37 Climate Change Volunteering Choices To Pick From

Georgette Kilgore headshot, wearing 8 Billion Trees shirt with forest in the background.Written by Georgette Kilgore

Carbon Offsets Credits | May 18, 2023

Man kneeling on the ground planting trees and woman in the background climate change volunteering by arranging saplings ready to be planted.

Climate change volunteering groups can be an awesome way to help build your community, lower emissions, and promote recycling and sustainability.

While this sounds like a good idea that everyone cannot afford to miss, finding a suitable option for a volunteer group you can be part of is essential.

Of course, there are tons of Eco-conscious volunteer programs available, but you don’t have to look far to find ways to reduce emissions. Some options, like volunteering your time at a local thrift store can make a difference!

This comprehensive guide outlines 37 climate change volunteering choices to pick from. Dig in to identify how you can be a successful volunteer of a suitable climate change volunteer group to make the world a better place.

Best Volunteer Opportunities

There are various volunteer opportunities that you can enroll in to mitigate the prevailing climate change problems across the globe. From climate activism groups,6 environmental volunteer groups, international online volunteer groups, and citizens’ climate lobbies to habitats for humanity, it would be best if you found the best volunteer opportunities.1

Among the 37 climate change volunteering choices to pick from, here are some of the best volunteer opportunities you consider:

Best Volunteer Opportunities

1

Food Forward

A non-profit food justice organization that minimizes food waste from farmers' markets and wholesale providers.

2

Baby2Baby

A donation center that promotes repurposing and recycling baby clothes.

3

Friends of the LA River

A volunteering organization that facilitates the restoration and revitalizing of the Los Angeles River.

4

Good Clothes Good People

This non-profit organization provides students with sanitization products, clothes, and hygiene essentials.

5

LA Mission

This organization works to cater to the homeless in Los Angeles by providing homes for the vulnerable.

6

Heal The Bay

A nonprofit organization works with volunteers to clean up coastal beaches.

7

NRDC

A nonprofit organization works with coastlines by writing online letters to officials claiming climate justice.

8

Sierra Club

Is an organization that rehabilitates ecosystems to improve local environments.

9

TreePeople

Is a Los Angeles-based organization that rehabilitates and restores ecosystems through a volunteer group.

10

Surfrider

A marine conservancy organization that aims to protect and restore marine systems.

11

One-Up Action

A youth-governed non-profit organization that identifies suitable opportunities to enhance viable initiatives around local communities.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby

A citizens’ climate lobby is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, climate change advocating organization that focuses on national policies to mitigate climate change. This organization uses a nonpartisan and respectful approach to educate people about climate, which creates a comprehensive and sustainable base for climate action across political inclinations and geographic regions.2

This organization prioritizes building shared values and empowering its supporters to focus on the concerns of local communities by adopting sustainable, fair, and effective climate change solutions. Also, it supports and trains volunteers by enhancing their relationships with media, local communities, and officials to generate a political will.2

Fortunately, you can be part of the citizens’ climate lobby and acquire incredible benefits, including meeting with local media and congressional leaders, teaching your local community about global warming, and enacting solutions.2

Volunteer Climate Change Research

Among the 37 climate change volunteering choices to pick from, there are volunteer climate change research groups you can be part of to facilitate climate change solutions. Here is an overview of the most common climate change research groups you can enroll in:7

Logo of Strategic Energy Innovations Organization.

(Image: Strategic Energy Innovations13)

#12 Strategic Energy Innovations

Strategic Energy Innovations is an innovative partnership organization working with San Rafael City Schools (SRCS) and Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) to address the many environmental sustainability and energy issues in the education system.

This group can give you on-the-job training, classroom time, and job training to help you gain marketable skills and professional connections as you make a difference in the community. Typically, you will be involved in developing and coordinating ongoing projects as you work towards your location’s top sustainability goals.

However, to join this organization, you need to have a degree or educational qualifications in science, environmental policy, engineering, planning, or sustainability management.

#13 Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is a US-based organization that allows suitable volunteers to contribute to its rewarding environmental conservation efforts.

