how to help the environment in your community essay

7 simple ways to make environmental change in your community

Want to make change happen in your community here's how..

You’re probably aware that the environment could be in better shape. (If this is news to you, might we suggest unsubscribing from Everything’s Peachy Monthly and peering through your soot-covered windows to the barren fields on the horizon. That brittle skeleton used to be a cow!) Luckily for the environment, though, you’re a strapping young idealist who’s ready to take to the streets, rock the vote, and effect some serious policy change .

But now what? As you’re probably realizing, bringing about environmental-policy change is easier said than done. This is the point where we come in. So sit back, take a deep breath, hack out those pesky exhaust fumes, and meditate on your community’s needs. Here are some ideas for getting started.

Shared goals, shared ownership

First things first: It’s not about you. Or rather, it is, but it’s also about everyone else in your community — especially those most affected by the environmental inequities at play. Bringing people together is the first step toward building lasting social, economic, and political power. That’s why community organizing is called what it is. If it was all about waxing poetic about your gripes with specific policy proposals from the comfort of your bedroom, it’d be called Facebook. Empowering your community means addressing its shared needs. Don’t be afraid to take a step back for the sake of the more democratically pressing issues. In decision-making, transparency is key.

Meet the people where they are

A central tenet of effective organizing is showing up where your community members are. Is online communication particularly pervasive in your community? Get thee to a hashtag. Want feedback from karaoke enthusiasts? You know where to find them.

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It’s also worth asking yourself if people are ready to be organized. Is dissatisfaction being expressed? Where, and through which channels? You might have a whole swath of angry, budding environmental activists who don’t have an outlet for their anger. They might not even consider themselves to be environmentalists. Meet them where they are and offer alternatives and networks and solidarity. Simply knowing that like-minded folks exist in the community is a form of empowerment.

Organizing for solutions means being interested in the right problems

This means striving to understand (and target!) root causes. Effective organizing is that which seeks to alter whole power structures, not just address symptoms. Cap-and-trade sounds great until the coal plant in your neighborhood buys enough emission permits to continue burning like nothing happened. Tackling the root problems at play isn’t easy — but that’s why you’re organizing your community in the first place! Systemic change requires passionate and coherent coalitions. Which brings us to our next point:

Remember: You’re not an advocate. You’re an organizer.

There’s a difference between community organizing and policy advocacy, between grassroots and grasstops. If building power really is one of your goals, that means you should be interested in leadership development and lasting change — not just Band-Aids for the current generation. And don’t be afraid to get a little intersectional in your work. Community organizing for environmental policy change also means seeing your movement as part of a larger thrust for social change — and your efforts as part and parcel to strengthening that thrust.

Promote leaders who are most directly affected by the environmental issues at play

Plain and simple: The most knowledgeable and passionate organizing advocates are those who are tied to the places and policies at hand. Without their voices, the movement has no heart.

This principle is an important one — and it’s not just about who you’re organizing. It’s about the nitty gritty of who’s sitting on recruitment committees and steering committees, the make-up of communications teams, and the voices who are guiding organizational strategy. Admittedly, it sounds a little boring. (But a lot of exciting things do! Just ask us about transferable development rights!) The point is that cultivating leaders most directly affected by the issues at hand — those breathing the polluted air, fishing the dirtied rivers, lacking access to green spaces and fresh food — not only lends your organizing legitimacy, it helps ensure it’ll serve the community it’s supposed to.

Tell a good story

Community planning and policy change are rooted in narrative. Part of articulating your community’s needs to policymakers is crafting a compelling reason for them to listen to your community in the first place. This also means knowing the political landscape you’re trying to alter. Are the people in positions of power more likely to respond to direct action or data? Lawsuits or oral histories? Answering these questions can help you figure out the type of story that needs to be told.

Share your successes!

Effective organizing strategies should be shouted from the rooftops! (Our neighbors have filed several civil complaints.) Let your community know what change its efforts have brought about! This point is about transparency, but it’s also about building one another up.

There’s probably a corollary here that has to do with setting realistic goals. Your community can only revel in its newfound power if it comes into it in the first place. Draw the boxes, do the work to check ’em, and celebrate! Onward!

Another thing behind great organizers? Great data. Check out innovative environmental-justice research in action:

The New School , a comprehensive university in New York City, is at the forefront of addressing global environmental issues and environmental justice thanks to its  Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management graduate degree program . Turn your passion for environmental change and sustainability into a career with impact.

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How to Write the Community Essay – Guide with Examples (2023-24)

September 6, 2023

Students applying to college this year will inevitably confront the community essay. In fact, most students will end up responding to several community essay prompts for different schools. For this reason, you should know more than simply how to approach the community essay as a genre. Rather, you will want to learn how to decipher the nuances of each particular prompt, in order to adapt your response appropriately. In this article, we’ll show you how to do just that, through several community essay examples. These examples will also demonstrate how to avoid cliché and make the community essay authentically and convincingly your own.

Emphasis on Community

Do keep in mind that inherent in the word “community” is the idea of multiple people. The personal statement already provides you with a chance to tell the college admissions committee about yourself as an individual. The community essay, however, suggests that you depict yourself among others. You can use this opportunity to your advantage by showing off interpersonal skills, for example. Or, perhaps you wish to relate a moment that forged important relationships. This in turn will indicate what kind of connections you’ll make in the classroom with college peers and professors.

Apart from comprising numerous people, a community can appear in many shapes and sizes. It could be as small as a volleyball team, or as large as a diaspora. It could fill a town soup kitchen, or spread across five boroughs. In fact, due to the internet, certain communities today don’t even require a physical place to congregate. Communities can form around a shared identity, shared place, shared hobby, shared ideology, or shared call to action. They can even arise due to a shared yet unforeseen circumstance.

What is the Community Essay All About?             

In a nutshell, the community essay should exhibit three things:

• An aspect of yourself, 2. in the context of a community you belonged to, and 3. how this experience may shape your contribution to the community you’ll join in college.

It may look like a fairly simple equation: 1 + 2 = 3. However, each college will word their community essay prompt differently, so it’s important to look out for additional variables. One college may use the community essay as a way to glimpse your core values. Another may use the essay to understand how you would add to diversity on campus. Some may let you decide in which direction to take it—and there are many ways to go!

To get a better idea of how the prompts differ, let’s take a look at some real community essay prompts from the current admission cycle.

Sample 2023-2024 Community Essay Prompts

1) brown university.

“Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)”

A close reading of this prompt shows that Brown puts particular emphasis on place. They do this by using the words “home,” “College Hill,” and “where they came from.” Thus, Brown invites writers to think about community through the prism of place. They also emphasize the idea of personal growth or change, through the words “inspired or challenged you.” Therefore, Brown wishes to see how the place you grew up in has affected you. And, they want to know how you in turn will affect their college community.

“NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds, remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world-class university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU experience.

We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape and grow our diverse community. Please respond in 250 words or less.”

Here, NYU places an emphasis on students’ “identity,” “backgrounds,” and “diversity,” rather than any physical place. (For some students, place may be tied up in those ideas.) Furthermore, while NYU doesn’t ask specifically how identity has changed the essay writer, they do ask about your “experience.” Take this to mean that you can still recount a specific moment, or several moments, that work to portray your particular background. You should also try to link your story with NYU’s values of inclusivity and opportunity.

3) University of Washington

“Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. (300 words max) Tip: Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints.”

UW ’s community essay prompt may look the most approachable, for they help define the idea of community. You’ll notice that most of their examples (“families,” “cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood”…) place an emphasis on people. This may clue you in on their desire to see the relationships you’ve made. At the same time, UW uses the words “individual” and “richly diverse.” They, like NYU, wish to see how you fit in and stand out, in order to boost campus diversity.

Writing Your First Community Essay

Begin by picking which community essay you’ll write first. (For practical reasons, you’ll probably want to go with whichever one is due earliest.) Spend time doing a close reading of the prompt, as we’ve done above. Underline key words. Try to interpret exactly what the prompt is asking through these keywords.

