your community. Whether volunteering with a local environmental organization, initiating your own sustainability project, or simply initiating conversations with friends and neighbors on sustainability’s importance, your efforts can lead to meaningful change.

Every small action taken in line with these sustainable ideas collectively paves the way for a brighter future, not just for ourselves but for the generations that follow.

Conclusion: Embrace the Green Revolution

In closing, sustainability project ideas are the foundation for a brighter and more eco-conscious world. They represent the innovative paths to safeguard our planet, strengthen our communities, and ensure long-term economic stability.

By trimming waste, adopting renewable energy, championing energy efficiency, supporting businesses committed to sustainability, and actively engaging with our local neighborhoods, we take meaningful strides toward a sustainable tomorrow.

These ideas embolden us to meet the present’s needs without jeopardizing the prospects of future generations.

As we pursue sustainability, each modest shift we make radiates outward, casting a profound impact that reverberates through time, benefiting countless generations.

It’s not just a commitment to living in harmony with our Earth; it’s an investment in the well-being of all its inhabitants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the first step in starting a sustainability project.

Begin by researching your chosen project thoroughly and identifying potential collaborators and resources.

How can I fund my sustainability project?

Consider seeking grants, crowdfunding, or collaborating with local businesses and organizations that share your goals.

What is the biggest challenge in sustainability projects?

The lack of awareness and participation is often a significant challenge. Education and community involvement are key.

Can I start a sustainability project as an individual?

Absolutely! Many successful sustainability projects began with the initiative of individuals who later gained community support.

How do I measure the impact of my sustainability project?

Monitoring and evaluating your project’s environmental, social, and economic impact is crucial. Set clear objectives and use data to track progress.

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16 Environmental Activities for Students to Encourage Sustainability in Your Classroom

Written by Jeanne Sager

If you’ve caught even one news story about the environment lately, you know just how important environmental activities for students can be. The saying “children are our future” is used so often that it can begin to sound cliched, but let’s face it: Truer words are rarely spoken.

The students learning about nature, climate change, and sustainability in your classroom today will be the stewards of the environment in 10 or 20 years. The future of our planet will soon be in their hands. As a teacher, you’re making an important impact on our future too.

Sustainability — and helping teachers — are jointly entwined in our core mission, and we are here to lend a hand. The teachers who create all the printable worksheets , digital activities, and other teaching resources on the Teach Starter website hail from all around the US, and they’ve put together some of the best environmental activities for students plus ways to help the environment right in your classroom.

Whether you’re celebrating Earth Day , writing sustainability lessons for your science class, or just looking for ways to stress the importance of being kind to Mother Earth in the classroom, read on for some must-save ideas to add to your teacher toolkit!

What Is Sustainability?

Elementary school is an important time to begin talking to students about sustainability as we can instill these practices early and make them into lifelong habits. But explaining this concept to kids can be tricky.

Here’s a kid-friendly definition we like to use: Sustainability is the ability to meet someone’s current needs without hurting the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs.

On a more technical level, sustainability represents a holistic approach to addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in a way that supports long-term well-being and resilience. This often includes practices such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving natural resources and promoting social equity.

So how do you get kids thinking sustainably?

Download a free “Why Plant a Tree” poster for your classroom!

Environmental Education Activities for Elementary School

1. collect weather data.

Studies have found that kids who feel “connected” to nature act in more sustainable ways because of it. What better way to connect students to nature than by connecting to the weather going on outside every day?

A simple but effective environmental activity for kids that helps the wide world of science, collecting weather data for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network draws on those data and analysis skills while helping students to make predictions and see real-world connections to the work they’re doing in math class.

2. Plant … Anything

Let’s face it, one of the most obvious environmental education activities you can do with your students is one that’s pretty simple and tied directly to science standards: Planting physical plants.

Whether you’re growing bean sprouts in snack bags with wet paper towels or setting up a full-fledged school garden, there are myriad benefits for students that come from incorporating the physical act of planting seeds into your lessons. In addition to the chance to connect with the environment and teach students sustainable agriculture practices, studies show gardening with students helps improve their achievement in science classes, and kids involved in school gardening projects have been found to have an increased preference for fruits and veggies when it comes to snacking.

Print a free plant growth chart to help students track their seedlings!

3. Determine Your Carbon Footprint

Students can use a carbon footprint calculator (this calculator from the EPA and this calculator from 8 Billion Trees are free but each does require some pretty specific details parents would have to supply, while ) to determine approximately how much carbon their lifestyle emits in a year. The calculators provide some small lifestyle changes they could make in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

• Your class can record, collate and compare the numerical data that their quiz responses generate.
• Students can plot individual, small group, or class data in a graph or table.
• Establish what the average carbon footprint is for your entire class and set a goal to reduce it to a certain amount by the end of the school year. Have students examine the lifestyle changes suggested to them in their own results and identify which change they will embrace to help lower the class carbon footprint.

4. Join the North American Butterfly Census as a Class

The teachers on the Teach Starter team are big fans of citizen science, encouraging students to take part in collecting data from the natural world to help real world scientists with their jobs. Not only do these environmental activities complement the science (and often math) curriculum, but they remind students that even small scale acts for good can have big impact.

If you’re studying the butterfly life cycle or looking for an environmental education activity that students can use to practice their data analysis skills , the North American Butterfly Association could use your help! Each year, the non-profit turns to students, teachers, and other citizen scientists to take part in its butterfly counts , contributing to a census of butterflies.

Because butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment, joining a count with your class helps students learn to protect butterfly habitats and the value that these  invertebrates add to our ecosystem.

Explore a host of our favorite  butterfly activities for elementary schoolers !

5. Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt

We know that children learn through play, and learning to be more sustainable and caring for the environment follows that same trend. Then add in the fact that spending time in nature can help children develop a connection to the environment, making them more aware of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of natural systems, and a nature scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids thinking more sustainably.

Connecting kids to nature can foster a sense of stewardship for the natural world, leading our students to think more carefully about how their actions impact the environment.

Print off a free nature scavenger hunt grid , and turn recess into an adventure in connecting with the environment.

5. Tally Trips

Ask students to record their travels for a few days or a week, including trips to and from school, to the grocery store, or any other place they visit.

The type of data they capture for each trip may include:

• Mode of transport — did they walk? Ride a bus? Ride in a car?
• Approximate the distance of the trip
• Number of passengers
• Possible alternative modes of transport (could they have carpooled with other classmates?).

Students can then collate, examine and compare their own, small group, and whole-class data. After presenting their findings in visual representations such as tables, column graphs or picture graphs, discuss what the results might mean in terms of knowledge of, and attitudes toward sustainability.

7. Write Found Object Short Stories

Students choose a found object or item to use as the inspiration for a short story in this environmental education activity. It may be something they collected during the nature walk, a food product examined in a lunchbox audit (see more below!), or a commercial item that they already own.

This creative writing exercise will put these items that might have gone unnoticed or been discarded in the focal point, encouraging students to think about them in an entirely different way.

8. Access the Wisdom of Local Community

Connecting with a local organization is a fantastic way to find out more about the issues that are most relevant to your community.  This also helps your students to gain even more of a real-world perspective on the sustainability topics you have been exploring in class.

• Send an email or Facebook message to an environmental organization in your local area. Or, even better, pick up the phone and give them a call!
• Invite someone from the local community to come and speak to your class about the sustainability work that they do.

Check the Green Stewards list of non-profits with a sustainability focus for ideas!

9. Make Classroom Own Paint

If you use paint in your classroom — or the art teacher down the hall does — try this project in your next science class. Use this recipe for turning old, tired felt pens into  homemade watercolor paint  to get the most out of your school supplies before you chuck it in the  TerraCycle box . You can wash and use old yogurt containers and egg cartons for paint pots to make painting even more environmentally friendly.

10. Visit the Local Recycling Center

Looking for a new field trip idea that won’t break the budget and has a real impact on your students’ futures? Check to see if your community has access to a recycling center that offers educational experiences. Even a visit to the local landfill could be an inexpensive and priceless field trip experience.

11. Re-Purpose Paper

It can feel nearly impossible to have a sustainable classroom when things like worksheets and printouts are such an integral part of a teacher’s day-to-day life. You can get pretty close, however, by being smart about the amount of paper you use, and teach your students to be more environmentally conscious while you’re at it!

Here are some ideas about how to reduce your paper use:

• Make your students’ journals last longer by organizing loose worksheets into folders.
• Make printable worksheets into booklets.
• Create a scrap paper drawer with paper students can reuse for projects, doodle paper, and more.
• Shred your paper for craft activities, such as papier mache, or donate it to your local animal shelter for animal bedding.
• Use Recycled Paper Bead Kits. Once you have enough, use the beads as counters, or create some beautiful visual art pieces! Or even use them in our  Patterns Math Investigation – Bands of Friendship .

Here at Teach Starter, we are committed to reducing our paper waste and helping the environment in whatever way we can — Teach Starter has pledged to plant one million trees by 2033 with our  One Million Trees Project  by planting a tree for every person who subscribes to Teach Starter. If you haven’t already, head on over to our  subscription plans  page, and help us out on this environmental initiative.

What Are 5 Ways to Help the Environment at School?

1. create a classroom compost center.

Helping the environment at school doesn’t have to mean leaving the classroom. It can start with dumping the grounds from your classroom coffee pot and student lunch leftovers into a class compost bin. Learn how to set up your own classroom compost center , and set up a reference poster that reminds students how composting works .

2. Enforce (and Role Model) Recycling

This is another easy environmental activity that will help the environment right from your classroom! Make recycling mandatory — you can add it to a classroom contract — and practice it yourself, so students see you regularly pitching your paper into the recycling bin or adding your leftover cardboard boxes to the pile for the janitors to tote to the recycling center. The more it becomes a habit when they’re young, the more likely they are to continue this sustainable practice into the future.

Learn creative ways to encourage students to recycle .

3. Weigh in on Water Conversation

Do you have a sink in the classroom? Talk about water waste early in the school year, and add visual reminders to ensure students tighten the faucets went they’re done washing their hands. Talk to the janitorial team about posting similar reminders in the school bathrooms so everyone can do their part to help the environment at school.

