It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Well, not quite yet, but it’s getting close. And while we’re hanging up our stockings and singing carols around the fire with a cup of eggnog in hand, our little feathered friends outside could use a touch of the Christmas spirit, too....
Every year, SCA provides training, tools and projects that place motivated teens and young adults in the field to effect changes great and small. How do we measure the effects? Sometimes its through decreased CO2 levels or by the tons of trash collected or in the number of trees planted. Our success is also measured by the lessons learned, the perspective gained and the lives we transform—today and into the future. Often when the SCA project is over, the success story is just beginning. Take a look at some of our most recent accomplishments.
Posted by Megan McVey | Thursday, November 30, 2017
Service Project: Volunteers in partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department will help bring the park back to it’s beautiful, natural state. Teams will help with litter and debris removal, invasive plant removal, habitat restoration and plantings.
Gratitude in Conservation
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, November 20, 2017
It’s Thanksgiving season again, time to gather around the table with family and friends and reflect upon the things we are thankful for. And as we fill our tables with turkeys and fixings, we here at the Student Conservation Association have plenty to feel grateful about. Here are five of them:...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Monday, November 20, 2017
While we’re celebrating, let’s remember the steps we’ve taken toward sustainability this year. With sweets, gift-giving, and feasting galore, don’t forget to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, November 20, 2017
What
The Conservation Games are like a schoolyard field day, fall festival, and outdoor volunteer project all in one! There will be volunteer projects, food, music, and zany, engaging spectacles. Join us for some family-friendly fun that showcases the wide variety of skills and activities involved with conservation and youth development....
3 places in the United States that need our help now
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, November 20, 2017
With three distinct climate zones and a terrain that spans two coasts, the United States is home to a rich and wide variety of habitats, topography, vegetation, and animals, many of which are sheltered by our incredible national park system. But faced with threats of over-development, pollution, and climate change,...
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Monday, November 20, 2017
This November, as part of “MUFG Gives Back” Volunteer Month, SCA teamed up with MUFG Union Bank to hold ConSERVE events in five cities nationwide, with more than 400 volunteers participating. In New York City, Seattle, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Oakland, MUFG employee volunteers worked side-by-side with SCA youth and...
Posted by Megan McVey | Wednesday, November 8, 2017
There is something special about a campfire – it draws us in with its magic and heat, encouraging conversation, music, and intimacy. In this digital age, when it’s so easy for us to be distracted and to disappear into our own devices, sitting around a fire in the dark pulls...
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, November 6, 2017
Our 2018 Outcomes Infographic illustrates the profound impact that broad reach and proven programming have allowed us to achieve in a calendar year. See what supporters like you helped accomplish in 2018!
Graphic by Julia Bacon, SCA...
Save Energy, Save the Environment
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, October 30, 2017
Just like that, fall is upon us. For many of us, that means breaking out the sweaters and storm windows and preparing for the shorter hours of daylight ahead. And with a typical family spending nearly 30% of its annual energy bill in heating, there is no better...
Expanding Career Opportunities for People of Color in the Environmental Sciences
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, October 16, 2017
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There’s never been a better time to work in the environmental sciences. The field is in rapid expansion, with average salaries of $68,910 per year, nearly double the median annual wage, and employment in the sector is projected to continue to grow by some 11% through 2024. “Heightened public interest...
5 Ways to Green Your Grocery List
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, October 2, 2017
As the saying goes, we are what we eat. And that doesn’t stop with our bodies: the food choices we make greatly affect our environment, as well. But when we push our carts into the supermarket every week, the sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. How can we go...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Monday, October 2, 2017
Before kids even get to their classrooms, we can start teaching them how to make conscientious, earth-friendly choices. One change at a time, we are creating the next generation of conservation leaders. If you’ve found yourself wondering how to get through the school year more sustainably, this post is for you.
SCA Goes International to Restore Urban Forests in Canada with Domtar
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Wednesday, September 27, 2017
This September, SCA leaders went international to battle invasives species in the urban forests of Montreal — teaming up with national supporter Domtar to restore Parc Thomas-Chapais.
Forests, Kids, Parks, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
For American high school students, applying to college sometimes feels like a fulltime job. Grades and transcripts, sports and extracurriculars, essays and SATs, AP classes and early admissions—the pressure can be intense. After all of that work, postponing matriculation for a year might feel a little counterintuitive. And few do:...
Creating Avenues of Opportunity In Nature
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Most SCA members will tell you they are motivated by a love of nature, a concern for the environment, or a desire to give back. However, when asked what prompted him to toil through a long, hot summer, Joshua George ruefully shook his head. “Jail,” he replied.
In Chicago, where gun...
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
On Alaska’s North Slope this summer, a team of SCA interns spent long days trapping rodents, documenting plant diversity, and collecting soil and water samples. Working conditions were often extreme. Despite 24-hour daylight, summer temperatures could dip below freezing. One day the sky might be filled with wind-whipped rain, the...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Thursday, September 21, 2017
By SCA Community Engagement Fellow Hayden Sloan
Aluminum (or Aluminium, if you’re not from the US) is an abundant element within Earth’s surface— but getting it out of the ground is an arduous process, requiring heavy machinery to plow up acres and acres of land. Fortunately, the environmental impact...
How Being in Nature Can Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, September 18, 2017
Opioid addiction in the United States has reached epidemic levels. More than 183,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2015, with the number of annual fatalities quadrupling over the same period. Last year alone, drug overdoses exceeded some 59,000, the largest-ever annual jump in...
150 Volunteers Honor 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance
Posted by Michael Cronin | Wednesday, September 13, 2017
With support from American Express, SCA rallied a force of 150 volunteers at NYC and DC ConSERVE Events to commemorate the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.