Next, brainstorm. I recommend doing this on a blank piece of paper with a pencil. Across the top, make a row of headings. These might be the communities you’re a part of, or the components that make up your identity. Then, jot down descriptive words underneath in each column—whatever comes to you. These words may invoke people and experiences you had with them, feelings, moments of growth, lessons learned, values developed, etc. Now, narrow in on the idea that offers the richest material and that corresponds fully with the prompt.

Lastly, write! You’ll definitely want to describe real moments, in vivid detail. This will keep your essay original, and help you avoid cliché. However, you’ll need to summarize the experience and answer the prompt succinctly, so don’t stray too far into storytelling mode.

How To Adapt Your Community Essay

Once your first essay is complete, you’ll need to adapt it to the other colleges involving community essays on your list. Again, you’ll want to turn to the prompt for a close reading, and recognize what makes this prompt different from the last. For example, let’s say you’ve written your essay for UW about belonging to your swim team, and how the sports dynamics shaped you. Adapting that essay to Brown’s prompt could involve more of a focus on place. You may ask yourself, how was my swim team in Alaska different than the swim teams we competed against in other states?

Once you’ve adapted the content, you’ll also want to adapt the wording to mimic the prompt. For example, let’s say your UW essay states, “Thinking back to my years in the pool…” As you adapt this essay to Brown’s prompt, you may notice that Brown uses the word “reflection.” Therefore, you might change this sentence to “Reflecting back on my years in the pool…” While this change is minute, it cleverly signals to the reader that you’ve paid attention to the prompt, and are giving that school your full attention.

What to Avoid When Writing the Community Essay  

• Avoid cliché. Some students worry that their idea is cliché, or worse, that their background or identity is cliché. However, what makes an essay cliché is not the content, but the way the content is conveyed. This is where your voice and your descriptions become essential.
• Avoid giving too many examples. Stick to one community, and one or two anecdotes arising from that community that allow you to answer the prompt fully.
• Don’t exaggerate or twist facts. Sometimes students feel they must make themselves sound more “diverse” than they feel they are. Luckily, diversity is not a feeling. Likewise, diversity does not simply refer to one’s heritage. If the prompt is asking about your identity or background, you can show the originality of your experiences through your actions and your thinking.

Community Essay Examples and Analysis

Brown university community essay example.

I used to hate the NYC subway. I’ve taken it since I was six, going up and down Manhattan, to and from school. By high school, it was a daily nightmare. Spending so much time underground, underneath fluorescent lighting, squashed inside a rickety, rocking train car among strangers, some of whom wanted to talk about conspiracy theories, others who had bedbugs or B.O., or who manspread across two seats, or bickered—it wore me out. The challenge of going anywhere seemed absurd. I dreaded the claustrophobia and disgruntlement.

Yet the subway also inspired my understanding of community. I will never forget the morning I saw a man, several seats away, slide out of his seat and hit the floor. The thump shocked everyone to attention. What we noticed: he appeared drunk, possibly homeless. I was digesting this when a second man got up and, through a sort of awkward embrace, heaved the first man back into his seat. The rest of us had stuck to subway social codes: don’t step out of line. Yet this second man’s silent actions spoke loudly. They said, “I care.”

That day I realized I belong to a group of strangers. What holds us together is our transience, our vulnerabilities, and a willingness to assist. This community is not perfect but one in motion, a perpetual work-in-progress. Now I make it my aim to hold others up. I plan to contribute to the Brown community by helping fellow students and strangers in moments of precariousness.    

Brown University Community Essay Example Analysis

Here the student finds an original way to write about where they come from. The subway is not their home, yet it remains integral to ideas of belonging. The student shows how a community can be built between strangers, in their responsibility toward each other. The student succeeds at incorporating key words from the prompt (“challenge,” “inspired” “Brown community,” “contribute”) into their community essay.

UW Community Essay Example

I grew up in Hawaii, a world bound by water and rich in diversity. In school we learned that this sacred land was invaded, first by Captain Cook, then by missionaries, whalers, traders, plantation owners, and the U.S. government. My parents became part of this problematic takeover when they moved here in the 90s. The first community we knew was our church congregation. At the beginning of mass, we shook hands with our neighbors. We held hands again when we sang the Lord’s Prayer. I didn’t realize our church wasn’t “normal” until our diocese was informed that we had to stop dancing hula and singing Hawaiian hymns. The order came from the Pope himself.

Eventually, I lost faith in God and organized institutions. I thought the banning of hula—an ancient and pure form of expression—seemed medieval, ignorant, and unfair, given that the Hawaiian religion had already been stamped out. I felt a lack of community and a distrust for any place in which I might find one. As a postcolonial inhabitant, I could never belong to the Hawaiian culture, no matter how much I valued it. Then, I was shocked to learn that Queen Ka’ahumanu herself had eliminated the Kapu system, a strict code of conduct in which women were inferior to men. Next went the Hawaiian religion. Queen Ka’ahumanu burned all the temples before turning to Christianity, hoping this religion would offer better opportunities for her people.

Community Essay (Continued)

I’m not sure what to make of this history. Should I view Queen Ka’ahumanu as a feminist hero, or another failure in her islands’ tragedy? Nothing is black and white about her story, but she did what she thought was beneficial to her people, regardless of tradition. From her story, I’ve learned to accept complexity. I can disagree with institutionalized religion while still believing in my neighbors. I am a product of this place and their presence. At UW, I plan to add to campus diversity through my experience, knowing that diversity comes with contradictions and complications, all of which should be approached with an open and informed mind.

UW Community Essay Example Analysis

This student also manages to weave in words from the prompt (“family,” “community,” “world,” “product of it,” “add to the diversity,” etc.). Moreover, the student picks one of the examples of community mentioned in the prompt, (namely, a religious group,) and deepens their answer by addressing the complexity inherent in the community they’ve been involved in. While the student displays an inner turmoil about their identity and participation, they find a way to show how they’d contribute to an open-minded campus through their values and intellectual rigor.

What’s Next

For more on supplemental essays and essay writing guides, check out the following articles:

• How to Write the Why This Major Essay + Example
• How to Write the Overcoming Challenges Essay + Example
• How to Start a College Essay – 12 Techniques and Tips
• College Essay

Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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Essay on Save Environment for Students and Children

500+ words essay on globalization.

Environment refers to the natural surroundings and conditions in which we live. Unfortunately, this Environment has come under serious threat. This threat is almost entirely due to human activities. These human activities have certainly caused serious damage to the Environment. Most noteworthy, this damage risks the survival of living things on Earth. Therefore, there is an urgent need to save the Environment.

Ways of Saving Environment

First of all, planting trees should be given massive attention. Above all, a tree is the source of oxygen. Unfortunately, due to construction, many trees have been cut down. This certainly reduces the amount of oxygen in the environment. Growing more trees means more oxygen. Hence, growing more trees would mean better life quality.

Similarly, people must give attention to forest conservation. Forests are vital for the Environment. However, deforestation certainly reduces the area of forests around the World. The government must launch programs to conserve the forests. The government must make harming forests a criminal offense.

Soil conservation is yet another important way to save the Environment. For this, there must be control of landslides, floods, and soil erosion . Furthermore, there should also be afforestation and tree plantation to conserve the soil. Also, terrace farming and using natural fertilizers are some more ways.

Waste management is a powerful way of protecting the environment. There must be proper disposal of wastes. Most noteworthy, this would help to keep the surroundings healthy. The government must ensure to clean the streets and other polluted land areas. Furthermore, there should be toilets in every house. Also, the government must provide enough public toilets.

Pollution is probably the biggest danger to the Environment. Smoke, dust, and harmful gases cause air pollution. These causes of air pollution come from industries and vehicles mostly. Furthermore, Chemicals and pesticides cause land and water pollution.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Benefits of Saving Environment

First of all, the world climate will remain normal. Harming the Environment and causing pollution have caused global warming. Due to this many humans and animals have died. Hence, saving the environment would reduce global warming .

The health of people would improve. Due to pollution and deforestation, the health of many people is poor. Conserving the Environment would certainly improve the health of people. Most noteworthy, saving Environment would reduce many diseases.

Saving Environment would certainly protect the animals. Extinction of many species will not take place due to saving Environment. Many endangered species would also increase in population.

The water level would rise. Damage to Environment has severely reduced the level of groundwater. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of clean drinking water around the World. Due to this, many people fell ill and die. Saving Environment would certainly avoid such problems.