4. Hold an Energy-Free (or Energy-Light) Day

Challenge your students (and yourself!) to go without power for a school day, or maybe just a half day if they’ll be headed out to specials and a whole day won’t work.

This environmental education activity will quickly draw your students’ attention to the plethora of items they use at school that require energy. Lights, calculators, computers, iPads, interactive whiteboards, and air conditioners are all out for the day!

In the days leading up to your energy-free time, poll students to contribute ideas about how they can complete each of their regular lessons without the consumption of energy.

5. Dig Into the Lunchbox

Do you have a class full of students who bring their lunch? Or maybe you bring your lunch. Running a lunchbox audit with your class can once again help students connect their real-world actions with the environmental impact they have as individuals!

This kind of exploration goes a long way toward encouraging children to think about their own consumption with a more global and sustainable perspective. This activity could be extended for older students as a STEM task. Students can explore the production, packaging, and disposal stages of a food item’s life, as well as develop and present a proposal for more sustainable design options for production, packaging, or sale.

Looking for parent buy-in? Share this list of options in your next classroom newsletter to update parents on their children’s sustainability progress:

• Use reusable packaging, such as beeswax lunch wraps, reusable pouches, and fabric lunch baggies.
• Eat more fruit and vegetables and food that doesn’t require packaging.
• Fill small containers repeatedly with snacks from larger packets.
• Use a reusable lunchbox with compartments to prevent cross-food contamination.
• Reuse plastic cling wrap and foil when possible.
• Use reusable cutlery sets.

Another fun idea from a member of our teacher team? Have a Nude Food Day where the objective is for your class to have a completely waste-free lunchbox for a day!

Plastic Pollution Facts for Kids

Want to establish just why all these activities are so important? Share these facts about pollution in a morning meeting, to introduce a lesson or even as a writing prompt. We’ve rounded up some plastic pollution facts for you to use as a backbone for research projects and to support lesson plans.

• Each year, 400 million tons of plastic waste is produced worldwide.
• Of the 7 billion tons of plastic waste accumulated globally, only 10% has been recycled.
• Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to decompose, and single straw can take up to 200 years!
• Not all pollutants are manufactured; volcanic ash is a natural pollutant affecting air quality.
• Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates in the world, as they recycle 50-60% of their garbage.
• Decomposing waste in landfills releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change.
• Did you know 99% of plastic is made of fossil fuels?

Download dozens of environmental impact activities for the classroom , developed by teachers and curated by the Teach Starter team!

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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

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.

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 .

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Related Resources

10 Environmental Research and Passion Project Ideas for High School Students

By Alex Yang

Graduate student at Southern Methodist University

5 minute read

As our planet faces ever-increasing environmental challenges, there is a growing need for individuals who have the knowledge and the desire to make a positive impact on the environment.

Why should high school students study environmental topics?

High school students and their generation are in a unique position to learn about environmental science. Growing up in a world that is increasingly threatened by climate change, younger generations have a passion for learning more about the environment - they sense the urgency of the issue and want to take action.

A 2021 study by Deloitte found that climate change and environmental issues were the top concerns for GenZ, ranking ahead of unemployment and healthcare.

Sustainability projects for students hold immense significance in your educational journey and are important for these reasons:

Fostering a lifelong love for the environment : By engaging in passion projects, students develop a deep and lasting connection with the environment. They become more aware of the world's ecological challenges and are inspired to become lifelong stewards of planet Earth.

Building critical problem-solving skills: Environmental science projects require students to analyze complex issues, gather and interpret data, and propose solutions. These critical thinking and problem-solving skills are not only valuable in academia but also in future careers.

Making a tangible impact: Passion projects empower students to make a real-world impact. Whether it's researching phytoplankton blooms or studying the ecology of viruses, their efforts contribute to our collective understanding of environmental issues and potential solutions.

Preparing for future opportunities: Many universities and scholarship programs value passion projects as indicators of a student's dedication and initiative. These projects can open doors to higher education opportunities and scholarships.

Personal growth: Beyond academic benefits, passion projects promote personal growth . Students learn to manage their time, set goals, and work independently; all are essential skills for success in any field.

What are a fe environmental science project ideas?

If you’re interested in learning more about topics related to ecology, sustainability, conservation, climate change, green energy, or environmental impact and implications, consider using one of the eco-inspired ideas on this list as the focus for your research or passion project.

1. What triggers phytoplankton blooms off the Southern California coast?

Investigate the environmental factors that trigger the growth of microscopic algae, or phytoplankton, along the Southern California coastline. You will analyze publicly available datasets of physical, chemical, and biological data, including nutrient concentrations, temperature, and algae abundance, collected by scientists. Through statistical analysis, you will identify the key factors that influence phytoplankton blooms. 

2. The ecology of viruses

Dive into peer-reviewed scientific articles and discuss how changes to our planet might affect the dynamics of a virus of your choice. Can global warming really make pandemics more likely? If you're interested in applying to public or private agencies for fellowships or scholarships, this project is the perfect opportunity to showcase your talents and stand out from the crowd.

 3. Wildfire impacts on forest regeneration and carbon storage

The devastating wildfires currently plaguing the United States are causing both ecological and economic damage. In this exciting project, learn how to use publicly available online resources, such as GIS databases of fire history and forest plot inventory, to analyze the effects of wildfires on seedling and sapling density. You can also learn/use R programming to perform basic statistical analyses and create stunning maps showcasing important information, such as fire frequency, vegetation, and carbon storage.

4. How to create a sustainable business

Interested in the intersection of sustainability and business? Review criteria for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Look at successful businesses with high scores and see how that could apply to a new company. Think through the product and overall business and create a presentation to pitch the company to investors.

5. What makes a weed a weed?

Have you ever noticed how weeds manage to thrive in the most unexpected places without any care, while it can be quite challenging to keep a houseplant alive? Explores the secrets of these resilient hitchhikers and uncover valuable insights that we can apply to our own plant care practices.

6. African rainfall and climate: responses to a warming world?

More than a billion people rely on the African monsoons as their primary water source, making it essential to comprehend how human-caused global warming may impact rainfall patterns. Explore how environmental factors, such as ocean temperatures and wind direction/speed, impact African precipitation over time.

7. Fashion with a purpose: reduce, reuse, and recycle

Interested in fashion design? The aim of this project is to promote awareness about climate change through fashion design. Use various materials such as trash, recyclables, repurposed items, and second-hand materials to create your own items that look great and are good for the environment! 

8. Research paper on species invasion

A major cause of global biodiversity loss is the introduction of invasive species (such as lionfish and zebra mussels) outside of their natural habitats. Investigate a specific invasive species, and analyze: 1. the cause(s) of species introduction in a novel geographic region, 2. the environmental factors contributing to its success, and 3. how the invasive species impacts its new ecosystem.

9. Climate change and coral reefs: what threats are our coral reefs facing?

Coral reefs are under multiple "stressors" including ocean acidification, global warming, pollution, and overfishing. How are these threats affecting coral reef ecosystems and what are the consequences of one or all of these "stressors"? What are some practical solutions that can help save our coral reefs? What groups, governments, or companies can get involved to help out?

10. Trash talk: ways to reduce laboratory waste

Every year, laboratories produce 12 billion pounds of plastic waste. A great project would be to explore ways that laboratories can reduce plastic waste by using glass pipettes, recyclable gloves, or other equipment, while still ensuring the equipment is sterile.

How can Polygence help start a environmental project?

Projects can be very fulfilling and allow you to develop your passion for a particular topic, and help you make decisions like choosing your college major . Further, these projects offer a lot of flexibility in terms of what the final product can actually look like, and provide you a great edge in the college admissions process .

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey of discovery and environmental impact? Polygence offers a unique opportunity for high school students like you to dive deep into your passion for environmental science.

Work with an expert mentor to explore your passion

At Polygence, we precisely match you with a mentor in your area of interest. Together, you can explore and deepen your passions.

Examples of Environmental Projects Completed by Polygence Students

Austin’s project: How Switching to Sustainable Practices in Large Companies or Small Companies Can Positively Affect Their Business and Corporate Social Responsibility

Cecilia’s project: The Impact of Climate Change on Animal Behavior: The Arctic Marine and Monterey Bay Ecosystems

Clara’s project: How Will a Lower Population of California Sea Otters Disrupt the Ecological Balance in Monterey Bay?

Connor’s project: Research Paper on Rising Global Temperatures and Increased Forest Fires

Eda’s project: How Does Exposure to Environmental Toxins During Key Developmental Stages Affect One’s Risk of Getting Breast Cancer Later in Life?

Suraga’s project: Measuring the Efficiency of Greenhouse Gases

Tridib’s project: California in Flames: A Literature Review on the Causes and Effects of Wildfires

What does the Polygence program provide?

Our program connects you with expert mentors in environmental studies who will guide and support you throughout your project. Whether you're intrigued by phytoplankton blooms, virus ecology, wildfires, sustainable businesses, or any other environmental topic, Polygence provides the platform to explore your interests fully by:

Creating your own research or passion project: Tailor your project to match your specific interests and schedule. Your project is uniquely yours.

Receiving expert guidance: Work closely with knowledgeable environmental science research mentors who will provide valuable insights and expertise to ensure the success of your project.

Showcasing your final product: Polygence offers options to explore multiple topics or present your final project. Share your findings and discoveries with the world.

Don't wait to turn your passion for the environment into a meaningful and impactful environmental passion project. Join Polygence and take the first step towards exploring your passions, making a difference, and gaining an edge in your educational journey.

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Your Project Your Schedule - Your Admissions Edge!

Register to get paired with one of our expert mentors and to get started on exploring your passions today! And give yourself the edge you need to move forward!

Research Topics & Ideas: Environment

100+ Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. Here, we’ll explore a variety research ideas and topic thought-starters related to various environmental science disciplines, including ecology, oceanography, hydrology, geology, soil science, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, and environmental ethics.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the environmental sciences. This is the starting point though. To develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. Also be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to develop a high-quality research topic from scratch.