Logo of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium Organization

(Image: Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium14)

 

You can enroll in this organization as a full-time jungle keeper, where you will be responsible for taking care of vast animal collections, including reptiles, birds, amphibians, mammals, and fish.

However, this organization accepts 18 or older volunteers with requirements such as a driver’s license, communication skills, bachelor’s degree, associate degree, and medication administration.

Logo of City of Sanrafael Organization.

(Image: City of San Rafael15)

#14 City of San Rafael

If you are an experienced and dependable environmental conserver looking for a suitable organization to hone your skills, the City of San Rafael can be a suitable place. Once a suitable volunteer in this organization is selected, you will be involved in developing and implementing a community-level sea rise planning project.

This will involve researching the best practice, conducting broad community engagement, working with various departments, and collaborating with regional stakeholders to formulate plans and policies related to climate change.

#15 GLSEN, Inc

You can also be part of GLSEN, Inc to formulate and exercise various areas of GLSEN’s research program, which mainly provides solutions to LGBTQ+ problems in K-12 education and determines the efficacy of these programs and the recommended interventions.

Logo of GLSEN, Inc.

(Image: GLSEN, Inc16)

In your volunteer role, you will conduct research, design and execute research studies, work closely with other research staff, and perform other helpful tasks promoting climate conservation.

#16 Cambium Carbon

Cambium Carbon is a US-based organization with its headquarters in Washington, DC. This organization uses appropriate technology to facilitate local wood supply chains by saving dead trees from landfills by linking them to local millers and sawyers who convert them into durable products to store carbon for future generations and funding community tree planting operations.

Logo of Cambium Carbon Organization.

(Image: Cambium Carbon17)

You can be a successful volunteer of Cambium Carbon to help in demanding operations, including managing reports, budgets, memos, and other documents. Also, you can support developing leadership in various tasks and projects.

How To Find Climate Change Volunteer Work: Climate Change Choices To Pick From

If you are wondering how to find climate change volunteer work, there are many ways to go about it and significantly impact the environment while still earning an income. Firstly, you can search for climate change work platforms online and find the perfect job that matches your skill.

Similarly, you can enroll in your local climate lobby and make an impact while earning extra income.

Climate Change Volunteer Online

You can become a climate change online volunteer, where you will contribute your expertise and skills towards achieving feasible human efforts of organizations across the globe.8 Generally, you will be a valuable asset in implementing projects that need digital technologies and data analysis.

Photo of four volunteers leaning at the back of the van.

(Image: RDNE Stock project18)

For instance, you can be a valuable United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programmer member and become a member of a group of data scientists. Similarly, you can contribute funds to global NGO organizations that focus on educating people in marginalized areas about wildlife conservation and carbon emission control efforts.

Climate Change Volunteer Abroad in the 37 Climate Change Volunteering Choices to Pick From

Suppose you want to enroll in climate change volunteer abroad programs. In that case, International Volunteer HQ has fair-priced environmental volunteer programs in Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, North America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. These programs will be part of the 37 climate change volunteering choices to choose from.

The table below summarizes some climate change volunteer abroad programs, their fees, and duration:

Climate Change Volunteer Abroad ProgramDurationFees ($)
#17 Environmental Education Volunteering in Bali – Ubud1 Week360
#18 Eco-Agriculture in Costa Rica2 Weeks820
#19 Agriculture in Ghana1 Week319
#20 Environmental Education in Santa Elena1 Week405
#21 Eco-Agriculture in Guetemania1 Week405
#22 Climate Action in Rome2 Weeks895
#23 Sustainable Farming in Rome2 Weeks895
#24 Forest Conservation in Nosy Komba1 Week350
#25 Sustainable Agriculture in Merida2 Weeks585
#26 Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal3 Weeks510
#27 Environmental Education in Auckland3 Weeks1385
#28 Eco-Agriculture Conservation in Cusco2 Weeks720
#29 Environmental in Palawan1 Week355
#30 Jungle Conservation in Cusco2 Weeks720

Best Volunteer Opportunities for High Schoolers

As a high schooler, you can spend your school holiday doing something that can bring benefit the environment.