In conclusion, Environment is a precious gift on this planet. Our Environment is facing a big danger. Saving Environment is the need of the hour. Probably, it is the biggest concern of Humanity right now. Any delay in this regard could be disastrous.

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Community Essay Examples

When crafting your college applications, writing strong essays is essential. Through your essays, you demonstrate who you are–from your values and passions to your lived experiences. Indeed the personal statement is the most common college essay. However, you will also likely have to write some supplemental essays as part of your college application requirements. One of the most common supplemental essay types is the community essay. This essay type is also known as a describe the community you live in essay, cultural diversity essay, or community service essay.

In this article, we will introduce several community essay examples. Most importantly, we’ll describe why they are considered college essays that worked. Specifically, we will share community essay examples from the two schools:

• Princeton University
• Columbia University

By studying these admissions essay samples, you can see what makes these college community essay examples strong and apply those same principles to your writing.

Reviewing Types of College Essays

Each school has different supplemental essay prompts for their college application requirements. However, there are a few types of essays that are most common. By becoming familiar with these essay types, you can begin to brainstorm and strategize what you will write about early on. You might start as early as sophomore or junior year in high school. 

Now, let’s take a look at the most common supplementary essay questions.

Common Supplementary Essay Questions

1. why school.

A Why School essay is, as it sounds, about why you wish to attend a specific institution. The key to answering this prompt well is to be specific. You should identify examples of what you like about a school. Avoid general comments such as “it is a top school” or “it is diverse.” Share specific programs, professors, teaching approaches, cultural elements, or unique opportunities such as research or study abroad.

2. Why Major

The Why Major essay asks you to share specific reasons behind your choice of major and how it relates to your future goals. A strong response to a Why Major essay will highlight your specific motivations. But it will also connect those motivations to a school’s unique opportunities. For example, perhaps you wish to be a pre-law history major, and the school you are applying to offers law-related internships. By highlighting these specific connections, you draw a compelling connection between yourself and the school.

3. Extracurricular Activity

Many schools ask you to describe an extracurricular activity that is particularly meaningful for you. When responding to this question, do not feel limited to only talk about the most popular extracurricular activities for college applications, like clubs or sports. Consider all of the activities you do outside of school. Then choose the one that is most meaningful to you. Also, give specific examples of how you grew or made an impact within your extracurricular activities for college.

4. Community Essay

The Community Essay can have slightly different angles to it. But, the uniting factor is that the school wants to know how you engage with others around you. Some types of community essays are a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay. In recent years, the cultural diversity essay has been a more common college application requirement.

Coming up, we will share a bit more about how to break down community essay prompts. We’ll also take a look at college essays that worked. By reading these examples, you’ll know how to approach these common prompts.

How to identify a community essay?

While community essays can have slightly different focuses, they all share the goal of learning about where you come from. A supplemental essay prompt might ask you to share more about your background via a group you are part of. This is likely a community essay. Indeed, a community essay can also be called a describe the community you live in essay, or a cultural diversity essay. Other college community essay examples focus on how you will contribute to a college campus. Finally, in a describe a community you belong to essay example, you will see that students highlight any community that is meaningful to them.

You may be wondering why so many colleges have community essays as a college application requirement. For one, many colleges use a holistic admissions process. This means they care about all aspects of who you are, not simply your grades and test scores. How you engage with your communities shows them your character and values. For example, a describe the community you live in essay example about visiting church every Sunday demonstrates your commitment to religion. Similarly, a cultural diversity essay helps colleges learn more about your cultural background. 

Additionally, colleges want to learn more about how you will engage with their on-campus community. You’ll notice this important factor in the college community essay examples we will share. To some degree, how you have engaged with previous communities can be an indicator of how you will show up on their campus.

How is a community essay different?

As we mentioned, community essays can have slightly different focuses. Some prompts ask you to write a describe the community you live in essay. These types of community essays are more like cultural diversity essays. 

Keep in mind that the word “community” can have many different meanings. A community can be your school, church, or neighborhood. It could also stem from your interests. For example, your dance or robotics team can form your community.

Some community essay prompts want to know specifically how you help strengthen your communities. These types of essays are considered a community service essay. Another term for community service is “civic engagement.” An example of civic engagement might be getting people in your cultural community to sign up to vote. Or, another could be helping with church fundraisers to ensure that your local community has the resources it needs to thrive. 

In sum, the keywords you might see in a community essay prompt are “civic engagement,” “community service,” “serve your community,” “contribute to your community,” or “diversity.” No matter how it’s phrased, your essay should demonstrate the impact you’ve had on your community–whichever one you choose to highlight. 

What are some examples of community essays?

In this article, we will share several community essay examples. Specifically, we will highlight Princeton essay examples and Columbia essays examples. Let’s look at these two colleges’ essay prompts. 

The first Princeton supplemental essay prompt is a part of our college community essay examples and our cultural diversity essay examples. Here is the prompt:

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #1: Cultural Diversity Essay and College Community Essay Examples

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you  (please respond in 500 words or fewer.).

In this cultural diversity essay prompt, Princeton wants to know about your lived experiences. By this, they refer to any experiences that have shaped you profoundly. A lived experience can be a specific event, such as experiencing a car crash or winning an award. Or, it could be a set of experiences that resulted from life circumstances, such as being a first-generation college student or having taken a gap year .

This essay prompt will also lead to college community essay examples. Indeed Princeton wants to read about your lived experiences and how they impacted you. But, they also want to know how you will bring those lessons to the Princeton community, should you enroll . Also, note that this prompt mentions challenging ideas and beliefs via conversation. As you respond, look for ways to highlight how you have engaged in fruitful dialogue and how you would do so at Princeton.

To answer this prompt effectively, share specific examples. Additionally, be sure to answer all parts of the prompt. 

Princeton has a second supplemental essay prompt that focuses on how you engage with your community outside of the classroom. The prompt is as follows: 

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #2: Civic Engagement

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer) .

To answer this prompt well, you must highlight specific examples of how you have positively impacted your community. As a starting point, consider which of your communities you have most engaged with. How have you done so and what results did you have?

The Columbia Community Essay Prompt is another of our college community essay examples. It is a cultural diversity essay, as well. Here is the prompt: 

Columbia Community Essay Prompt: A Cultural Diversity Essay

A hallmark of the columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer).

While this prompt is similar to Princeton’s, it also references perspectives and viewpoints. In doing so, the prompt opens you up to share opinions or values that are important to you. You might consider highlighting values in your family or community that you either hold close or disagree with. 

Note that Columbia also highlights the word “collaborative” in this prompt. This indicates that your cultural diversity essay should also show how you collaborate with others.

Which schools require a community essay?

In addition to Princeton and Columbia, many other schools have community essays as part of their college application requirements. Here are some other examples of community essay prompts:

In this UNC-Chapel Hill prompt , you must describe a specific example of how you made an impact on a community. The prompt reads:

The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill: A Community Service Essay Prompt

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250-word limit).

In responding, be sure to highlight what community you are referencing, the specific impact you made, and what personal quality helped you do so.

This prompt from UMichigan is a describe a community you belong to essay example, as well as a cultural diversity essay:

The University of Michigan: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (required for all applicants. 1,500 character limit.).

In addition to describing the community, make sure to share how you engage with it and what it has taught you. Remember that community is a broad term. So, for this prompt you can respond with any type of community in mind, whether physical or cultural. In contrast to the describe the community you live in essay, you do not have to be geographically close to the community you describe here.

Duke University: Cultural Diversity Essay Prompts

Duke offers students five supplemental prompts to choose from, of which they can reply to two. Of these supplemental prompts, four are examples of cultural diversity essays:

1. We believe a wide range of viewpoints, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to maintaining Duke as a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.

2. we believe there is benefit in sharing or questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with what are you agreeing or disagreeing about, 3. duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community., 4. we recognize that not fully “fitting in” a community or place can sometimes be difficult. duke values the effort, resilience, and independence that may require. feel free to share with us circumstances where something about you is different and how that’s influenced your experiences or identity..

Each of these prompts is a slightly different type of cultural diversity essay, from sharing a range of opinions to not fitting in within a community. Choose the essay prompts that most resonate with you. And share specific examples that bring your cultural diversity essay to life.