Overview: Environmental Topics

• Ecology /ecological science
• Atmospheric science
• Oceanography
• Soil science
• Environmental chemistry
• Environmental economics
• Environmental ethics
• Examples  of dissertations and theses

Topics & Ideas: Ecological Science

• The impact of land-use change on species diversity and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes
• The role of disturbances such as fire and drought in shaping arid ecosystems
• The impact of climate change on the distribution of migratory marine species
• Investigating the role of mutualistic plant-insect relationships in maintaining ecosystem stability
• The effects of invasive plant species on ecosystem structure and function
• The impact of habitat fragmentation caused by road construction on species diversity and population dynamics in the tropics
• The role of ecosystem services in urban areas and their economic value to a developing nation
• The effectiveness of different grassland restoration techniques in degraded ecosystems
• The impact of land-use change through agriculture and urbanisation on soil microbial communities in a temperate environment
• The role of microbial diversity in ecosystem health and nutrient cycling in an African savannah

Topics & Ideas: Atmospheric Science

• The impact of climate change on atmospheric circulation patterns above tropical rainforests
• The role of atmospheric aerosols in cloud formation and precipitation above cities with high pollution levels
• The impact of agricultural land-use change on global atmospheric composition
• Investigating the role of atmospheric convection in severe weather events in the tropics
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and global atmospheric ozone levels
• The impact of sea surface temperature on atmospheric circulation and tropical cyclones
• The impact of solar flares on the Earth’s atmospheric composition
• The impact of climate change on atmospheric turbulence and air transportation safety
• The impact of stratospheric ozone depletion on atmospheric circulation and climate change
• The role of atmospheric rivers in global water supply and sea-ice formation

Topics & Ideas: Oceanography

• The impact of ocean acidification on kelp forests and biogeochemical cycles
• The role of ocean currents in distributing heat and regulating desert rain
• The impact of carbon monoxide pollution on ocean chemistry and biogeochemical cycles
• Investigating the role of ocean mixing in regulating coastal climates
• The impact of sea level rise on the resource availability of low-income coastal communities
• The impact of ocean warming on the distribution and migration patterns of marine mammals
• The impact of ocean deoxygenation on biogeochemical cycles in the arctic
• The role of ocean-atmosphere interactions in regulating rainfall in arid regions
• The impact of ocean eddies on global ocean circulation and plankton distribution
• The role of ocean-ice interactions in regulating the Earth’s climate and sea level

Tops & Ideas: Hydrology

• The impact of agricultural land-use change on water resources and hydrologic cycles in temperate regions
• The impact of agricultural groundwater availability on irrigation practices in the global south
• The impact of rising sea-surface temperatures on global precipitation patterns and water availability
• Investigating the role of wetlands in regulating water resources for riparian forests
• The impact of tropical ranches on river and stream ecosystems and water quality
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and local hydrologic cycles and water resources for agriculture
• The role of snow cover and mountain hydrology in regulating regional agricultural water resources
• The impact of drought on food security in arid and semi-arid regions
• The role of groundwater recharge in sustaining water resources in arid and semi-arid environments
• The impact of sea level rise on coastal hydrology and the quality of water resources

Topics & Ideas: Geology

• The impact of tectonic activity on the East African rift valley
• The role of mineral deposits in shaping ancient human societies
• The impact of sea-level rise on coastal geomorphology and shoreline evolution
• Investigating the role of erosion in shaping the landscape and impacting desertification
• The impact of mining on soil stability and landslide potential
• The impact of volcanic activity on incoming solar radiation and climate
• The role of geothermal energy in decarbonising the energy mix of megacities
• The impact of Earth’s magnetic field on geological processes and solar wind
• The impact of plate tectonics on the evolution of mammals
• The role of the distribution of mineral resources in shaping human societies and economies, with emphasis on sustainability

Topics & Ideas: Soil Science

• The impact of dam building on soil quality and fertility
• The role of soil organic matter in regulating nutrient cycles in agricultural land
• The impact of climate change on soil erosion and soil organic carbon storage in peatlands
• Investigating the role of above-below-ground interactions in nutrient cycling and soil health
• The impact of deforestation on soil degradation and soil fertility
• The role of soil texture and structure in regulating water and nutrient availability in boreal forests
• The impact of sustainable land management practices on soil health and soil organic matter
• The impact of wetland modification on soil structure and function
• The role of soil-atmosphere exchange and carbon sequestration in regulating regional and global climate
• The impact of salinization on soil health and crop productivity in coastal communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Chemistry

• The impact of cobalt mining on water quality and the fate of contaminants in the environment
• The role of atmospheric chemistry in shaping air quality and climate change
• The impact of soil chemistry on nutrient availability and plant growth in wheat monoculture
• Investigating the fate and transport of heavy metal contaminants in the environment
• The impact of climate change on biochemical cycling in tropical rainforests
• The impact of various types of land-use change on biochemical cycling
• The role of soil microbes in mediating contaminant degradation in the environment
• The impact of chemical and oil spills on freshwater and soil chemistry
• The role of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in shaping water and soil chemistry
• The impact of over-irrigation on the cycling and fate of persistent organic pollutants in the environment

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Economics

• The impact of climate change on the economies of developing nations
• The role of market-based mechanisms in promoting sustainable use of forest resources
• The impact of environmental regulations on economic growth and competitiveness
• Investigating the economic benefits and costs of ecosystem services for African countries
• The impact of renewable energy policies on regional and global energy markets
• The role of water markets in promoting sustainable water use in southern Africa
• The impact of land-use change in rural areas on regional and global economies
• The impact of environmental disasters on local and national economies
• The role of green technologies and innovation in shaping the zero-carbon transition and the knock-on effects for local economies
• The impact of environmental and natural resource policies on income distribution and poverty of rural communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Ethics

• The ethical foundations of environmentalism and the environmental movement regarding renewable energy
• The role of values and ethics in shaping environmental policy and decision-making in the mining industry
• The impact of cultural and religious beliefs on environmental attitudes and behaviours in first world countries
• Investigating the ethics of biodiversity conservation and the protection of endangered species in palm oil plantations
• The ethical implications of sea-level rise for future generations and vulnerable coastal populations
• The role of ethical considerations in shaping sustainable use of natural forest resources
• The impact of environmental justice on marginalized communities and environmental policies in Asia
• The ethical implications of environmental risks and decision-making under uncertainty
• The role of ethics in shaping the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future for the construction industry
• The impact of environmental values on consumer behaviour and the marketplace: a case study of the ‘bring your own shopping bag’ policy

Examples: Real Dissertation & Thesis Topics

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various environmental science-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• The physiology of microorganisms in enhanced biological phosphorous removal (Saunders, 2014)
• The influence of the coastal front on heavy rainfall events along the east coast (Henson, 2019)
• Forage production and diversification for climate-smart tropical and temperate silvopastures (Dibala, 2019)
• Advancing spectral induced polarization for near surface geophysical characterization (Wang, 2021)
• Assessment of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Thamnocephalus platyurus as Tools to Monitor Cyanobacterial Bloom Development and Toxicity (Hipsher, 2019)
• Evaluating the Removal of Microcystin Variants with Powdered Activated Carbon (Juang, 2020)
• The effect of hydrological restoration on nutrient concentrations, macroinvertebrate communities, and amphibian populations in Lake Erie coastal wetlands (Berg, 2019)
• Utilizing hydrologic soil grouping to estimate corn nitrogen rate recommendations (Bean, 2019)
• Fungal Function in House Dust and Dust from the International Space Station (Bope, 2021)
• Assessing Vulnerability and the Potential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Sudan’s Blue Nile Basin (Mohamed, 2022)
• A Microbial Water Quality Analysis of the Recreational Zones in the Los Angeles River of Elysian Valley, CA (Nguyen, 2019)
• Dry Season Water Quality Study on Three Recreational Sites in the San Gabriel Mountains (Vallejo, 2019)
• Wastewater Treatment Plan for Unix Packaging Adjustment of the Potential Hydrogen (PH) Evaluation of Enzymatic Activity After the Addition of Cycle Disgestase Enzyme (Miessi, 2020)
• Laying the Genetic Foundation for the Conservation of Longhorn Fairy Shrimp (Kyle, 2021).

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. To create a top-notch research topic, you will need to be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you’ll need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your environmental science dissertation or research project, be sure to check out our private coaching services below, as well as our Research Topic Kickstarter .

Need a helping hand?

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10 Comments

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I wish to learn things in a more advanced but simple way and with the hopes that I am in the right place.

Thank so much for the research topics. It really helped

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Research topics on environmental geology

Thanks for the research topics….I need a research topic on Geography

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I want the research on environmental planning and management

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Top 50 World Environment Day Project Ideas [Updated]

Hey there, eco-warriors! Are you ready to make a positive impact on our planet? World Environment Day is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to roll up our sleeves and get involved in some exciting projects. In this blog, we’ll explore a variety of World Environment Day project ideas that are not only educational but also fun and easy to execute. Whether you’re passionate about conservation, sustainability, or technology, there’s something here for everyone. Let’s dive in!

How Do We Celebrate World Environment Day In School?

Table of Contents

Celebrating World Environment Day in school can be both educational and fun. Here are some ideas:

• Organize Workshops: Host workshops on environmental conservation, sustainable living, and the importance of biodiversity. Invite guest speakers or local environmental organizations to lead discussions and activities.
• Plant Trees: Plan a tree planting event in the school garden or nearby parks. This not only helps beautify the surroundings but also teaches students the importance of trees in combating climate change.
• Eco-Friendly Art Projects: Encourage students to create artwork using recycled materials. This could include sculptures, paintings, or crafts that highlight environmental themes and promote recycling.
• Clean-Up Campaigns: Organize clean-up campaigns within the school premises or in the surrounding community areas. This helps teach kids to take responsibility for keeping the environment clean and litter-free.
• Environmental Awareness Campaigns: Start campaigns to inform people about environmental problems like plastic pollution, cutting down forests, or climate change. This could involve creating posters, organizing assemblies, or distributing informational pamphlets.
• Sustainable Practices: Encourage students to live sustainably every day by using less water and energy, sorting their waste correctly, and choosing eco-friendly ways to get to school, like biking or walking.
• Outdoor Activities: Take learning outdoors with nature walks, birdwatching sessions, or gardening activities. This allows students to connect with nature firsthand and appreciate the beauty and importance of the environment.
• Engage in Advocacy: Empower students to become advocates for environmental change by organizing letter-writing campaigns, petition drives, or advocating for eco-friendly policies within the school and local community.

