Why Volunteer Events are so Incredibly Important
- Lucy West
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
I always look forward to the beginning of KCCB events and meeting everyone that shows up to our table to check in. People come from many cities including San Jose to volunteer at our events, but we are all there to mitigate our negative environmental impact on the planet. The state of the earth is visible everywhere and in everything we do these days, from the permanence of plastic to climate change. It is so easy to get bogged down by all the negative news and pollution that we see. When people come to our events, they are aware of these global issues, and want to improve their community.
A wide variety of people attend our events, including families with young kids, eager to teach them about respecting the earth; high school and college students working on a project or to receive community service hours; adults who want to get out in nature. Even though they may come for different reasons, they are all working together during the event, becoming closer to each other and more empowered to protect the planet. Some people come to the events with this determination, while others leave with it, fired up after seeing the giant pile of trash recovered from the creek, something that they were able to make happen with their own hands as a team in just a couple hours.
Our volunteers’ drive is vital for steering us towards a path for a successful, sustainable future. But to achieve this, we first have to be inspired to take action. This is why outdoor volunteer events are so impactful. They provide people with tangible connections to nature, fostering their curiosity and igniting their desire to protect the habitat of wildlife, such as a cool spider that they found while hunting for trash on the banks of Coyote Creek or discovering bright pink galls on our native oak trees.
My point is, right now there isn’t enough respect for the complex relationships in nature that have formed over millions of years. These relationships are not fragile by any means, as they have been hardened by harsh environmental conditions of the past, but they are weaker now. We have made a stable ancient ecosystem very fragile, and we are the only ones that can repair the damage that we have done.
We can do it! And, it is going to take tremendous effort, but I have seen time and time again the drive that people can have to make change once they get involved. That is why I like the beginning of our events so much. Our volunteers are about to create, or even strengthen, a crucial relationship with nature that is foundational for the continued survival of our native ecosystems.