High school students can help out at local recycling centers, or organize clothing drives at school.

When choosing the best volunteer opportunities for high schoolers,9 here is a selection of some of the best programs you can consider for your school holiday:

#31 Himalaya Trek and Nepali Immersion

Himalaya Trek and Nepali Immersion is based in the Himalayan mountain range. During this initiative, you will be involved in assisting in the formulation of health and safety standards for educational institutions in Pokhara.

Wide angle-shot of a man in a hiking gear on top of a snowy mountain looking over the view of surrounding tall mountains.

(Image: Sanket Barik19)

This will help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development long-term goal, which entails Health and well-being and Quality Education goals.

During this trip, you can also visit SASANE, a Nepal-based organization that collaborates with survivors of human trafficking. Also, you will get to interact with women from that organization who will help you learn about preparing the ancient Nepali dumpling.

Lastly, you will have a chance to adventure in the Himalayas and participate in exciting activities such as camping in tea houses and learning about Nepali culture.

A black toucan bird with its black and yellow beak on a tree branch in a forest.

(Image: Zdeněk Macháček20)

#32 Rainforest Conservation in Costa Rica

During the rainforest conservation program in Costa Rica, you will have a chance to gather data about local animals and share your knowledge about wildlife protection.

This program is suitable since it involves sheer wildlife diversity various GVI teens participate in. Also, you will have a chance to learn about various types of animals, such as jaguars and turtles.

#33 Sea Turtle Conservation and Cultural Immersion in Thailand

Sea Turtle Conservation and Cultural Immersion in Thailand offers teens under 18 years an opportunity to participate in sea turtle conservation.

A Hawksbill sea turtle swimming under the ocean.

(Image: Kevin C. Charpentier21)

Also, it involves controlling pollution by cleaning the environment. In this program, you will also participate in adventure activities such as swimming in waterfall pools and kayaking.

Photo of a scuba diver taking an underwater shot of a sea turtle.

(Image: Richard Segal22)

#34 Sea Turtle and Marine Conservation in Greece

Sea Turtle and Marine Conservation in Greece is suitable for anyone under 18 willing to positively impact the environment while spending their time in the beach setting.

In this program, you will participate in beach surveys, look for turtle nests and make initiatives to protect them.

If you are interested in a conservation career, this teen program can be perfect for you since you will also have a chance to see hatchlings moving to the sea.

Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

If you are a teen wishing to contribute to the community while making a remarkable impact on yourself, volunteer opportunities for teens might be good for you. Generally, the volunteer opportunities discussed for high schoolers are perfectly suitable for teens.

Volunteering Activities for Students

There are various volunteer activities you can participate in as a college student. This will help you impact society as you appreciate your value. The following are suitable volunteering activities for students:

Volunteering with Local Organizations

Various nonprofit organizations within your location generally prioritize supporting the community. You can volunteer in any of these organizations and offer some service. Later, you can support existing significant initiatives that depend on volunteers to accomplish their goals.

Participating in Trash Clean Up

You can also contribute to making your community a better place by joining trash clean-up activities. Typically, you will need to find a local initiative that targets achieving environmental efforts within your location. Similarly, you can compose your clean-up program to clean a highly littered place.

Offer College Essay Workshops

During your college admission, you will be required to write a college essay to show how you can deal with challenging events. Thus, you can enroll your community in climate change essay workshops to help them prioritize achieving their goals.

Formulate a Social Media Awareness Campaign

Social media can help you to create awareness about various social issues. Therefore, you can take advantage of organizing a social media awareness campaign in your community. In this activity, you can promote initiatives that make a difference in the social climate.

Online Volunteer Opportunities

The United Nations has various online volunteer opportunities you can enroll in to mitigate environmental challenges and development challenges. In these online volunteering opportunities, you can contribute your expertise and skills to sustainable human development initiatives for global organizations.

Generally, you will participate in the working environment to build further and thrive.