Top 50 World Environment Day Project Ideas: Category Wise

Educational projects.

• Environmental Workshops: Conduct interactive workshops on climate change and conservation.
• Documentary Screenings: Show environmental documentaries followed by discussions.
• Guest Lectures: Invite environmentalists to speak to students about sustainability.
• Eco-Friendly Art Competitions: Host art competitions using recycled materials.
• Poster Making: Organize a poster-making contest on environmental themes.
• Essay Writing: Hold an essay competition on topics like “How to Save Our Planet.”
• Book Club: Start a book club focusing on environmental literature.
• Science Fairs: Host a science fair showcasing eco-friendly inventions.
• Debates: Organize debates on environmental issues.
• Nature Journaling: Encourage students to maintain a journal documenting their observations of nature.

Conservation Projects

• Tree Planting Drives: Organize tree planting events in the school or community.
• Beach Clean-Ups: Arrange beach or river clean-up activities.
• Wildlife Habitat Restoration: Work on projects to restore local wildlife habitats.
• Gardening Clubs: Start a school gardening club to grow native plants.
• Bird Feeder Workshops: Make bird feeders and place them around the school.
• Butterfly Gardens: Create butterfly-friendly gardens.
• Native Plant Nurseries: Establish nurseries for native plants.
• Invasive Species Removal: Conduct drives to remove invasive species.
• Composting Projects: Set up composting bins and teach students how to use them.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Implement a rainwater harvesting system.

Sustainable Living Projects

• Recycling Programs: Start a school-wide recycling program.
• Zero Waste Challenges: Challenge students to go to zero waste for a week.
• Reusable Bag Campaigns: Promote the use of reusable bags.
• Upcycling Projects: Create art or useful items from waste materials.
• Eco-Bricks: Teach students how to make eco-bricks from plastic waste.
• Energy Audits: Conduct energy audits of the school and suggest improvements.
• Solar Panel Installations: Install solar panels on school buildings.
• Bike to School Days: Encourage biking to school with organized events.
• Green Classroom Certifications: Work towards certifying classrooms as green.
• Water Conservation Campaigns: Raise awareness about water-saving practices.

Advocacy Projects

• Petition Drives: Collect signatures for environmental causes.
• Letter Writing Campaigns: Write letters to local officials advocating for green policies.
• Social Media Campaigns: Create social media campaigns to spread awareness.
• Eco-Friendly School Policies: Advocate for the adoption of eco-friendly policies in the school.
• Public Speaking: Organize public speaking events on environmental topics.
• Community Outreach: Engage with the local community to promote environmental conservation.
• Eco Clubs: Start an environmental club at school.
• Sustainable Fashion Shows: Host a fashion show with clothes made from recycled materials.
• Green Pledges: Encourage students to take pledges to reduce their environmental impact.
• Collaboration with NGOs: Partner with environmental NGOs for projects.

Technology Projects

• Environmental Monitoring Apps: Develop apps to monitor local environmental conditions.
• Sustainability Blogs: Start a blog documenting school sustainability efforts.
• Energy Efficiency Projects: Implement projects to improve energy efficiency in the school.
• Virtual Reality Tours: Create VR tours of local natural habitats.
• Drones for Conservation: Use drones to monitor wildlife and habitats.
• Online Awareness Campaigns: Launch online campaigns about environmental issues.
• Green Tech Innovations: Develop green technology prototypes.
• Water Purification Projects: Work on projects to improve water quality.
• Eco-Friendly School Websites: Build a website to promote the school’s green initiatives.
• Solar-Powered Gadgets: Create gadgets powered by solar energy.

What Can Children Do On Environment Day?

Educational activities.

• Nature Walks: Go on a guided nature walk to learn about local plants and animals.
• Storytime: Read books or stories about the environment and discuss their themes.
• Eco-Friendly Crafts: Create crafts using recycled materials, like making bird feeders from plastic bottles.
• Educational Games: Play games that teach about recycling, conservation, and wildlife.
• Science Experiments: Conduct simple experiments, such as observing plant growth or testing water quality.

Conservation Activities

• Tree Planting: Plant trees or flowers in the schoolyard or community.
• Clean-Up Activities: Participate in clean-up events at parks, beaches, or local neighborhoods.
• Garden Projects: Help start or maintain a school or community garden.
• Recycling Drives: Collect recyclable materials like paper, plastic, and cans from home or school.
• Wildlife Support: Make bird feeders, butterfly gardens, or insect hotels to support local wildlife.

Sustainable Living Activities

• Waste Segregation: Learn and practice proper waste segregation at home and school.
• Upcycling Projects: Turn old items into new, useful products, such as making tote bags from old T-shirts.
• Energy Saving: Create posters or campaigns to promote energy-saving habits like turning off lights and electronics when not in use.
• Water Conservation: Learn and practice ways to save water, like fixing leaky taps or using water-efficient methods in daily activities.
• Reusable Crafts: Create reusable items such as cloth shopping bags or reusable snack wraps.

Advocacy and Awareness Activities

• Poster Making: Create posters about environmental issues and display them around school or the community.
• Public Speaking: Give short presentations or speeches about the importance of protecting the environment.
• Social Media Campaigns: Create simple videos or posts to share on social media, spreading awareness about environmental issues.
• Petitions: Help gather signatures for petitions related to environmental causes.
• Eco Clubs: Join or start an eco-club at school to organize and participate in ongoing environmental projects.

Fun and Interactive Activities

• Scavenger Hunts: Organize a scavenger hunt focusing on finding and identifying different types of plants, animals, and insects.
• Recycled Art Shows: Host an art show featuring artwork made from recycled materials.
• Green Pledges: Write and share personal pledges to adopt more environmentally friendly habits.
• Nature Photography: Take photos of nature and create a gallery or slideshow to showcase the beauty of the environment.
• Environmental Quiz: Participate in or organize an environmental quiz to test knowledge and learn new facts about the environment.

Collaborative Projects

• Community Clean-Up: Work with friends, family, and community members to clean up local parks or neighborhoods.
• Garden Exchange: Exchange plants or seeds with friends and neighbors to promote biodiversity.
• Eco-Friendly Competitions: Compete in challenges like who can create the least amount of waste in a day or week.
• Green Craft Workshops: Attend or host workshops where kids can learn to make eco-friendly crafts and products.
• Educational Tours: Visit local farms, botanical gardens, or recycling centers to learn more about sustainable practices.

As we celebrate World Environment Day, let’s remember that each one of us has the power to make a difference. By getting involved in these World Environment Day project ideas, we can contribute to a healthier and more sustainable planet for future generations. So, gather your friends, unleash your creativity, and let’s work together to protect our precious environment. Happy World Environment Day!

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Top 151+ EVS Project Topics for College Students

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, Environmental Studies (EVS) projects stand as vital pillars in college curriculums. They serve as more than mere academic requirements; they are a gateway to nurturing ecological awareness and fostering problem-solving skills among students.

Yet, in this journey of academic exploration, the pivotal step is selecting the right project topic. It’s an endeavor that can be both exciting and daunting. That’s where we come in. In this comprehensive guide, we’ve curated a rich tapestry of 151+ EVS project topics for college students. These topics transcend the mundane and dive into various facets of our environment, offering students an opportunity not just to excel academically but to also become stewards of our planet.

Embark on this journey, choose a topic close to your heart, and let your academic pursuits blend harmoniously with a profound impact on our world.

Table of Contents

What is EVS Project Topic?

An EVS (Environmental Studies) project topic refers to a specific subject or theme within the field of environmental studies that students choose to investigate, analyze, and present as part of their academic coursework. These topics encompass a wide range of environmental issues, such as biodiversity conservation, pollution control, climate change mitigation, natural resource management, and environmental education. 

EVS project topics aim to deepen students’ understanding of environmental challenges and encourage them to propose solutions or raise awareness about these issues. These projects play a crucial role in instilling environmental awareness, problem-solving skills, and a sense of responsibility among students, making them more informed and proactive global citizens.

Benefits of Using EVS Project Topics for College Students

Using EVS project topics for college students offers a multitude of benefits:

• Environmental Awareness: EVS projects foster a deeper understanding of environmental issues, creating environmentally conscious citizens.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Students learn to analyze complex problems and propose practical solutions, a crucial skill in various career paths.
• Interdisciplinary Learning: These projects integrate knowledge from diverse fields, encouraging a holistic approach to problem-solving.
• Community Engagement: Many EVS projects involve the local community, promoting a sense of responsibility and community involvement.
• Research and Analytical Skills: Students develop strong research and data analysis skills, valuable in both academia and professional life.
• Real-World Impact: EVS projects often lead to tangible environmental improvements, giving students a sense of accomplishment.
• Career Opportunities: Understanding environmental issues can open doors to careers in environmental science, policy, and advocacy.
• Global Citizenship: EVS projects instill a sense of global citizenship and a commitment to sustainable practices.
• Personal Growth: Students gain confidence, communication skills, and leadership abilities through project work.
• Contributing to Sustainability: By working on EVS projects, students directly contribute to environmental sustainability and the greater good.

Also Read: Top 10 MBA Finance Project Topics

List of EVS Project Topics for College Students

Here is a list of Best EVS project topics for college students:

Biodiversity and Conservation

• Impact of climate change on biodiversity.
• Conservation strategies for endangered species.
• Biodiversity in urban environments.
• Invasive species and their effects on local ecosystems.
• The role of national parks in preserving biodiversity.
• Ecotourism and its impact on local biodiversity.
• Indigenous knowledge and practices in biodiversity conservation.
• Benefits of botanical gardens in preserving plant diversity.
• Marine biodiversity and coral reef conservation.
• Wildlife trafficking and its consequences on biodiversity.
• Conservation efforts for keystone species.
• The importance of pollinators in ecosystem health.
• Reintroduction of species into their native habitats.
• Conservation success stories and lessons learned.

