Green Volunteer Opportunities In Boston
Regardless of whether you are interested in cleaning up waterways, making green space more accessible or preventing recyclables from ending up in landfills, there is definitely something you can do to make Boston a more environmentally friendly city. Here are some great causes with volunteer programs.
BeCause Water
711 Atlantic Ave.
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 419-0314
becausewater.com
Each year, BeCause Water hosts an event entitled the Charles River Rummage where teams of four compete on Paddle Boston kayaks to clean as much debris and litter in one hour as possible. Once the teams are back on shore, BeCause Water awards a $100 cash prize, passes to the New England Aquarium, a gift certificate to Safar Coiffure Salon and other fun rewards for the volunteers. What remains of the trash is sorted, thrown away and recycled through Save That Stuff.
Charles River Conservancy
4 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 608-1410
thecharles.org
The Charles River Conservancy's volunteers engage in various activities throughout the year. Some of these activities include "planting daffodil bulbs, painting park benches, removing invasive species, trimming brush and trash cleanup." Each year, the Conservancy works with "approximately 2,000 volunteers to perform vital park maintenance work and ensure permanent improvements in the parklands."
Poland Springs Green Team at Fenway
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
boston.redsox.mlb.com
If you love baseball, volunteering to collect recyclables at Fenway Park is the perfect opportunity to catch a game and make a difference at the same time. For the first seven innings of the baseball game, the green team members collect all recyclable plastics from stadium patrons. Usually per game, about 75 volunteers help make sure these recyclables don't end up in the trash.
BostonEco
facebook.com/BostonEco
twitter.com/BostonEco
BostonEco is a social media network for Bostonians interested in all areas of environmental responsibility, but keeping track of all of the city's environmental initiatives is a complicated task. BostonEco is always looking for passionate individuals to spread the word about these initiatives on its Facebook and Twitter feeds. If you're interested in being a social media assistant for BostonEco, a commitment of three to five hours per week, message the BostonEco admin on Facebook.
The Emerald Necklace Conservancy
125 Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 522-2700
emeraldnecklace.org
The 1,100 acres of the Emerald Necklace always needs volunteers for cleanups and planting projects. On Tuesdays in the spring and fall, volunteers gather to plant and prune, and on the second Saturday of each month, people work on forest management by removing invasive species. A few times a year, the conservancy also hosts cleanup activities that draw larger numbers of volunteers.
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Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