Volunteer Environmental Research

If you are more passionate about the environment, you can find a suitable volunteer environmental research organization to contribute to environmental conservation efforts. For instance, you can enroll in Earth.Org, an organization concerned about pollution, biodiversity decline, climate change, and social-economic consequences of natural capital degradation.3

How to Get Involved in Climate Change Activism

To participate in climate change activism, you first need to educate yourself on climate matters related to climate activism.10 You then need to control your daily routine to address the climate crisis by opting for sustainable lifestyle choices that can influence you.

Later, you need to participate in collective actions, including joining local organizations and using social media to share climate change control actions.4 Lastly, you will need to share suitable climate conversations by creating awareness among people close to you.

Here, you will offer suggestions on how others can get involved in making a positive impact. Also, you can amplify the voices of your community and peers who speak about climate change.4

Climate Volunteer Opportunities

There are various volunteer opportunities to reduce the intensity of global warming and carbon emissions and help control climate change. Also, you can volunteer to share the word about tree planting organizations whose significant efforts are to plant many trees to control carbon emissions. Therefore, here are some of the common climate volunteer opportunities you might consider:

Tall trees with its brown trunks and rough barks in a slope forest.

(Image: John Thomas23)

#35 Reforestation Project in Iceland

Iceland was previously a forested and green island that had lost a significant part of its forest due to undesired land use. Currently, the most significant part of this island suffers from desertification and soil erosion.

Fortunately, you can make a difference by volunteering in Reforestation Project in Iceland by contributing to the reforestation efforts.

#36 Cloud Forest Project in Ecuador

At Cloud Forest Project in Ecuador, you can participate in sustainable forestry programs to rehabilitate degraded areas and control climate change. This program works to restore various areas by reforestation and regeneration, with important tree species to the natural environment.

Photo fo several people cleaning up the grass in a huge field.

(Image: International Fund for Animal Welfare24)

In this volunteer opportunity, you will help gather and plant seeds, prepare a nursery, transplant tree seedlings, maintain trees, and carry out regular inspections for planted trees to determine their growth and survival.

Photo of a grass fire.

(Image: stevepb25)

#37 Conservation Project in California

Conservation Project in California has existed for over 15 years. Volunteers work in nurseries and collaborate with ecologists and biologists across California for long-term projects related to climate change control, preventing damage from wildfires, fuel reduction and forest thinning.

You can also be part of this group, where you will work with staff to remove invasive plants to help the native species flourish and compose a healthy ecosystem.

UNESCO Online Volunteering

If you have unquestionable knowledge, skills, and expertise, you can be a successful member of UNESCO online volunteering, where you will be involved in environmental efforts for up to 6 months.11

During this volunteer program, you will be involved in researching, formulating strategies, and composing proposals about reasonable climate change mitigation efforts. Also, you may assist in translating short documents from English to French or vice versa.

Volunteer to Help Climate Change

By volunteering to help climate change, you will collaborate with others with whom you share similar values of protecting the environment. Various programs involve tree planting, reafforestation, carbon emission control measures, and relevant climate change mitigation research.

Aside from volunteering, you can help spread the initiative through a happy birthday carbon offset birthday gift. These will be helpful in the long-run control of climate change.

Environmental Volunteering Abroad

To be part of environmental volunteering abroad, you need to enroll in a global volunteer program like the ones previously discussed. In these programs, you will showcase your knowledge, skills, and expertise in environmental efforts. Generally, you help tackle pollution and climate change and conserve threatened ecosystems.

UN Climate Change Volunteer

You can also be part of UN climate change volunteers and collaborate with governments, community organizations, and other stakeholders prioritizing climate change control efforts. During this volunteer program, you can strengthen your skills in climate change mitigation initiatives through job training and coaching.

Generally, you will be involved in planning, programming, and advocacy relating to the environment, youth engagement, and climate change.

Benefits of Volunteering for the Environment

As an environmental volunteer, you will facilitate the long-term survival of endangered species and tropical rainforests. This is because you will continuously participate in conserving tree species.5 Further, you will get the opportunity to:

  • Explore nature and attempt new things
  • Go with your peers and family for an adventure
  • Protect beaches, parks, bike, and walking tracks
  • Utilize your skills to protect the land
  • Acquire helpful work experience
  • Protect the valuable world we live in

While volunteering to the environment to control climate change makes the world a better place, it would be best if you joined other peers in successful environmental conservation efforts. Therefore, you need to identify a suitable volunteering option where you will use your skills and expertise in feasible climate change control efforts, and any of these climate change volunteering options can help.

