COVID-19 has given us a unique opportunity to see our effect on the planet, inspiring many to consider their carbon footprint. Although we can't gather together at the moment, here are some tips for engaging your eco-conscious alumni: 

Trash pickups

Trash clean-ups are a great community activity, and they can either be performed around your schools or throughout the surrounding community. Make sure you provide plenty of disposable gloves and garbage bags.

This is one example of an activity that is easy to organize, gives people a chance to socialize while they’re working and makes a clearly visible impact on the community when complete. It can also be a good idea to take photos of all the bags of trash collected when completed to raise awareness of how much trash is actually lying around the neighborhood and to encourage people to avoid littering.

Plant a tree

Host a tree planting ceremony, and consider inviting alumni back to take part. A few years back the Earth Day Network set a goal of planting nearly 8 billion trees by the end of the end of 2020, marking one tree for every person alive. Even planting just one tree will help you to hit this goal. Trees aren’t just important for creating beautiful landscapes—they also soak up carbon dioxide and expel oxygen, helping to alleviate the effect of greenhouse gases on the climate.

Have a recycling competition

Get representatives from recent graduating classes to compete to see which can gather up the most recyclable materials like cans, bottles and recyclable plastics. Nothing like a little bit of competition to generate enthusiasm and participation, and you can channel that energy and class spirit for a good cause!

Have a bike event

Try organizing a bike tour through your community, maybe hitting a certain number of district schools along the way! This can encourage more people to use bicycles for commuting or pleasure to get more cars off the road. Make sure you work with the proper authorities in your municipality to ensure you get the permission you need for such an event.

Host a swap, yard sale or craft day

These types of events can encourage people to find treasures among other people’s trash. Rather than allowing perfectly good items to be sent to the landfill, your district can organize a swap or sale of items that families no longer use, or a craft day featuring items made out of recycled materials or old items that had just been lying around.

These are just a few examples of some environment-friendly activities that could be a big hit in your school district and with your alumni. For more ideas, get in touch with Alumni Nations!

National Alumni Institute members get exclusive access to our recycling fundraiser template, sign up here today!