Climate Change and Mitigation

• The science of climate change and its causes.
• Renewable energy sources and their role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Climate policies and their effectiveness.
• The impact of deforestation on climate change.
• Carbon footprint analysis of various industries.
• Alternative transportation methods and their environmental benefits.
• Climate-resilient agriculture practices.
• Geoengineering and its potential risks.
• Carbon offset programs and their efficacy.
• Climate change and its effects on ocean ecosystems.
• The role of international agreements (e.g., Paris Agreement) in addressing climate change.
• Green building practices and their impact on energy consumption.
• Public awareness and education on climate change.
• Local community initiatives to combat climate change.

Pollution and Environmental Health

• Air pollution sources and their impact on public health.
• Water pollution in urban and rural areas.
• Soil contamination and its consequences.
• Noise pollution in urban environments.
• E-waste management and recycling.
• Hazardous waste disposal practices and regulations.
• Effects of pollution on aquatic ecosystems.
• Indoor air quality and its impact on human health.
• Chemical pesticides in agriculture and their health effects.
• Waste reduction and recycling programs.
• Health implications of plastic pollution.
• Environmental justice and pollution disparities.
• Emerging pollutants and their monitoring.
• Strategies for reducing exposure to environmental pollutants.

Renewable Energy and Sustainability

• Solar energy technology and its applications.
• Wind energy and its potential in different regions.
• Biomass energy production and its sustainability.
• Hydropower and its impact on local ecosystems.
• Geothermal energy sources and utilization.
• Sustainable transportation options.
• Energy-efficient technologies in residential buildings.
• Green cities and sustainable urban planning.
• Sustainable agriculture practices.
• Eco-friendly materials and their applications.
• Circular economy and waste reduction.
• Green business practices and corporate sustainability.
• Sustainable fashion and its environmental impact.
• Sustainable food production and consumption.

Environmental Education and Awareness

• Environmental education in primary and secondary schools.
• The role of the media in raising environmental awareness.
• Community-based environmental education programs.
• Eco-friendly practices in daily life.
• Public perception of climate change and environmental issues.
• Environmental documentaries and their impact.
• Art and literature as tools for environmental awareness.
• Role of NGOs and advocacy groups in raising awareness.
• Environmental education through social media.
• Environmental ethics and values.
• Environmental education in indigenous communities.
• Eco-tourism and education.
• The impact of youth engagement in environmental causes.
• Measuring the effectiveness of environmental education programs.

Water Resources and Management

• Water scarcity and its regional variations.
• The impact of urbanization on local water sources.
• Sustainable water management in agriculture.
• Water quality testing and monitoring.
• Groundwater depletion and its consequences.
• River restoration and its benefits.
• Desalination and its role in water supply.
• Dams and their environmental effects.
• Water conservation practices in households.
• Wetland conservation and restoration.
• Indigenous water management practices.
• Watershed management and protection.
• Water conflicts and their resolution.
• The role of technology in water resource management.

Waste Management and Recycling

• Municipal solid waste management strategies.
• Recycling programs and their impact on reducing waste.
• Composting and its role in organic waste reduction.
• Electronic waste recycling and its challenges.
• Plastic waste reduction initiatives.
• Industrial waste management practices.
• Zero-waste communities and their success stories.
• Waste-to-energy technologies and their efficiency.
• Hazardous waste disposal and regulation.
• Green packaging and its environmental benefits.
• The circular economy and waste reduction.
• Recycling incentives and their effectiveness.
• Innovative approaches to waste reduction.
• Sustainable construction and demolition waste management.

Ecosystems and Ecological Studies

• Wetland ecosystems and their ecological importance.
• Forest ecosystems and their role in carbon sequestration.
• Coral reef ecosystems and their conservation.
• Grassland ecosystems and their biodiversity.
• Desert ecosystems and their adaptations.
• Tundra ecosystems and climate change impacts.
• Mangrove ecosystems and coastal protection.
• Urban ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Freshwater ecosystems and pollution.
• Mountain ecosystems and climate change.
• Ecological restoration and its challenges.
• Food webs and trophic dynamics.
• Microbial ecology in various environments.
• Ecological modeling and conservation planning.

Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning

• Public transportation systems and sustainability.
• Bike-friendly cities and their benefits.
• Electric vehicles and their environmental impact.
• Sustainable urban planning and green spaces.
• Smart cities and their environmental innovations.
• Sustainable commuting options for cities.
• Traffic congestion and its environmental effects.
• Transit-oriented development and its role in urban planning.
• Walkable cities and their impact on public health.
• Green infrastructure in urban areas.
• Sustainable building materials in construction.
• Energy-efficient lighting in urban areas.
• Noise pollution reduction in cities.
• Urban farming and its sustainability in cities.

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Transportation

Environmental policy and legislation.

• The role of government agencies in environmental protection.
• International agreements on environmental issues.
• Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and their importance.
• Environmental regulations and their enforcement.
• The history of environmental policy in your country.
• Lobbying and advocacy for environmental causes.
• The economics of environmental policy.
• The effectiveness of carbon pricing mechanisms.
• Public participation in environmental decision-making.
• Environmental justice and its role in policy development.
• Case studies of successful environmental policies.
• The politics of climate change mitigation.
• The impact of COVID-19 on environmental policies.
• Environmental policy and its influence on corporate responsibility.
• I hope these project topics help you in your college studies. If you need more information or have any other questions, feel free to ask!

How do I select the best EVS project topic?

Selecting the best EVS project topics for college students can be a rewarding process. Here are some easy steps to guide you:

1. Identify Your Passion: Start by considering what aspects of the environment truly interest you. Your passion will keep you motivated throughout the project.

2. Research Widely: Explore a variety of environmental topics. Read books, articles, and watch documentaries to gain a broader perspective.

3. Consider Relevance: Think about the relevance of your chosen topic to your coursework and career goals. It should align with your academic journey.

4. Feasibility: Ensure that the project is achievable within your resources, including time and access to data.

5. Consult Professors: Discuss your ideas with professors or advisors who can offer valuable insights and help you refine your topic.

6. Unique Angle: Try to approach the topic from a unique angle or propose innovative solutions. This can make your project stand out.

7. Passion Wins: In the end, choose a topic that genuinely excites you. Your enthusiasm will reflect in your work and make the project more enjoyable.

Selecting the right EVS project topics for college students is essential for your academic journey and for making a positive impact on the environment. These 151+ EVS project topics for college students cover a wide spectrum of environmental issues, from conservation to sustainability and awareness. By choosing a topic that resonates with your passion, you can contribute to the betterment of our planet while gaining valuable knowledge and skills.

1. Can I propose my own EVS project topic?

Absolutely! If you have a unique idea that aligns with your course requirements, discussing it with your professors is a great way to propose your own project.

2. Are these project topics suitable for undergraduate students?

Yes, these topics are designed to cater to college students, including undergraduates pursuing degrees in various disciplines.

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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.

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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30 sustainability project ideas for a green university

You want to work towards a green university, but don’t know what sustainability projects you could do? Then get your creative juices flowing by reading our list of 30 sustainability project ideas. These sustainability project ideas can be realised by student groups, sustainability coordinators, offices and teams.

The concept of a green university is different from a sustainable university . The idea of a green university explicitly focuses on improving the impact that buildings and the campus have on the environment. To create a green university, you need to run projects on:

Organic food

Renewable energy, gardening, landscape and biodiversity.

• Low-carbon transport

Clean water

Industrial agriculture harms animals and nature through the use of pesticides, artificial fertilisers and genetically modified crops. You can make a difference, by promoting sustainable food options:

• Get a Fair-Trade certification for your university
• Work with local farmers to allow students and staff to buy bags with organic, local and sustainable food every week
• Work with the caterer to introduce more vegetarian, organic, local, fair-trade and vegan meals and drinks
• Allow students to serve meals themselves, e.g. through buffet style dining options, to reduce food waste
• Donate left-over food from dining halls

Students distributing organic food

The burning of fossil fuels pollutes the air and contributes to global warming. Time to get rid of this ancient energy source, and use energy more efficiently:

• Install solar cells on the university’s rooftops
• Optimise the ventilation, air-conditioning and heating of building management systems
• Reduce the brightness of computer screens
• Install automatic movement sensors to switch off lights in buildings
• Turn PCs off or into stand-by mode when idle

Students visiting a new, more energy efficient building

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Time to get outdoors, enjoy some fresh air, and create something practical with your hands:

• Build a campus garden with herbs and an insect hotel
• Maintain a flower meadow
• Introduce non-toxic cleaning products
• Engage students and staff to plant a tiny forest close to the university
• Construct green roofs and rooftop gardens to literally have a green university

Students doing urban gardening for a green university

Transport sustainability projects

Our vision is that universities help young people to become global citizens for sustainable development. This involves a lot of travelling. Some ideas to promote sustainable transport among students and staff:

• Distribute free or subsidized public transit passes to students and staff
• Install video conferencing software and train staff to use it
• Rent out a cargo bike to students for free and subsidise bicycles for employees
• Create a mobility policy, which makes it mandatory to compensate any flight-related greenhouse gas emissions
• Introduce electric cars to the fleet of the university and provide recharging stations

A student transport bike is a good sustainability project idea

Water is a beautiful resource that gives birth to life on this planet. What a shame to waste it!

• Store rainwater from rooftops in tanks
• Install water saving devices in toilets and tabs
• Replace bottled water coolers with tap water coolers
• A good sustainability project idea is to use rainwater to flush toilets
• Install water refill stations

Free water taps allows students to refill water bottles

Recycling-related sustainability project ideas

Our current economic model takes natural resources as inputs and creates waste as outputs. A circular economy aims to eliminate the idea of waste. Here is how you can help to promote recycling at your university:

• Set-up recycling stations for mobile phones, pens, markers and highlighters throughout the campus
• Introduce double-sided printing to reduce paper waste
• Implement an e-waste policy to properly recycle electronic waste
• Donate old but still functioning electronic devices to charity
• Promote the purchase of second hand furniture for university offices

Tip: Read our university recycling blogpost to learn more.