In this Yale University supplemental prompt , you must choose a community that you feel connected to and describe why it is meaningful. Here’s the prompt:

Yale University: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. why is this community meaningful to you you may define community however you like. (400-word limit).

When responding, be sure to highlight what you have learned or how you have grown from this community. In contrast to a describe the community you live in essay, this essay can be about any community, near or far, that resonates with you. Indeed, the prompt gives you plenty of leeway in what you consider community. 

When responding to the UC system prompts , you must choose four of the eight available personal insight questions. One of the PIQs is a community service essay prompt:

The University of California Personal Insight Question: A Community Service Prompt

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place, things to consider: think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. you can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community, why were you inspired to act what did you learn from your effort how did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community.

Similar to many of the other prompts, when answering this question, be sure to identify the specific impact you made on your community.

Now that we have looked at various examples of community essay prompts, we can explore community essay examples. Reading essay examples is a great way to get inspired to write your own college essays. 

In each of the highlighted college essays that worked, note what the author did expertly. Rather than trying to copy their responses, topics, or ideas, consider how you can apply those same skills to your writing. 

Princeton Community Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Princeton essay examples that respond to their two community essay prompts: a cultural diversity essay and a community service essay. 

The first of our Princeton essay examples responds to the following Princeton prompt: 

Princeton Essay Examples #1: Cultural Diversity Essay

Now, let’s take a look at a student’s response to this prompt focusing on lived experiences. 

Princeton Essay Examples #1 Student Response

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town of 1.8 square miles called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values.

In the face of distinct cultures and customs, we forge a single identity as Highland Parkers and come together to organize large community events. The most prevalent example is our highly touted annual Memorial Day parade, where we join together with neighboring New Brunswick to invite military service members, family members of our fallen war heroes, our legislative and congressional representatives, and our townspeople. Moreover, as our high school band’s vice president, I help organize and lead our ensemble into these performances with a positive and uplifting spirit. We communicate with the town government and arrange the performances every year to perform at the parade. The parade is an example of many of our large community events that serve as a unifying force for our diverse community, reminding us that we are fundamentally connected as one cohesive group, despite our differences. 

As someone deeply interested in historical and political matters, I am well aware of the consequences that arise from dictatorial protocols that limit the freedom of speech and diversity of voices. From my experiences debating in Model UN conferences, I have grown accustomed to being able to present viewpoints from both sides of the argument, and I have learned to incorporate and respect the viewpoints of all sides of an issue before making up my own mind. For example, in a Model Congress debate, I found myself advocating for the interests of a state heavily reliant on traditional fossil fuels. While researching and articulating that perspective, I gained insights into the economic challenges faced by the states that are reliant on these resources. This experience not only broadened my understanding of the complexities surrounding environmental policies but also highlighted the necessity of considering diverse viewpoints for comprehensive decision-making. 

My background and experiences have fostered in me a profound appreciation for the value of diversity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge. At Princeton University, I will seek to contribute as an active participant in the community, actively provide unique perspectives and insights, and respect and learn from others’ perspectives even if there are disagreements. I wish to partake in student government, which has like-minded peers who want to make a substantive impact, and also participate in service programs like the Civic Leadership Council. Also, I hope to increase my impact from the leadership positions I currently hold on the Red Cross club and teen mayoral advisory council using the platforms in Princeton. I look forward to making a positive impact on both the campus and the broader community. 

Why This Cultural Diversity Essay Worked

In the first of our Princeton essay examples, the student successfully responds to all parts of the Princeton prompt. They begin by describing their community and sharing some details about its makeup. Indeed, the first sentence hooks the reader–it is unique and compelling. 

Then, the student illustrates how they specifically contribute to their community each year by leading the high school band in the Memorial Day parade. They also highlight how their experience in Model UN shaped their appreciation for diverse perspectives. In sharing these two examples, the student demonstrates their leadership and open-minded thinking. Finally, the student ends by highlighting how they would use these values to contribute to Princeton’s community– by partaking in student government and Civic Leadership Council, among other activities.

In the second of our Princeton essay examples, the student responds to the second Princeton prompt which is: 

Princeton Essay Examples #2: A Community Service Essay

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer).

And, here is a student’s response:

Princeton Essay Examples #2 Student Response

My first experience with the Red Cross was when my older sister was desperately trying to recruit people to join the club during the harsh COVID year. Things were so bad for the club that I, as a freshman, ran for the position of treasurer unopposed. My first blood drive experience was marked by masks, social distancing, and low turnout among blood donors. Even many donors who showed up ended up being turned away due to health-related issues. Needless to say, it was not the greatest first high school service experience, and I admittedly started to doubt if the time I spent on this front was worth it. 

However, as we returned in person, things quickly turned around. As the vice president of the club, I helped recruit more than twice the club membership compared to the previous year, and our blood drives started to regain momentum; our blood targets have been exceeded every time since. Organizing and participating in blood drives has become a passion. It’s fulfilling, especially when I personally donate, to know that I’m actively serving the community and saving lives. I have realized that, despite my relatively young age, I am capable of making an impact through public service. I plan to continue my commitment to the Red Cross’s adult program and participate in service programs like Community Action at Princeton to serve the Princeton community and abroad.

Why This Essay Worked

In this admissions essay sample, we learn about a student’s volunteerism with the Red Cross as an example of civic engagement. This essay works for several reasons. First, it provides a specific example of the student’s civic engagement and demonstrates their impact by becoming vice president and increasing membership. Secondly, the essay provides an honest take on the struggles of this service experience, which lends credibility and authenticity to the story. 

The student also demonstrates an important lesson learned. This aligns with Princeton’s values– that students can have a positive impact on society. 

Columbia University Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Columbia essays examples that landed students admission to the prestigious Ivy League university. The first of our Columbia essays examples is written by the same student who responded to the first Princeton prompt above. Here’s a reminder of the Columbia prompt: 

As you read the example below, notice how the student edited their Princeton cultural diversity essay to meet the prompt and lower word count for Columbia:

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values. 

HP has convinced me that we can build institutions that are strong and united while embracing a wide variety of voices and perspectives. It has shaped my core values of diversity and inclusion. An English teacher used to encourage me to talk in front of the class by saying even if I believed my thoughts were “dumb,” I could only enrich the conversation.

At Columbia University, I will seek to continue my contributions as an active participant in the community and look to actively provide unique perspectives and insights. Actively engaging in student groups such as ColumbiaVotes will be a big part of my experience. 

The Columbia essay prompt only allows for a 150-word response. This could pose a challenge for many students. What makes this essay among the Columbia essays examples that worked is how succinctly it completely answers the prompt. 

The response begins by hooking the reader with a relevant detail of the student’s community. Then, the student shares how this community shaped them by influencing their values of diversity and inclusion. Finally, the student shares how they would engage with a Columbia organization that also supports diverse viewpoints. Though short and sweet, this response clearly answers all parts of the Columbia prompt. 

More Community Essay Examples

The final of our community essay examples is a community service essay. Let’s look at how student framed their service experience:

“I don’t believe that’s the best way to do this.” 

The moment I thought this the first time I volunteered at my local soup kitchen was one that resulted in a drastic change. When I was informed of the way the food was being served to the public, the initial excitement that I had felt diminished. We were told that the plates would be served before anyone arrived and would remain in an area where people could pick it up and seat themselves. I felt that this method was impersonal and inconsiderate, and disappointment washed over me. 

I turned to the people that were around me and discovered that they shared the same disapproval I felt. When we agreed that a change must be made, we exchanged ideas on how to present this to the woman in charge of the program. I suggested that we should serve each person one-by-one, and only give them the food if they wanted to/could eat it. They suggested multiple ideas, including that we should offer to seat them, hold their plates for them, continue to check in on them, and dispose of their plates once they finish their meal. We believed that this way would genuinely make them feel better and would allow us to get to know some of them personally. A simple smile and conversation could be enough to improve their day. 

From this day on, the way in which the local soup kitchen serves our community has changed dramatically. This experience taught me the importance of speaking up for what you believe in. In a group setting, it is likely that there will be others who share the same end goal and are willing to contribute different ideas to achieve the goal. These different perspectives can allow you to see situations in ways that you previously hadn’t, and can result in better outcomes. It also showed me the importance of leadership.

