Climate change and sustainability continue to make headlines due to the more prevalent superstorms and natural catastrophes. So, if you’re associated with a nonprofit or school, have you ever considered green recycling fundraising? Eco-friendly fundraising and environmental events are an impactful way to raise funds for your organization beyond simply raising funds. It’s a way to do good for the planet, as doing social good never goes out of style.
What is Green Recycle Fundraising?
At its core green recycle fundraising is all about raising funds in ways that don’t harm the environment and may even support it. For instance, your organization can consider doing a shoe drive fundraiser. But this is simply one way to raise funds in a way that makes a sustainable impact. Your organization can also choose to do clothing, electronic, or even ink cartridge fundraisers. You can also do a tree planting fundraiser.
Green recycle fundraising isn’t just about raising funds for your school or nonprofit. It could also be a great way to get young people involved in doing something good for its own sake. For instance, you could do a beach or park clean-up. Get your community involved and ask for financial donations—every dollar counts. Then, instead of using the funds for your entity, make a financial contribution to an eco-friendly nonprofit.
Why Going Green is the Future
Let’s talk numbers that you might not realize. For one, did you know that 300 million shoes end up in landfills—annually? How about the fact that 100 billion to 150 billion articles of clothing are manufactured each year? There are only 8.2 billion on the planet. So, what does that mean? Well, for one, it’s a sign of overconsumption, and for another, you have to wonder where this stuff goes.
Let’s take the clothing manufactured. A massive amount is fast fashion, which is the cheap, inexpensive clothes that get used once or twice (or never) and then tossed in the garbage. If you do some quick math, that’s about 12 pieces of clothing for every person on the planet. Ask yourself where all of those clothes go. Unfortunately, all of this manufacturing increases carbons and harms the planet. So, any eco-friendly social good efforts are always a good idea.
Eco-Friendly Efforts and Fundraising
As we mentioned, there are many ways to raise funds for your organization through green recycle fundraisers. But you can also do these efforts simply because they’re good and model for young people how communities matter. Social good efforts galvanize youth and families to make a difference where they live and also, perhaps, planetwide for the environment.
Once you decide to do something eco-friendly just for the sake of it or to hold a fundraiser for your organization, it’s important to get the word out. So, how can you do it in a way that makes sense? Here are a few tips to ensure people learn about your social good efforts or fundraiser.
- Know how to tell the story of the why of your efforts.
- Choose one, but not more than two, social media channels where you know your supporters congregate. In other words, focus, focus, focus.
- Find eco-friendly partners to do joint events for the community.
- Recruit event or fundraiser ambassadors to champion your efforts.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond the Funds
What makes green recycle fundraising and community events so powerful is that they go beyond just money. It’s about the values of community. When people see that your organization is sustainable, they feel a sense of pride and togetherness. Doing good for your organization, which impacts the community and the environment makes everyone part of a global effort. (Make sure to connect local to global benefiting everyone!).
There’s something more you should consider for your efforts—even those that aren’t fundraisers. Done right, you’re going to attract new supporters and champions. For instance, partnerships can draw in local business partners for future events. Young families who care about eco-friendly sustainability may want to learn more about your cause. In all, you have the opportunity to make a lasting impact and be the heart of your community.
Nonprofits and schools can be changemakers. They don’t have to keep doing things as they’ve always been done. Adding green recycle fundraisers and events is a way to bring people together, and it doesn’t take away from the mission. In fact, it adds to the mission. Issues regarding climate change, eco-friendly social good, and the environment impact every person on the planet. These events are smart, scalable, and the right thing to do. It may be time to think green.
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