Many universities run sustainability projects about recycling

• 18 sustainability events for student groups to raise awareness
• 3 sustainability campaign ideas on food, recycling and consumption
• 10 sustainable development project ideas to engage students

This list is inspired by actual sustainability projects of universities in Brussels , Leuven , Greenwich , Utrecht , Delft , Maastricht , Ghent , VU Amsterdam , Eindhoven , Groningen , Kaiserslautern , Magdeburg , Hildesheim , UvA Amsterdam , Wageningen ; photos by student-led sustainability offices at universities in Groningen , Leiden , Utrecht.

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24 Creative Green Projects to Tackle Now

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.

• 20 big green ideas | Ethical and green living | The Guardian
• 6 Awesome Environmental Projects to Educate and Engage Children

NASA Launches Satellite to Predict Climate Change by Studying Earth’s Poles

• School's do-it-yourself carbon offset project enriches learning

Also: Sky-scraping batteries

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• Skyscraper doubles as massive battery
• Fishing for 'ghost gear' in Atlantic Canada

Mohawk school plants forests to offset emissions and boost learning

In June, the fruit on the apple, pear, plum and rare pawpaw trees are still small and green in the orchard in front of the Quinte Mohawk School on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in eastern Ontario. But there should be a nice harvest in the fall.

On one side of the school is a pond and wetland, and nearby there's a growing stand of cedars, called the Enchanted Forest, that shelters an outdoor classroom made up of a table and stools fashioned from an old tree stump.

The school was once completely surrounded by fields of grass, like so many others across the country. But for years it's been restoring natural ecosystems on its property, most recently by planting trees. And by getting the entire school community involved, including parents and teachers, it hopes to make a big positive impact on biodiversity and the climate.

Outdoor education teacher Mike Booy said cedars like those in the Enchanted Forest have a healing quality, and he can see the impact it has on the kids, who are between junior kindergarten and Grade 8.

"You could see them calm down sometimes when they just get into the woods and sit down and we start listening to the birds," he said.

Laura Schwager, a teacher who has been involved in the school's habitat restoration projects from the beginning, said it's a long-term project. "Our plan is … every year to plant a certain number of trees to offset our carbon use," she said.

Over a decade ago, Schwager worked with Ducks Unlimited to build a pond on her own property and wondered if that could also be done at the school. The kids loved the idea, she recalled. The students presented it to the chief and council, who supported it, and it was built .

The Enchanted Forest was planted in 2012, alongside a project to fence the wetland for safety.

A couple of years ago, Reg Wilson, a local Green Party of Canada candidate, approached the school. He pitched the idea of planting trees to offset the school's carbon footprint and get both children and parents involved in an environmental project.

"That would show the communities that, you know, if you work together, you can do something proactive about the climate crisis," Wilson said. "And then we went around and started talking to schools to see if anybody would be interested."

When Schwager heard about it, she said, "I just thought it was a great idea and our school could definitely do this."

Wilson calculated the school's carbon footprint could be offset by planting 400 trees a year for seven years — about two per year for each family with students at the school. Wilson and another Green Party member, Mike Holbrook, purchased many of the trees from a local nursery, and also got some from the local conservation authority. 

Schawger said so far about 800 seedlings have been planted at the school and around the community, and their survival rate has been good. The orchard was the school's first big planting, but there have been a few more since. Just last month, the students added a bunch of tamarack and cedar seedlings to the Enchanted Forest.

Schwager encourages other schools to give it a try, even if they don't have much space and can only plant shrubbery and small fruit trees. "I would say just do it ... any greenery is going to help with carbon offset, right?"

But Booy said the trees are doing far more than offsetting carbon — they're enhancing learning. The orchard provides opportunities to learn about traditional foods and their cultural importance, cooking and nutrition. With sticks from the forest, the students build little bridges to learn about structures. And just the other day, they witnessed snakes mating in the wildlife habitat they've created.

"There's a ball of snakes," Booy said. "And it's just really neat to get kids out there and have their first impressions being good impressions. So, instead of being afraid of snakes, you're curious about snakes."

On the edge of the pond in the fall, the students collected cattails; learned the Mohawk word for cattail, aotahsa (pronounced Ow-dah-sa ); and learned to prepare the reeds to make baskets and mats. 

"That kind of goes into social studies on how people used to live," Booy said. "And the values that we should still maintain today."

— Emily Chung

Old issues of What on Earth? are here . The CBC News climate page is here . 

Check out our podcast and radio show .   In our newest episode: A listener got in touch wondering what she can do to help the birds in her garden when wildfire smoke is choking her neighbourhood. We share advice from Birds Canada and check in with American researchers who are searching for answers about how fire and smoke affect our feathered friends.

What On Earth drops new podcast episodes every Wednesday and Saturday. You can find them on your favourite podcast app, or on demand at CBC Listen . The radio show airs Sundays at 11 a.m. ET, 11:30 a.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Check the CBC News Climate Dashboard for live updates on wildfire smoke and active fires across the country. Set your location for information on air quality and to find out how today's temperatures compare to historical trends.

Reader feedback

Last week, Bianca Braga de Carvalho requested a biologist's perspective on whether clearing conifers and replacing them with aspen to create a firebreak outside Whitehorse would "take a toll on the species of animals that have lived there forever."

We have since managed to reach Jill Johnstone, fire ecology researcher at Yukon University Research Centre and University of Alaska Fairbanks , who wrote, "Although the wildlife species that use aspen forest are different than those that use conifer forest, both types are natural parts of the boreal landscape…. Because conifers remain abundant in many parts of the surrounding landscape, the risk of creating conservation problems for wildlife is low. This type of stand conversion happens naturally after many wildfires but is prevented by long-term suppression of fires around communities.

"The impacts of a changing climate and increased potential for fires puts us in a challenging situation where we need to be proactive in mitigating fire risk around communities. Ultimately, our ability to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases will have the greatest benefit for mitigating fire risk. "

Write us at [email protected] . 

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The Big Picture: Skyscrapers double as massive batteries

Sunny skies and windy days generate more renewable energy today than ever before, but what can we do when the sun isn't shining and the winds die down? Two words: energy storage — and skyscrapers might be one solution on the horizon. Here's how it works: use surplus energy to heave a large weight to a significant height and then, when energy is in short supply, release the weight to power a generator. While it might seem far-fetched, most of the world's high volume energy storage comes from pumped hydro, which forces water uphill and releases it later to generate electricity. Now, Switzerland-based Energy Vault has teamed up with Chicago-based architecture firm Skidmore, Owens & Merrill, the designer of the world's tallest building, to dream up a one-kilometre-tall skyscraper that would store energy within its walls by raising weights to the top during periods of excess energy and release them to produce electricity when it's needed. Gravity energy storage has its hurdles: steel and concrete are major sources of carbon emissions today, the system's cost could keep it from being competitive compared to other storage options, and only a small number of "supertall" buildings in the world exceed 300 metres. But Energy Vault has successfully tested a 150-metre tall tower outside Shanghai, capable of supplying up to 25 megawatts of wind-generated electricity over four hours to the grid. 

— Hannah Hoag

Hot and bothered: Provocative ideas from around the web

Mexico has elected climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum as its new president. What does that mean for the country's climate and energy policy? The Energy Mix takes a closer look .

• Conscious that consumerism is taking its toll on the planet, more people are committing to a No Buy Year, where they take a 12-month break from buying anything except what they truly need .  
• The British band Coldplay says it has cut its emissions 59 per cent during its current world tour compared to the previous. Here's how .

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has 'indefinitely postponed' congestion pricing that was scheduled to begin at the end of June to save commuters time and help fund transit improvements.

Fishermen cleaning up 'ghost gear' in Atlantic Canada lose federal support

In the cabin of his fishing boat near Saint Andrews, N.B., Greg Beckerton points to a radar screen to show the spots where he has lost traps and other fishing gear.

After more than three decades on the water, he knows how easy it is to lose gear, and how important it is to remove what is known as "ghost gear" from the Bay of Fundy.

Beckerton is a member of the Fundy North Fishermen's Association and has volunteered to help on many of the 137 ghost gear retrieval operations in the past year.

"I'm quite amazed at how much is there," he said of the thousands of traps, buoys and nets he has helped to pull up. 

"When somebody tries to fish there, those traps are competing with the actual fishing traps," he said. "And of course that marine life, once it gets in it, it can't get out, then it's just there. And then it'll just keep fishing forever and ever."

The ghost gear also creates a risk to larger species in the ocean, including the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

Darlene Norman-Brown, assistant director of the Fundy North Fishermen's Association, said the group has been able to clean up a lot of ghost gear since 2008, thanks to federal funding.

But she says Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has ended its support — something she says she believes is a mistake.

"We've just scratched the surface," Norman-Brown said of the amount of gear still on the bottom.

Some of the snarls are so large that fishermen have named them. She said the Cod Hole snarl is reported to be "the size of a small house." A fisher once lifted it to the surface, but the ropes couldn't hold its massive weight, Norman-Brown said.

The latest funding, from 2022-2024, was targeted toward combing the waters off Atlantic Canada and Quebec after a lot of gear was lost as a result of Hurricane Fiona.

Norman-Brown said since 2020, DFO funding has helped them retrieve more than 2,500 lobster traps, about 12 kilometres of nets and about six kilometres of cable.

These retrieval operations also helped them rid the ocean of 146 kilometres of rope — almost the distance between Moncton and Miramichi.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada did not answer questions from CBC about whether the funding for ghost gear retrieval will be restored. 

In an emailed statement, spokesperson Axel Rioux said "more details on the next steps will be shared in the coming weeks."

Rioux said $58 million was spent by the department on ghost gear retrieval projects in Canada and internationally between 2020 and 2024.