If I had never spoken up about the way the food was being served, a change might have never happened. When you work in the group, the end goal may not be for the benefit of anyone in the group, but for others who are in need. This experience also showed me the beauty in doing good for others and making others happy, even through small things such as serving them food to their liking.

In this community service essay, the student shares their experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is not necessarily unique in the list of extracurricular activities for college applications. However, the student highlights several aspects of the experience that make it meaningful to them. 

To start, the student shares their experience challenging the way that food was served. The student suggested that food be served directly to attendees in order to better connect with community members. Through this experience, the student learns about leadership and working with others to achieve a common goal. This specific example demonstrates the student’s collaborative values and compassionate way of thinking, both of which are great attributes to highlight in college applications.

How To Write A Community Essay

As we saw in the community essay examples, there are several hallmarks of college essays that worked. To write a good community essay, whether it be a community service essay, a cultural diversity essay, or a describe the community you live in essay, you must start by understanding the prompt. Once you have carefully read through the prompt, brainstorm examples from your own life that relate to it. Sharing specific details and examples will make your response stronger and more unique. 

Additionally, showcase how you grew throughout your response. In each of the community essay examples we shared, the student discussed a skill or perspective they developed through their experiences. Finally, connect your response to the school you are applying to. If you are writing a cultural diversity essay, for example, demonstrate how you would contribute to the cultural diversity at that school, both inside the classroom and in your extracurricular activities for college.  

Topics To Avoid In Your Community Essay

When writing community essays, there is technically no topic that you cannot discuss. However, how you discuss certain topics is important. 

For example, in a community service essay, it is important to not come off as a savior of a community with less privilege than yourself. Similarly, if you are writing a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay, you will want to avoid stereotyping any community. Speaking from your own personal experience as a member of a community is fine. However, generalizing your experience to the community at large can come across as insensitive to that community’s diversity. To avoid these pitfalls, have a variety of people read your community essay examples and look for these dynamics.

Additional Tips for Community Essays

We’ve highlighted the strengths in the community essay examples above. Now we will now share some more tips for making your community essays a strong part of your college applications:

Tips for Writing Community Essays

1. research the college.

When reviewing our college community essay examples, you will notice that students highlight specific clubs, programs, or groups on campus to which they will contribute. If you are specific, you demonstrate real interest in the school which adds strength to your college applications.

2. Tell a story

In each of the college essays that worked, students gave details that told a full story . This story incorporated where they come from and what they learned through their experiences. Rather than telling us who they were, the students used this particular story to show us.

As the college admissions landscape gets ever more competitive, students are sometimes tempted to read other students’ essays and copy ideas. Or, more recently, they may even want to use artificial intelligence to write their essays. However, AI and other students’ experiences won’t show admissions who you really are. Don’t worry about whether you have the best extracurricular activities for college or the most unique cultural diversity essay. Instead, talk about the experiences that truly matter to you. By being honest, you are more likely to come across as convincing and interesting. In each of our college community essay examples, students presented a true and well-thought-out response to the prompts.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore 

As you work on your college applications, you might be in search of additional resources. CollegeAdvisor has a wealth of webinars and articles that can help you navigate writing your essays. Here are a few:

More CollegeAdvisor Resources for Essays

1. short essay examples.

Some of the cultural diversity essays you may write will be short, meaning that they are 150 words or less. This article with short essay examples can help you understand how to write short and sweet cultural diversity essays.

2. Cultural Diversity Essay Examples

In this article , you will find additional examples of cultural diversity essays. Many community essays are also cultural diversity essays. As such, becoming familiar with how students write about their cultures is useful.

3. The Ultimate Guide to Supplemental Essays

In this webinar , CollegeAdvisor experts provide a rundown of how to write strong supplemental essays for your college applications. In particular, this webinar will help you decode essay prompts and make sure you answer each prompt fully.

4. Editing Your Supplemental Essays

Once you have read up on college community essay examples and written your cultural diversity essays, you might need help editing them. This webinar will provide tips for how to edit your supplemental essays effectively.

Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Completing your college applications can be a daunting task, especially when you must write multiple essays. For some students, writing cultural diversity essays is challenging. These prompts ask you to dig deep and reflect upon your life influences.

In this guide to community essays, we provided an overview of what a community essay is and how to respond to the different types of community essay prompts. We shared cultural diversity essay examples and describe the community you live in essay examples. We also described what makes these essays strong and how they meet college application requirements. 

In short, the key to writing stand-out essays is to be authentic and thorough in your responses. If you need additional help writing your cultural diversity essay, seek out the support of a trusted resource like CollegeAdvisor. We are here to help you craft the best college applications that could gain you admissions to the school of your dreams!

This article was written by Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, ideas for a 'making your community better' essay.

Hi, y'all! So, for one of my college application essays, I need to write about how I would make my community better. I'm kind of stumped and would appreciate any suggestions or examples of what others have done! Thanks!

Hey there! It's important to focus on something that genuinely interests you or is related to your strengths when brainstorming ideas for an essay about improving your community. Here are some suggestions to kickstart your creativity:

1. Addressing a local issue : Identify a specific problem in your community, such as homelessness, environmental pollution, or educational disparities. Discuss how this issue has affected/impacted you and your ideas on how to address this issue, potentially drawing from your strengths, experiences, or interests.

2. Promoting inclusivity : Propose initiatives to foster inclusivity and celebrate diverse cultures within your community. This could be organizing cultural events, starting a mentorship program for minority students, or creating a community space where people can share their traditions and stories. Make sure to highlight your experiences that have shown you the importance of inclusivity.

3. Supporting local businesses : Write about how you would promote local businesses, boost the local economy, and reduce reliance on large corporations. You could discuss organizing a community market, creating a local business network, or developing a platform to raise awareness about local brands and products. To connect it to you, maybe pick a business that aligns with your passions or one that you have fond memories of from your childhood.

4. Environmental initiatives : If you're passionate about the environment, discuss how you would start or expand on sustainability initiatives within your community. This could include implementing a recycling program, creating a community garden, or educating residents on eco-friendly practices.

5. Mentoring and education : Write about how you would develop resources to support students and families in your community. This might involve creating after-school tutoring programs, providing resources to help families navigate the college application process, or developing workshops on topics such as financial literacy and career planning.

Remember, it's essential to make your essay personal and unique. Reflect on your passions, experiences, and skills to come up with an idea that resonates with you. Good luck with your essay!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Essay on Environment: Examples & Tips

• Updated on  
• May 30, 2022

In the 21st century, the Environmental crisis is one of the biggest issues. The world has been potentially impacted by the resulting hindrance in the environmental balance, due to the rising in industrialization and urbanization. This led to several natural calamities which creates an everlasting severe impact on the environment for years. To familiarize students with the importance environment, the subject ‘Environmental Studies’ is part of the curriculum in primary, secondary as well as higher school education. To test the knowledge of the students related to Environment, a question related to the topic in the form of essay or article writing is included in the exam. This blog aims to focus on providing details to students on the way, they can draft a well-written essay on Environment.

This Blog Includes:

Overview on environment, tips on writing an effective essay, format (150 words), sample essay on environment, environment essay (100 words), essay on environment (200-250 words), environment essay (300 words), world environment day.

To begin the essay on Environment, students must know what it is all about. Biotic (plants, animals, and microorganisms) and abiotic (non-living physical factors) components in our surroundings fall under the terminology of the environment. Everything that surrounds us is a part of the environment and facilitates our existence on the planet.

Before writing an effective essay on Environment, another thing students need to ensure is to get familiarised with the structure of essay writing. The major tips which students need to keep in mind, while drafting the essay are:

• Research on the given topic thoroughly : The students must research the topic given in the essay, for example: while drafting an essay on the environment, students must mention the recent events, so to provide the reader with a view into their understanding of this concept.
• Jot down the important points: When the students research the topic, students must note down the points which need to be included in the essay.
• Quote down the important examples: Students must quote the important examples in the introductory paragraphs and the subsequent paragraphs as well.
• Revise the Essay: The student after finishing writing students must revise the content to locate any grammatical errors as well as other mistakes.

