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This website is adapted from Going Greener Together, used under creative commons licence CC-BY-NC and is run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. Find out more
Nature
Supporting nature and ecosystems keeps carbon out of the atmosphere, increases resilience to climate change, and has a wide range of benefits for our health and wellbeing.
Having staff away days and small events at nature reserve centres or country parks is a great way to support local nature and biodiversity. You get to support the work of the reserve or park, and learn more about the wildlife and nature that they protect. Make sure to shout about your event on social media to encourage more people to support their work, and if you’re interested why not become a member yourself?
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People in Scotland are well-known animal lovers. Share the love by taking climate action in the form of building shelters for animals around your building. You can build birdboxes, hedgehog homes, and even mansions for bugs.
It’s really important that as we build more urban areas, animals have places to live so that species can continue to grow and avoid extinction. Loss of species can have a big impact on eco-systems and our environment, so give them a helping hand!
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To find out how healthy our environment is and what kind of plants and animals are living in it, scientists take surveys, counting the type and number of species that they find. There are several big surveys which the public can help out with – a fantastic way to help study our natural world, keep track of the problems facing it, and learn more about the nature on your doorstep. Top Tip - this can be an engaging team building exercise with staff and volunteers.
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Walking in nature helps to calm the mind and build our connections to the world around us. Why not try having a walking meeting in the local park, or organise a walk with your colleagues at lunchtime. If you are trying to get away from being on a screen all day you could even try heading out to have your meeting on the phone.
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If your organisation has an area of grass or garden – let it grow. That’s right, even the weeds. While some people may say that this looks messy, it’s a great way to support nature and biodiversity in your area. Try to only mow every month or even less to give wildlife a chance to bloom. Top tip: If you don’t have your own grassy area, why not talk to your landlord or neighbour about what they are doing.
You could also use any outdoor space (or pots and planters) to grown fruit and vegetables. Not only does it add to the biodiversity of your space, it can also provide you with food and help you cut down on food waste.