Frequently Ask Questions About Climate Change Volunteering

Are there Other Climate Volunteering Choices Besides the 37 Climate Change Volunteering Choices to Pick From?

Yes, there other climate change volunteering programs, you can consider searching online or participating in your local volunteer climate change program.

Is Volunteering to the Climate Change Volunteer Programs a Good Thing?

Yes, by volunteering to climate change programs, you will be contributing to environmental conservation efforts and helping the world to be a better place for everyone.

What Do I Need to be Part of Climate Change Volunteering Programs?

To be part of climate change volunteer programs, you need to have passion of environmental conservation efforts, time, dedication, and energy.


References

1Vandenberg, S. (2022, September 4). 2022 Best Volunteer Abroad Programs, Organizations, & Projects. Volunteer Forever. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.volunteerforever.com/article_post/best-volunteer-abroad-programs-organizations-projects/>

2Citizens’ Climate Lobby. (2022). Home. Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://citizensclimatelobby.org/>

3Earth.Org. (2022). Home. Earth.Org. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://earth.org/>

4Dillemuth, S. (2021, December 6). How to Become a Climate Activist. MCE Clean Energy. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.mcecleanenergy.org/mce-news/how-to-become-a-climate-activist/>

5Knight, S. (2022). Benefits of Environmental Volunteering. Volunteer Latin America. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.volunteerlatinamerica.com/blog/posts/benefits-of-environmental-volunteering>

6United States Government. (2022, March 7). Climate Change and Water Partner Organizations. US EPA. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.epa.gov/climate-change-water-sector/climate-change-and-water-partner-organizations>

7Wikipedia.org. (2022). List of environmental organizations. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_environmental_organizations>

8US Department of Commerce. (2022, April 14). Volunteer opportunities. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.noaa.gov/work-with-us/volunteer-opportunities-citizen-scientists>

9Youth Engaged 4 Change. (2022). Volunteer Opportunities at the EPA to Help Your Local Community and Environment. Youth Engaged 4 Change. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://engage.youth.gov/opportunities/volunteer-opportunities-epa-help-your-local-community-and-environment>

10University of Nevada, Reno. (2022). What Is Environmental Activism and Why Does It Matter? University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://onlinedegrees.unr.edu/blog/environ>

11US Department of the Interior. (2018, March 20). US Withdrawal from UNESCO. National Park Service. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.nps.gov/subjects/internationalcooperation/unesco-q-a.htm>

12Deakin University. (2008, April 22). Environmental volunteering: motivations, barriers and benefits. Deakin University. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from <https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/310748/Forestry-UK-report.pdf>

13Strategic Energy Innovations. Strategic Energy Innovations Homepage. Retrieved from <https://www.seiinc.org/>

14Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium Homepage. Retrieved from <https://www.omahazoo.com/>

15City of San Rafael. City of San Rafael Homepage. Retrieved from <https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/>

16GLSEN, Inc. GLSEN, Inc Homepage. Retrieved from <https://www.glsen.org/>

17Cambium Carbon. Cambium Carbon Homepage. Retrieved from <https://cambiumcarbon.com/>

18RDNE Stock project. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/zh-cn/photo/6647175/>

19Sanket Barik. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-standing-on-top-of-snow-covered-mountain-7846473/>

20Zdeněk Macháček. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/tO0u_LX7Zgk>

21Kevin C. Charpentier. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-turtle-swimming-underwater-7143602/>

22Richard Segal. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-takes-photo-of-tortoise-1645028/>

23John Thomas. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/Jbm7L6cou4Q>

24International Fund for Animal Welfare. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/photo/volunteers-planting-trees-5487075/>

25stevepb. Pixabay. Retrieved from <https://pixabay.com/photos/grass-fire-firefighter-smoke-807388/>