Essay on Environment: Format & Samples

Now that you are aware of the key elements of drafting an essay on Environment, take a look at the format of essay writing first:

Introduction

The student must begin the essay by, detailing an overview of the topic in a very simple way in around 30-40 words. In the introduction of the essay on Environment, the student can make it interesting by recent instances or adding questions.

Body of Content

The content after the introduction can be explained in around 80 words, on a given topic in detail. This part must contain maximum detail in this part of the Essay. For the Environment essay, students can describe ways the environment is hampered and different ways to prevent and protect it.

In the essay on Environment, students can focus on summing the essay in 30-40 words, by writing its aim, types, and purposes briefly. This section must swaddle up all the details which are explained in the body of the content.

Below is a sample of an Essay on Environment to give you an idea of the way to write one:

The natural surroundings that enable life to thrive, nurture, and destroy on our planet called earth are referred to as an environment. The natural environment is vital to the survival of life on Earth, allowing humans, animals, and other living things to thrive and evolve naturally. However, our ecosystem is being harmed as a result of certain wicked and selfish human actions. It is the most essential issue, and everyone should understand how to safeguard our environment and maintain the natural balance on this planet for life to continue to exist.

Nature provides an environment that nourishes life on the planet. The environment encompasses everything humans need to live, including water, air, sunshine, land, plants, animals, forests, and other natural resources. Our surroundings play a critical role in enabling the existence of healthy life on the planet. However, due to man-made technical advancements in the current period, our environment is deteriorating day by day. As a result, environmental contamination has risen to the top of our priority list.

Environmental pollution has a detrimental impact on our everyday lives in a variety of ways, including socially, physically, economically, emotionally, and cognitively. Contamination of the environment causes a variety of ailments that can last a person’s entire life. It is not a problem of a neighborhood or a city; it is a global issue that cannot be handled by a single person’s efforts. It has the potential to end life in a day if it is not appropriately handled. Every ordinary citizen should participate in the government’s environmental protection effort.

Between June 5 and June 16, World Environment Day is commemorated to raise awareness about the environment and to educate people about its importance. On this day, awareness initiatives are held in a variety of locations.

The environment is made up of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fish, humans, trees, microbes, and many other things. Furthermore, they all contribute to the ecosystem.

The physical, social, and cultural environments are the three categories of environments. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environments.

1. Do not leave rubbish in public areas. 2. Minimize the use of plastic 3. Items should be reduced, reused, and recycled. 4. Prevent water and soil contamination

Hope the blog has given you an idea of how to write an essay on the Environment. If you are planning to study abroad and want help in writing your essays, then let Leverage Edu be your helping hand. Our experts will assist you in writing an excellent SOP for your study abroad consultant application. 

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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Essay on Save Environment

List of essays on save environment, essay on save environment – short essay for kids (essay 1 – 100+ words), essay on save environment – 10 lines on save environment written in english (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on save environment (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on save environment – for children (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on save environment – for school students (class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 standard) (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on save environment – introduction, importance, ways, challenges and conclusion (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on save environment – how to save environment (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on save environment – long essay for competitive exams like ias, ips and upsc (essay 8 – 1000 words).

“Save Environment” is a mantra that has developed to represents several acts aimed at preserving the sanctity of our environment. Our environment suffers from several risk factors.

Some of them stem from human interference while others are natural occurrences. Whether caused by humans or not, what is clear is that we must take action. Doing nothing might lead to severe consequences for our environment. These conscious acts are generally aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions thereby creating a safer environment.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 Standard). Furthermore, those students preparing for competitive exams like IAS, IPS and UPSC can also increase their knowledge by studying these essays.

Introduction:

The air we breathe, the soil we live on, the trees which give us oxygen along with other flora and fauna on the earth all constitute the environment. It would have been impossible to survive on the earth had we not had such a supportive environment. However, with the surge in the urbanisation over the last few years we have seen a steady decline in the quality of the environment around us.

“Save environment” should be the priority of each and every person today. Environment constitutes the entire surroundings comprising water, air, sunlight, plants, animals, etc., that offer viable conditions for development and growth.

Reasons to Save Environment:

It is important to save environment as life of living beings is completely dependent on it. Humans utilize the water for drinking, air for breathing and also use other natural resources for their regular everyday jobs. In fact, the food we consume like milk, eggs, and vegetables, etc., are also derived from animals and plants, which is provided to us by the environment around us.

How to Save Environment:

Environment can be saved by planting more trees, recycling, reusing, reducing pollution, creating awareness through environmental programs, etc.

Conclusion:

If we want to save the environment then, we should stop the exploitation of natural resources. Using these resources cautiously is very important to save the environment.

In the so-called modern era, the biggest issue for the human race is to save environment and make earth a cleaner and greener planet. The human race has done a lot of damages to this world. Our surroundings have suffered the curse of pollution, exploitation of resources, and many other things. Now, it is our duty to take some important measures and save environment for future generations.

Industrialization has been the biggest source of pollution. To compensate for the fuel needs, we over exhausted most of the non-renewable resources, like coals, minerals, and oils. In order to save environment, we should switch to eco-friendly energy sources, such as solar power, hydropower, wind energy, etc.

Lots of public places use the ‘save environment’ posters and stickers to create awareness among the general public. We can also watch this burning issue being discussed on news channels. At schools, students are given the topic of ‘save environment’ for an essay writing or drawing purposes. This helps them understand global warming and its dangerous consequences.

It is hard to believe but we don’t always have to do something huge to save environment. Every person, even a child can contribute to the world’s ‘save environment’ goal. We can together do so by reducing the plastic usage, saving electricity, using solar power, and planting more trees in our surroundings. Doing this will not only save environment but also improve the quality of life for both animal and plant species and save them from going extinct.

The earth is called the ‘blue planet’ and it is the only one which sustains life but given the rate of anthropogenic exploitation, how long can we get on with our selfish attitude towards the environment?

The kind of damage that has been inflicted is palpable and the need has been felt to save environment sooner rather than later. The effect of global warming, the increase of greenhouses gases, the depletion of the ozone layer and the alarming levels of pollution are all an indicator of an impending catastrophe. Until and unless we know how to save environment and take remedial measure, our future is in grave hands.

What are the remedial measures to save environment?

Too many people complain that the damage is beyond the repair point, however, it is better to put an effort rather the sit and whine. The environment is capable of healing and all we need is to give it a push in the right direction in order to save environment.

1. Sustainable Living:

It is important to understand and imbibe the concept of sustainable living. It is the art of living wherein you use the current resources keeping in mind the needs of the future generation. We have to be mindful of how what and why we are consuming especially when it comes to the natural and non-renewable resources.

2. Tree Plantation to Save Environment:

First of all, we need to come with great afforestation and reforestation schemes to save environment. It is the depletion of the green cover that has done the highest damage.

3. Pollution Mitigation:

The next thing one needs to do immediately to save environment is to cut down the pollution level. From the controversial ‘odd-even’ schemes in New Delhi to the policy of banning firecrackers or bike and carpooling, every step counts.

The Conclusion:

So if you want to save environment, you need to be prepared to put in the best of efforts. It is the cumulative effort over a collective period of time which can help the environment heal again.

“Save Environment” is a mantra that has developed to represents several acts aimed at preserving the sanctity of our environment. Our environment suffers from several risk factors. Some of them stem from human interference while others are natural occurrences.

Whether caused by humans or not, what is clear is that we must take action. Doing nothing might lead to severe consequences for our environment. These conscious acts are generally aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions thereby creating a safer environment.

Acts that Save the Environment:

We already know that we must take action to save environment. It is also important to point out the types of action we must incorporate into our daily lives to keep our environment safe.

The following are some of the steps that can lead to a better and safe environment:

1. Control electricity consumption – Most of the powers we consume are not from renewable energy sources. While the world would be better served by renewable energy sources, it would be prudent to control electricity consumption in the meantime. To do this, we must curb wastage. Little acts like turning off the bulb would make a big difference in the long run.

2. Consume less water – As the world population grows, water scarcity is becoming a profound problem. While scientific advances to solve the world water problem, more immediate action is needed for a safe environment. Thus, we must inculcate the habit of consuming less water through water conservation practices.