The Fundy North Fishermen's Association has focused its cleanup operations in New Brunswick on Passamaquoddy Bay, the Head Harbour Passage around Campobello Island and the Deer Island area, which have some of the highest concentrations of ghost gear.

With tides and currents, Norman-Brown said the gear often gets "drug off and hauled down," which creates a tumbleweed effect.

Those snarls gather everything in their path. Volunteers have pulled up everything from a 3,600-kilogram (8,000-pound) anchor to the front end of a 1940s truck.

For their work, the Fundy North Fishermen's Association will receive the Gulf of Maine Council industry award June 11.

Norman-Brown said they want to spread awareness and secure funding to buy the equipment needed to detect and recover the piles of gear more efficiently.   

Beckerton said the work is dangerous because the grapples they use are heavy and "it doesn't take a whole lot of wave action" for them to sway close to your head.

Khalin Brown also volunteers to retrieve ghost gear, and said besides the environmental harm it does, it is also expensive for fishermen to lose gear.

"Every trap we lose, you're talking $250 to $350 a piece, plus rope and buoys."

After every operation, the usable traps are returned to their tagged owners and all the unusable trash is recycled.

Norman-Brown is hopeful Ottawa will come through with continued funding to clean up the Bay of Fundy.

"The longer time passes without this work being done, then the more ghost gear is being created," she said. "And as long as that gear is on the bottom, it's a hazard to the marine life, it's a hazard to the fisherman's way of life and it's a hazard to humans in general because of the microplastics."

— Rhythm Rathi

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Editors: Emily Chung and Hannah Hoag | Logo design: Sködt McNalty

Corrections

• An earlier version of this story and the newsletter incorrectly stated the trees were purchased by Reg Wilson and Mike Booy. In fact, they were purchased by Reg Wilson and Mike Holbrook. Jun 06, 2024 4:47 PM ET

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Rays of sunlight slice through pools of crystal water as clusters of fish cast shadows on the limestone below. Arching over the emerald basin are walls of stalactites dripping down the cavern ceiling, which opens to a dense jungle.

These glowing sinkhole lakes – known as cenotes – are a part of one of Mexico’s natural wonders: A fragile system of an estimated 10,000 subterranean caverns, rivers and lakes that wind almost surreptitiously beneath Mexico’s southern Yucatan peninsula.

Now, construction of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s crown jewel project – the Maya Train – is rapidly destroying part of that hidden underground world, already under threat by development and mass tourism. As the caverns are thrust into the spotlight in the lead-up to the country’s presidential elections, scientists and environmentalists warn that the train will mean long-term environmental ruin.

Deep in the jungle, the roar of heavy machinery cuts through the cave’s gentle “drip, drip, drip.” Just a few meters above, construction of the train line is in full swing. The caverns rumble as government workers use massive metal drills that bore into limestone, embedding an estimated 15,000 steel pillars into the caverns.

Engineer Guillermo D. Christy looks upon the once immaculate cave, now coated with a layer of concrete and broken stalactites, icicle-shaped rock formations normally hanging from the roof of the cave. A mix of grief and anger is painted upon the face of D. Christy, who has long studied the waters running through the caves.

“Pouring concrete into a cavern, directly into the aquifer, without any concern or care,” D. Christy said. “That’s total ecocide.”

A TOURISM BOON, BUT AT WHAT COST?

For nearly a thousand miles, (1,460 km) the high-speed Maya Train will wind its way around Mexico’s southern Yucatan peninsula. When it’s completed, it’ll connect tourist hubs like Cancun and Playa del Carmen to dense jungle, remote communities and archaeological sites, drawing development and money into long-neglected rural swathes of the country.

The more than $30 billion train is among the keystone projects of Mexico’s outgoing President López Obrador, who has spent his six years in office portraying himself as a champion of the country’s long-forgotten poor.

“The Maya Train will be our legacy of development for the southeast of Mexico,” the president wrote in a post on the social platform X last year.

With elections set for June 2, the future of the train, and López Obrador’s legacy, is uncertain. Both leading candidates to replace him have made promises for a green agenda, but also supported the economic promises the train brings.

At issue is the path the train takes.

It was originally planned to run along the region’s highway in more urban areas. But after waves of complaints by hotel owners, the government moved one of the final sections of the line deeper into the jungle, atop the most important cave system in the country. It’s plowed down millions of trees, a chunk of the largest tropical forest in the Americas after the Amazon.

The caves contain one of the biggest aquifers in Mexico and act as the region’s main water source, crucial at a time when the nation faces a deepening water crisis. In 2022, archaeologists also discovered some of the oldest human remains in North America within the caverns.

The area was once a reef nestled beneath the Caribbean Sea, but changing sea levels pushed Mexico’s southern peninsula out of the ocean as a mass of limestone. Water sculpted the porous stone into caves over the course of millions of years.

It produced the open-face freshwater caverns, “cenotes”, and underground rivers that are in equal parts awe-inspiring and delicate, explained Emiliano Monroy-Ríos, a geologist at Northwestern University studying the region.

“These ecosystems are very, very fragile,” Monroy-Ríos said. “They are building upon a land that is like Gruyere cheese, full of caves and cavities of different sizes and at different depths.”

López Obrador promised his government would prevent damage to the Great Mayan Aquifer by elevating the sections of the train on thousands of hefty steel pillars buried deep into the ground.

DOCUMENTING DESTRUCTION

D. Christy treks through dense rainforest and clicks on his headlight as he climbs into a split in a rock.

The engineer and hydrological expert has spent 25 years roving the intricate cave system, tracking the quality of the waters. Like many of the people studying the mysteries of the ancient cave system, his once tame job was inadvertently turned turbulent with the rise of the train project.

Today, he wanders into a small section of the caverns known as Aktun Tuyul, located less than an hour from the tourist city of Playa del Carmen. As the 58-year-old Mexican walks past layers of stalactites and steel pillars burrowing into the rock formations, the cave’s darkness is broken by wagon wheel-sized holes drilled into the roof of the cave, where even more pillars will be implanted.

D. Christy wades through waist-deep water, now turned a murky brown by corroded metal from the pillars, and pushes his body through a narrow passage in the rock.

Sitting next to one of more than a dozen pillars embedded into this cavern, he pulls out a series of syringes and bottles, taking a sample of the water next to the metal.

“It clearly has a color characteristic of iron contamination,” he said, holding up a syringe of foggy yellow water. “We’re going to take a sample.”

D. Christy pours the water into a glass vial, mixing it with a chemical that turns it a deep blue, indicating the water contains traces of iron from the poles. Next to other pillars, he presses his ear to the metal, listening to globs of concrete pour into the hollow tube.

Across the cave system, stalactites broken off by vibrations from train construction litter the ground like rubble following an earthquake. In other caverns, the concrete filling the pillars has spilled out to coat the limestone ground.

While the long-term environmental consequences of the construction are unknown, what is certain is that it is transforming the entire ecosystem, said geologist Monroy-Ríos.

“Just by drilling, before you even put in the pillars, you are killing an entire ecosystem that was in those caves” he said. “Why? Because now light is coming in, the gasses within have changed, and there are very sensitive species that live in total darkness. They have already killed hundreds of millions” of organisms.

But the geologist’s greatest concern continues to be that the morphing limestone upon which the train is built and caves underneath the pillars could cause a collapse of the line. Scientists have long warned of the risks of building on soluble rock like limestone.

Already, sections of highway in the Yucatan have warped or caved in , and the Maya Train has been marred by a series of accidents, including a March train derailment, which government officials blamed on a loose clamp set by contractors.

Further damage to the limestone could lead to another accident that could be deadly. If a cargo train derailed, it could cause an oil spill that could permanently devastate the aquifer, Monroy-Ríos said.

Aktun Tuyul

Plan view of the cavern and the train construction above ground

‘IT WILL BENEFIT US ALL’

Not everyone is opposed to the train running through the remote communities. Some see an unprecedented economic opportunity, a chance to help poor families earn money.

Maria Norma de los Angeles and her family have long lived off a modest flow of tourists in their community of Jacinto Pat, tucked in a stretch of jungle in the southern coastal state, Quintana Roo.

They offer temazcal baths, traditional Mayan steam rooms meant to purify and relax the body, and charge visiting foreigners to swim in a nearby cenote.

The family, like many along the train’s path, was originally opposed of the project because they worried it would destroy the cenotes drawing tourists.

But their feelings about the train began to change when government officials contracted local people to build the track, De los Angeles said. They also promised to bring communities electricity, a sewage system and running water, and agreed to pay more for the land the train would pass over.

“It has its pros and its cons,” De los Angeles said as her family gathered to kill a pig to eat for her father’s birthday. “But there will be a moment when we see an economic spillover … I know that it will benefit us all.”

That’s the mentality of many Mexicans toward both the train and López Obrador. Many are willing to overlook the controversies of the populist and his train, in favor of his charisma and the strong economy seen during his presidency.

The 70-year-old leader has connected with Mexico’s long-invisible working class in a way few leaders have in recent history . López Obrador’s government has raised the minimum wage and provided cash handouts to older Mexicans and students. The government says more than 5 million people have been pulled out of poverty while López Obrador was president.

Luruama de la Cruz, a California resident whose family comes from the local town of Leona Vicario, said she bought her father tickets to the train for his birthday because it was a dream of his.

“A dream made reality,” De la Cruz says as she rode the train and took a video on her phone, meandering past passengers wearing “Maya Train” T-shirts and watching an interview between López Obrador and Russian state media.

“Whenever you build something, something else is destroyed,” she said, adding that family members worked on train construction. “This is for the good of the people.”

A RUSH TO BUILD THE TRACK

López Obrador has fast-tracked construction of the train to try to keep promises to complete it before June elections, something that has appeared all but impossible . The moves he’s made have only deepened his ongoing clashes with the country’s judiciary, further fueling criticisms that his government is undermining democratic institutions.

In a violation of Mexican law, the government didn’t carry out a comprehensive study to assess the potential environmental impacts before starting construction. That’s led to blindly plowing into caverns with no clue what’s being damaged, scientists and independent lawyers say.

