A group of people who are interested in doing something for the environment can achieve much more than an individual can. Groups promote discussion, which can lead to innovative and exciting ideas. Working as a club is also much more fun and is a good way to make friends. All sorts of clubs can be formed, but an eco club will enable you to do something positive about the environment and there are interesting and exciting activities that can be generated around the topic "our environment".

How to form a club:

A club can be a school-related activity, in which case it would be useful to obtain the involvement of a teacher. It can also be run within your community, where you can use word of mouth or advertise in newspapers to recruit members. It is a good idea to have a constitution for your club. This will include:

• The name of the club
• The aims and objectives of the club
• Administration, for example, a chairperson, a treasurer and a secretary
• Membership
• Club meetings
• Contacts (organisations which can provide assistance, such as the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.)

Choosing projects and activities:

You may choose any suitable activity, but it is normally a good idea to tackle environmental problems in your local area. Ideas for projects are:

• Creating an indigenous garden on a bare patch of land and using organic composts to fertilise it
• Starting a recycling project by collecting cans, bottles or paper for recycling
• Removing alien invasive plant species, especially in stream and catchment areas
• Litter clean-ups of parks and other open spaces, or of streams and rivers
• Undertaking an environment audit and initiating an Environmental Management Plan for your school or community centre
• Entering environmental competitions

Your club might also want to participate in other activities such as:

• Outings to nature reserves, zoos or environmental centres
• Inviting speakers to present talks about different topics, for example, a bird expert talking on how to identify birds

Fund-raising:

Often club activities will cost money and you cannot expect club members to pay out of their own pockets. Here are some ideas for fund-raising activities that will also teach you various important skills which you will be able to use in all fields of life. Remember to inform people that the money you raise is for a good cause and not for personal gain.

• Recycling not only helps the environment, but is also a good way to raise money. Many companies pay cash for bottles and other glass comtainers, tin cans, magazines, newspapers and cardboard which they recycle. It will cost you nothing to collect these items and you can sell them and earn some money for your club.
• Car washes: You can charge a small fee for washing cars.
• Cake sales and raffles: Food always sells well and offers a good way to make money.
• Plant sales: If your indigenous garden is sucessful you may consider establishing a small nursery and selling indigenous plants. You could also sell home-grown organic vegetables. This is a long-term project and requires a lot of time and initial capital to get started.

 

NB: It is important to keep an accurate record of the money earned and spent in order to manage your money efficiently and to ensure that the money is used for the benefit of the whole club.

Making contacts:

As a club you can achieve much more than you can individualy, but if you establish a network of clubs you can achieve even more. It is a good idea to find out whether other people are undertaking similar projects and to create links with them. In this way you will be able to share information and ideas.

Advertise your club and its activities in local newspapers so that people in your area know what you are doing. Phone organisations such as the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) to find out whether they know about similar clubs or projects in your area. The more you network, the better. The larger the interest in your projects, the easier it will be to obtain support and sponsorships.

 

!!!We hope that you'll have fun with your club!!!

Where to obtain Information:

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Private Bag X447
PRETORIA
0001
Ms Maria Moate: (012) 310 3628