3. Paper reduction – The paper we use comes from trees. These trees are cut down from their natural habitat leaving our environment exposed to the risk of global warming. To save our environment, we should embrace digital tools at our disposal and use less of paper. By doing so, we would reduce the demand for paper which invariably leads to less tree cutting.

4. Reuse – Most of the materials we use in our daily lives are not actual waste. They can be recycled and subsequently used for something else. Thus, when we use things such as plastic, elastic, metal and more, we should not simply throw those things away. With the right machinery and foresight, they can be turned to materials that translate into a safe environment.

To conclude, living in a safe environment goes beyond the actions mentioned above. The extent of our involvement cannot be exhausted to one single article. However, if we stay conscious of our environment and do not relent in taking steps that are pro-environment we would make our world a better place.

Environment is the surrounding in which we live in. It is the natural habitat around us, which is essential for life to thrive in. It constitutes of air, water, soil, animals and human beings.

We humans have a blind spot concerning the degree of dependence we have on our surroundings. Mindlessly, we build and industrialize our habitat in the name of advancement only to later realize that we have been destroying our surroundings all along. We still steadily go on with our reckless way of life without the slightest awareness of what we are doing to ourselves by destroying Mother Nature. It is very important to understand and save our environment.

Reasons for Environment Degradation:

1. Urbanization:

The hash one reason for environment degradation is Urbanization. We cut down trees, lay roads and build buildings for our sophistication, without even thinking about the implications caused by our actions. In the process we completely destroy our natural surroundings and seal ourselves inside un-natural habitats called cities.

2. Consumerism:

With the birth of Industrial revolution, manufacturing processes have speeded up to a fraction of the time taken by its handmade counterparts. This has led to mass production which in turn has led to mass consumerism, and before we knew it, we became a consumer-oriented society. Thus came the practice of ‘Use and Throw’ products, which causes rapid depletion of existing resources.

3. Pollution:

Today, almost every natural resource is polluted. Industries pollute our air with the harmful gases they exhale. Automobiles have greatly contributed to air pollution by polluting it with harmful smoke they let out. Burning of plastics has resulted in the depletion of Ozone layer. Industries pollute our rivers and other water bodies by draining chemicals and oils into them. Commonly used bath soaps and detergents are highly insoluble in water and pollute drainage water. Our soils are polluted by excessive use of chemical fertilizers.

Saving our environment and thereby ourselves is in the hands of each and every one of us. Small changes made to our everyday lifestyle are all we need to do to save environment.

‘Recycling’ our material things is one big step towards saving environment. Metal scraps from old buildings can be recycled and used for producing new metal items. Plastic recycling is another big solution. Paper and cardboard items can also be recycled into new products.

Use of materials like paper and wood can be ‘Reduced’ wherever possible. Fossil fuels are depleting natural resources which cannot be renewed. Use of petroleum can be reduced by opting carpooling and cycling. Coal is another non-renewable resource used extensively in electricity production. Energy efficient light bulbs and solar cars reduce the use of such fuels.

‘Reuse’ of products is another solution to save environment. Plastic covers can be reused to minimize their production. Plastic containers can be reused and repurposed into potting for plants. Tires can be repurposed into building blocks. Every product has the capacity to be repurposed if we allow ourselves to see it with an open eye.

‘Planting’ of more trees is a step towards a greener environment. Going back to traditional agricultural practices will save our environment.

By saving our environment we are only saving ourselves. This truth needs to sink deep into our hearts, which will cause our inner man to act responsibly to save our environment.

The environment is the most valuable component of life because it enables the existence of living and non-living things. The environment is a vast source of resources like air, shelter, food and water. Living things are dependent on the environment for the continuation of life. The environment should be sacred and respected by all living things because of it is important for survival. However, the environment is not given the respect it deserves because there are several incidences on environmental pollution. The pollution of environment contaminates all the resources required to sustain the life of living things and therefore the lives are affected negatively. The effects of environmental pollution have been serious and harmful. The environment needs to be saved from pollution so that the lives of living things can be saved from full destruction. Saving the environment begins by identifying the pollutants and trying to mitigate them. The causes of these pollutions need to be identified and then prevented as the damage that is already done is being repaired in order to restore the environment.

Importance of Saving the Environment:

The environment is the main source of life for living things on the earth’s surface. The trends of environmental pollution have compromised the lives of animate objects on earth. The threat to life has forced living things to survive. Survival is not possible for all organisms and therefore deaths have been experienced, which has to be prevented.

Saving the environment will enable the nature to thrive again and reduce the survival needed. The environment will be back to its rich resourceful nature.

Ways of Saving the Environment?

Formulating strategies for unifying people to initiate the saving of the environment. Saving the environment is a collective responsibility that requires cooperation and collaboration from organizations, societies, governments and individuals so that an effort is realized. Global call should be made so that the project to save environment is initiated as a whole.

Proper handling of waste materials should be done so that pollutants do not end up in the environment. The policy of recycling and reusing the recyclable and reusable wastes is a good way to save environment. Another strategy is effective planning of the cities according to the resources that are available. Cities that are unplanned end up in environmental crisis because the population might rise beyond what the environment can support. Also, crowding causes environmental pollution because there will be clearing of natural trees in order to build houses for people to live in.

Supporting of environmental programs by participating in activities aimed at saving the environment is another way to save environment. Change should be embraced with regard to environmental conservation e.g., the ban of plastic bags and bottles should be respected. In agriculture, it is recommended that organic fertilizers have to be used in order to minimize the amount of chemical washouts that end up in water bodies.

Planting of trees should be encouraged so that air pollution effects can be reduced because trees will replenish the air quality in the atmosphere and save environment.

Challenges in Saving the Environment:

The environment has been greatly damaged and it requires a lot of effort to restore it. Limited resources for example finances poses a challenge to the project to save the environment.

Climate change affects the restoration processes like planting trees because the trees might not be favoured by the climate to grow back as expected.

Political instabilities in countries cause stagnation in the process of saving the environment because they always lag behind.

The environment needs to be saved because it is the source of life and living things are dependent on it.

Human beings cannot live all alone on the earth. They need a host of other things to support their survival. For instance, the trees provide us with oxygen and rid the air of harmful carbon-dioxide. Similarly, soil provides us with nutrients through various plants which we consume in everyday life and provides us with a surface to live on.

The entire flora and fauna or rather the entire ecosystem are what constitutes the environment for us. It is our privilege to have been provided such a beautiful environment by nature. However, have been using it judiciously? Of course, not! We have largely ignored the individual requirements of the environment for our own benefits and thus have affected the natural balance of nature. This has in turn affected as well. So, in order to sustain mutual harmony and survival for all, we need to save the environment as well.

At the very start, we need to realise that saving the environment is for our own good. We need it more than other plants and animals around us. The environment is integral to our very survival on this planet. Losing it shall lead to our extinction as well. Although necessary, steps required to save the environment can be quite challenging given the current nature of our lifestyles and the modernisation which has taken place. However, some small yet fruitful steps can surely be the guiding force towards our need to save the environment for our own benefit.

For instance, we can put an end to contamination and toxicants in air, water, soil and structures or at least try to minimise it. Moreover, conservation of biodiversity and insurance of jeopardized species should be looked into. Additionally, protection and reasonable utilization of assets, for example, water, air and crude materials should be encouraged to preserve natural resources. Also, stopping human-initiated global warming process which as on today imposes a huge danger on the existence of life in different regions of the world should be enforced.

Moving from petroleum products to a sustainable power source in power, warming and cooling, and transportation, which tends to contaminate the environment, should be promoted. Cleaner fuels should be used as to minimise air pollution. Reasonable and less contaminating waste disposal and management including reduction of waste generated, reuse, reusing, fertilizing the soil, squander to-vitality, and anaerobic processing of sewage muck should be introduced in areas grappling with waste-related pollution of water.

Steps by Government to Save Environment:

A number of initiatives have been taken by various governments in order to aware people on the need to save the environment.

Some of them have been very popular among citizens such as:

1. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan:

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is India’s greatest save environment drive ever. The battle covers upwards of 4041 towns and goes for cleaning boulevards, streets, and foundation. It was formally announced on October 2, 2014, at Rajghat, New Delhi by the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister even assigned nine conspicuous public from the nation to help and energize the activity.