“Our president has little respect for the law. He’s in a sort of tug of war for power and he does what he wants,” said Claudia Aguilar, a lawyer at Mexico’s Free School of Law.

When a judge ordered construction of the line be suspended until an adequate report of how the train would affect the caves was carried out, López Obrador ignored the ruling, and the work continued.

At the same time, much of the project has been cloaked in secrecy as López Obrador has charged Mexico’s military with construction and blocked the release of information in the name of “national security”.

While Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional, López Obrador disregarded that ruling, too, saying it was to protect his project from “corrupt” critics.

When the AP requested an interview with leadership of the Maya Train project, spokesperson Mariana Galicia said they were “ordered that we cannot give interviews” but could respond to questions sent over email to “better control” the information shared. They did not respond to questions sent by email.

Watch the video

AP journalists traveled through the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula to investigate the impact of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Maya Train. They documented the destruction of part of the country’s most important cave network, which provides freshwater to much of the region.

‘SWIMMING IN POOP’

Meanwhile, thousands of passengers are already riding sections of the train that have been built. The atmosphere above is far-removed from the conflicts playing out around the caverns.

Hotels and clubs host raves and even music festivals in some of the cenotes, with one club boasting it “takes the relaxation and wellness experience to another level. Let yourself be enveloped by this sacred, timeless place.”

Luxurious beach hotels and booming clubs packed with drunk, khaki-clad tourists dominate the coastal tourist city of Playa del Carmen. Once a Mayan settlement, the city is among many in the Yucatan peninsula that in recent decades have been converted into a party hub for vacationing foreigners.

In the caves below, biologist Roberto Rojo paddles through a sea of trash.

Under the arching cavern roof, Rojo and a group of volunteers push a green kayak through a cenote, filling bulking bags of glass beer bottles, plastic tubes, metal grating, plastic Coca-Cola bottles, rotten wooden planks and even a printer.

“You don’t even want to know what many of those things are,” Rojo said.

It’s a fate Rojo and many others worry may await hundreds of cenotes, caves and underground lakes and rivers along the new Maya Train line.

“It’s not just the train, but everything the train brings with it – urban developments, hotel developments,” said water expert D. Christy. “Rather than solving a problem, they’re coming in and making a big problem worse.”

Millions of tourists a year flock to the region, affecting the entire underground as the industry guzzles water and sewage seeps through the earth and into the caves, killing fish and other wildlife. In 2022, authorities found that the water of more than a dozen of the caverns near the tourist city of Tulum was tainted with E. Coli bacteria .

Last year, the environmental organization Va Por La Tierra estimated that approximately 95% of the cenotes in the Yucatan state – where the Maya Train cuts through – were already contaminated due to the lack of a sufficient sewage system. Scuba diving master Bernardette Carrión even told the AP that tourists admiring the splendor of some cenotes in Tulum “are swimming in poop.”

The underground system is connected to the sea, so waste trickles out to the ocean, where scientists say it feeds seaweed-like algae piling up on Caribbean coastlines, spurring on a slate of other environmental and health hazards .

Rojo and other volunteers created the organization known as “Urban Cenotes” in Playa del Carmen to clean the water system, cave by cave.

“We’re trying to return the dignity that these spaces have had for thousands of years, that are now being turned into landfills, sewers and drains,” Rojo said.

But it’s an uphill battle for the hundreds of volunteers, and something they worry will become impossible as pollution expands into rural areas with the Maya Train, deepening ongoing pollution caused by pig farms and massive soy plantations.

Looking forward, they’re uncertain about what will come as June elections loom, with López Obrador leaving office in the coming months. The leader will likely be replaced by either race frontrunner and ally Claudia Sheinbaum or rival ex-senator Xóchitl Gálvez.

Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist who leads the race by a comfortable margin, has portrayed herself as a champion for the environment, but has supported López Obrador’s fossil-fuel agenda and made few remarks about the environmental damage the train has wrought.

Little more than a week before the presidential election, Sheinbaum said she was meeting with leaders of neighboring Guatemala and Belize in talks to extend the Maya Train to Central America.

Gálvez, a López Obrador opponent, has taken advantage of the controversy to tear into her adversaries , calling the train’s damage “irreversible” and a “consequence of the negligence of the government because they didn’t do any environmental impact studies.” Months earlier, though, she said she would also continue with plans to extend the train.

Meanwhile, groups like Rojo’s do everything they can to salvage an ecosystem that took millennia to form. They worry they might not have all that much time left.

“I’m not going to sit quietly and wait for the government to solve things,” Rojo said. “The people who live in the Yucatan peninsula are on the verge of a water crisis."

Text: Teresa de Miguel and Megan Janetsky

Photos: Rodrigo Abd

Video: Teresa de Miguel and Rodrigo Abd

Design and development: Caleb Diehl

Illustrations: Peter Hamlin

Text editor: Anna Jo Bratton

Photo editor: Enric Marti

Creative direction: Teresa de Miguel

Handout footage of drill in cavern courtesy of Elias Siebenborn

The AP used data and estimates provided by scientists and activists on the ground to build these maps. The Mexican government has not responded a number of information requests by the AP, and has released scarce official information on the project.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org

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World Environment Day 2024: Top 7 Drawing Ideas For School Students!

World environment day 2024: environment day is all about learning the different aspects of nature and celebrating the natural beauty of the earth. environment day is celebrated on 5th june every year.  it is important to know about this special day and also to raise awareness regarding it. .

How To Celebrate World Environment Day In School? 

• Kids and students are the future generations and they should know how to protect the environment.
• One way to celebrate Environment Day is to engage the kids in various activities that can help them to know the significance of Environment Day. 
• One such activity is Drawing. All the kids and students love drawing. 
• Teachers can organise a drawing activity for the students where they have to have to draw some simple environment-related drawings. 
• It is vital to educate the students on how to take care of the planet and its limited resources. 
• Drawing can be one of those fun activities to help the students. 

Top 7 World Environment Day Drawing Ideas For Students

• Drawing Idea 1

Students can make this easy drawing and show the resources of nature. They can also a write a message or slogan on Save Environment.

• Drawing Idea 2 

This is a drawing of the earth that depicts how there is greenery on one side and drought on the others. Students can try this unique drawing. 

• Drawing Idea 3 

This is another amazing drawing that depicts afforestation on one side and cutting of tress or deforestation on the other. This drawing is perfect for Environment Day. 

• Drawing Idea 4 

This drawing depicts earth with amazing greenery and also shows some of the short messages. Kids and students can also try this drawing. 

• Drawing Idea 5

This picture depicts earth and the importance of water on earth. Students and kids can easily draw this beautiful drawing. 

• Drawing Idea 6 

This beautiful drawing depicts earth and the hands of those humans that are taking a step further to protect the environment from pollution and other problems. 

• Drawing Idea 7 

This drawing shows the earth that is happy on one of the sides due to the environment being kept clean and safe and then the other side of the earth that is unhappy due to the pollution and other problems.   

Now, that the students have got the ideas for drawing, they can easily start preparing for the special day with their pencils, colours and sketch pens. 

Related Links

World Environment Day 2024: विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस पर निबंध, Essay on in Hindi

World Environment Day 2024: Thoughts, Quotes, Slogans, Wishes For Students

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What to Know About Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s Newly Elected President

Here are five key insights into Mexico’s new president as people wonder whether she will diverge from Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s policies or focus on cementing his legacy.

• Share full article

By Natalie Kitroeff

Reporting from Mexico City

Claudia Sheinbaum’s list of accolades is long: She has a Ph.D in energy engineering, participated in a United Nations panel of climate scientists awarded a Nobel Peace Prize and governed the capital, one of the largest cities in the hemisphere.

On Sunday, she added another achievement to her résumé: becoming the first woman elected president of Mexico.

Ms. Sheinbaum, 61, captured at least 58 percent of the vote in a landmark election on Sunday that featured two women competing for the nation’s highest office — a groundbreaking contest in a country long known for a culture of machismo and rampant violence against women.

Mexico Election Results: Sheinbaum Wins

See results and maps for Mexico’s 2024 presidential election.

“For the first time in 200 years of the republic, I will become the first female president of Mexico,” she said. “And as I have said on other occasions, I do not arrive alone. We all arrived, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.”

Now that she has clinched the presidency, Ms. Sheinbaum’s next hurdle will be stepping out of the shadow of her predecessor and longtime mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the outgoing president.

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2 MIT Sloan professors named to top-40-under-40 list for 2024

Jun 4, 2024

MIT Sloan professors Jacquelyn Pless and Rahul Bhui have been named as among the top business school professors under 40 years old.

They were selected for Poets&Quants’ latest  Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors list, which is released annually in recognition of talented young professors teaching in MBA programs. The honorees are chosen based on the quality of their teaching and research.

Here’s a closer look at the two MIT Sloan honorees and their work. 

Jacquelyn Pless: the economics of environmental innovation

Pless is an assistant professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management at MIT Sloan. She joined the faculty in 2019. Her research focuses on the economics of innovation, energy and environmental economics, and public economics, and she teaches a course in innovation strategy . Specifically, she explores what drives innovation for social progress, with a focus on energy and environmental innovation. One of her research studies looked at the nuances of subsidy programs for solar panels in California.

Further reading: In a paper for Nature Energy, Pless and her co-authors identified five key challenges to evaluating energy innovation policies and programs, including the primary challenge of quantifying how much innovation can be attributed directly to a program or policy as opposed to other factors.

Rahul Bhui: theories of decision-making

Bhui, who joined the faculty in 2020, is an assistant professor of marketing at MIT Sloan and a faculty affiliate of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. His research combines cognitive science, computational neuroscience, and behavioral economics, and he aims to find deep unifying principles that explain both rationality and irrationality. He develops and tests theories of decision-making, and his recent work includes research on  investing errors and how exposure to blatant falsehoods increases belief in news that is merely implausible.

Further reading: In a recent paper , Bhui and his co-authors found that people are more likely to support sustainable infrastructure when shown images created by artificial intelligence of what less car-centric cities might look like.