5 Top Ecological Projects from Around the World
When it comes to creating a more eco-minded world, people often think small. They think about all the things that they personally can do. They think supporting ecological projects is signing a petition, buying a two dollar bracelet, or giving their email address to a site they’ll never visit again and even then it can feel like these efforts aren’t leaving an impact.
That’s why we want to share with you our top five picks for ecological projects around the world, not just to give you all a place to start your own ecological research but to show you how these efforts are making our planet just a little bit better. If any of the projects listed here pique your interest, follow the links and learn how you can get involved with these organizations.
The Great Green Wall
The first project making a change is a project launched by over 20 African countries as well as numerous international organizations in Africa called The Great Green Wall. The Green Great Wall is an ambitious African-led environmental project taking place in the Sahel region of Africa. The African Union has partnered with several ecological organizations to construct a new living natural wonder, the mighty Great Green Wall.
This ecological project aims to plant a 8,000km wall of trees and native vegetation along the border of the Sahel region. Today this initiative is roughly fifteen percent complete and still going strong. Already the planting of trees and native plant species is reducing the impact of carbon emissions as well as bringing life and stability back not only to the degraded landscape of the Sahel region but to the economic and social aspects of the Sahel region and its people.
Photo by Darren Lawrence.
Initiative 20x20
Moving from Africa to Latin America we have a project called Initiative 20x20. Started in 2014, Initiative 20x20 is an ecological project put in place by a regional partnership of over 95 technical organizations and institutions, 25 private investors and the governments of 18 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. Initiative 20x20 spans all across Latin America and works to heal and preserve 50 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
Actions taken by the organization include the reforesting of areas degraded by logging, protecting the native ecosystem by planting trees and native plant species in damaged landscapes, educating farmers on low-carbon agricultural practices that improve crop yields and conserve water, and taking steps to ensure eco friendly practices that respect as well as conserve the beautiful landscapes all across of Latin America.
Photo by Pixabay.
Ecological Citizen’s Project
A collective of Environmentally Minded individuals, the Ecological Citizen’s Project does their work in the Hudson Valley. The Ecological Citizen’s Project works to mobilize and network with the people of the Hudson Valley for ecological causes as well as fund smaller environmental projects, improve local communities, and petition for eco-friendly policies in the greater New York area.
Some of the most notable work from the group is their work on renewable energy. In 2016, the state of New York gave communities and small businesses the ability to pool their electrical accounts together to collectively petition for better electrical agreements and this is when the Ecological Citizen’s Projects steps in.
The team took advantage of this opportunity by creating a guide for communities and businesses to petition for green energy in their communities as well as teamed up with Co-Op Power, Finlo Power, and People’s Solar Fund to provide these groups with information to network and advocate for their cause.
Photo by Mark Stebnicki.
Feeding the 5000
While many factors go into protecting our environment and measuring our impact on it, one that often goes unnoticed is the amount of food waste we produce. Did you know that food is often wasted before it even reaches the grocery store? Many farmers actually discard so-called “ugly produce” because it doesn’t look like people expect it to when they buy it.
The Feeding the 5000 project from the London based Feedback Global aims to reduce food waste produced from these harmful practices by partnering with local farmers and creating something delicious with these pieces of unloved produce. Feeding the 5000 gathers these otherwise discarded pieces of produce and uses them to prepare communal banquets for groups of 5000. They even provide a tool kit for communities and organizations to organize their own Feeding the 5000 feast.
Photo by Francesco Ungaro.
Seagrass Grow
When it comes to reducing carbon, maintaining air quality, and building our atmosphere people often think trees play the most important role but we so often forget just how much work our aquatic vegetation does to maintain the quality of our ecosystem. Seagrass Grow, an ecological project from The Ocean Foundation, aims to perceive these hard working forms of vegetation by giving you information about your carbon footprint.
Seagrass Grow uses The Ocean Foundation’s extensive knowledge hub consisting of up to date publications, research, and annual reports to calculate the carbon emissions of anyone, people or businesses. Seagrass Grow even provides ways for you or your business to reduce your personal carbon footprint. The Seagrass Grow project even allows you to measure the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide produced from trips that you plan on taking.
Hopefully our list of our favorite ecological projects have inspired and motivated you to pursue your own ecological change. If not, we hope that it at least brought you some form of comfort knowing that there are other people and organizations out there who are working to protect and preserve this little blue marble we all call home.
Written by Nicholas Viveros
BeachCandy Swimwear - Since 2011
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