2. The Cleaning of Rivers, Especially Ganga:

Three days in the wake of confirming as the fifteenth Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, expressed his goal of cleaning the Ganga River. It served a dual purpose, as it was eco-friendly on one side and the sacred for others on the side. The Prime Minister additionally set The Ganga Action Plan under the immediate supervision of Water Resources Minister Ms Uma Bharti. The Clean Ganga Plan includes five services working in close co-task to see the results in the dram project of the government.

We must give ourselves a chance to design our urban communities as per the available resources in the region. This is a must to ensure that overuse of resources does not take place. The less we dirty our environment, the more we avert a worldwide temperature alteration. We must check for measures to stop the rising level of water in the oceans due to global warming. Expanding number of associations are being shaped to keep the planet from untimely annihilation.

More corporates have joined the race to spare the planet. We can just start by purchasing reused items for our office, home or school. The more prominent the interest for reused items, the more these organizations will be urged to add reused material to their items. Finally, we must all understand that the movement to save the environment starts from me, myself and I. don’t wait for others to take the initiative. Begin today and the others will definitely follow.

The environment is simply the surroundings where all non-living and also living things are there and form a sort of relationship between one another. The components of the environment include soil, water, air, animals and human beings. All of the gifts provided through the natural environment are wonderful for the entire living organism most especially mankind.

All natural resources are very important to life so much that there would be no life without them. The rapid increase in the population of the world has led to the rise in the need for goods and materials by the very large population. The components of the environment and other natural resources are constantly and seriously being exploited and overexploited way above and beyond natural limits. The overexploitation and misuse of these natural resources is highly hazardous and dangerous to the health of humans and animals.

In the words of Margaret Thatcher, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy- with a full repairing lease.” There are a lot of reasons to save the environment; why wouldn’t anyone want to save his surrounding and the place that houses him.

Some points that describe the pollution of the environment largely because of the wastage and misuse of the natural resources around us and the effects of this continual wastage and misuse on both non-living and living things are discussed below:

1. Air Pollution:

The rapidly increasing rate of the use of diesel and petrol for the burning of fossil fuel majorly in industries, in order to generate energy is a devastating contribution to the pollution of the air. This causes an increase in the amount and levels of hydrocarbons, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide, chloro-fluoro-carbons, etc. All of these are very harmful and hazardous gases that affect the human health negatively and can cause lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and a lot of other countless respiratory diseases. The ozone layer is also depleting at an alarming rate and this makes us very vulnerable and prone to the dangerous harm of ultraviolet rays. Air pollution harms the environment in numerous ways like global warming and also weakens and lowers the immune system.

2. Water Pollution:

The release of animal and human wastes that aren’t treated in fresh water, suspension of inorganic chemicals in water is leading to industrial wastes, and the draining of pesticides and fertilisers into rivers during irrigation can lead to the pollution of water bodies.

The pollution of water makes the water totally unfit for domestic use especially drinking and cooking (cancer and gastro-intestinal diseases are some of the few effects of the consumption of such water). The pollution of water also affects aquatic life in a very bad way such as the fishes in polluted waters are not fit for human consumption, the death of aquatic life and even the forced migration of aquatic organisms and animals to waters that aren’t polluted.

3. Soil Pollution:

Pesticides and fertilisers used on plants in soil do not just kill pests and provide nutrients to the soil but they also kill organisms and microorganisms that help improve the nutrients in the soil and thus produce crops that are less nutritious. Crops that have been exposed to chemicals through soil pollution over the years lead to cancer and various forms of mutation when consumed. Soil erosion has also become rampant as a result of construction and deforestation which has led to a higher flood frequency that costs a lot of human lives and properties.

4. Noise Pollution:

Vehicles and factories produce a lot of noise that can potentially cause permanent physical damage to man’s ear including permanent or temporary hearing loss. Noise pollution has a lot of negative effects on emotional, mental and psychological health and can cause irritability, anxiety and stress and all of these can lead to performance at work dropping.

There are some methods that can be employed to save the environment. Even way back in history, people have always been concerned about the environment and saving it.

Some of the methods we can employ in saving the environment are highlighted below:

i. The concept of 3Rs (recycle, reduce and reuse) should be applied and promoted so that we can prevent the highly excessive use of resources that are non-renewable. For example, new metal products can be made from scrap metal.

ii. Bulbs and tube lights that are energy efficient should be used to save energy.

iii. The use of wood and paper products should be reduced and the use of e-paper and e-book should be encouraged.

iv. The use of fossil fuels can be reduced by using public transport, walking, cycling or car-pooling.

v. Instead of using plastic bags, jute/cloth bags can be used.

vi. Solar panels and rechargeable batteries can be used as alternative sources of energy.

vii. Compost bins can be set up to produce manure instead of using fertilisers.

Even though there are various established laws and schemes constituted by governments in order to save the environment, it is everyone’s duty and responsibility to protect and preserve the environment for present and future generations.

There is a popular saying by Lester Brown that reads “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers-we have borrowed it from our children.” So, every individual on earth must contribute his quota towards the conservation of the environment, not just waiting on the government to do everything.

Unknowingly or knowingly, we contribute to pollution every day. Therefore, it is important that we do both our individual best and collective best to get involved in activities that help save the planet like recycling of products, engaging in rainwater harvesting, avoidance of wastage of natural resources like fresh water and also resources like electricity. It doesn’t matter how small or large our contributions is? what really matters is that we are doing our best to save the environment. We can only save our environment through proper management and sustainable development.

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Looking toward the year ahead, people might want to make some resolutions that support the environment. But what actions actually make a difference? And what is a reasonable goal to attain? We asked those questions to some of Stanford’s sustainability experts, who very much believe that we can each contribute to a better world through relatively simple acts.

“Our individual choices matter for ourselves, our communities, and our planet,” said Desiree LaBeaud , professor of pediatrics in the School of Medicine . “By getting aligned with our deep values and intentionally making sustainable choices in our behavior, we simultaneously improve our own well-being and serve as a role model for others around us.”

Alongside LaBeaud, the following tips are courtesy of Nicole Ardoin , the Emmett Family Faculty Scholar and an associate professor of Environmental Behavioral Sciences in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS); Alison Bowers, senior research associate in the Ardoin Social Ecology Lab ; Barbara Erny , adjunct clinical associate professor of allergy and immunology at Stanford Medicine; and Ellen Oh, director of interdisciplinary arts programs in the Office of the Vice President for the Arts.

1. Reduce, reuse, then recycle

The three Rs are actually in order of best practice. “People should try to focus more on reducing and reusing, rather than recycling,” advised Ardoin, citing a recent Nature Sustainability article about people’s bias toward recycling.

LaBeaud, for her part, reuses hard-to-avoid plastics – like those that bread and tortillas are sold in – to separate and carry produce rather than using the store’s plastic produce bags.

Recognizing the growing understanding of the impact of clothing waste on the environment, Bowers recommends shopping at secondhand or thrift stores.

2. Turn waste into art

“Just like Denning Visiting Artist Jean Shin , recycle/reuse cast-off materials to make art projects,” said Oh. Shin worked with LaBeaud’s nonprofit, HERI in Kenya and across Stanford, including LaBeaud’s lab, to make large-scale sculptures from plastic waste. Sea Change was unveiled on Earth Day 2023 in the center of Diani-Ukunda in south coastal Kenya, and Plastic Planet was presented in May 2023 in the lobby of the Stanford School of Medicine’s Biomedical Innovations Building.

Not only does this type of art keep materials from landfill, it can also help people reflect on and elevate sustainability topics. For more on the intersection of art and the environment, catch up on this discussion with artists Kim Anno and Gao Ling on art as a tool for environmental justice , which happened at Stanford’s O’Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm in spring.

3. Flex your power

Stanford research encourages electric vehicle (EV) users to charge their EVs in the daytime and at work. In places with solar and wind power, there tends to be excess electricity available during the day. And charging at work can avoid overwhelming local, neighborhood grids. “We were able to show that, with less home charging and more daytime charging, the Western U.S. would need less generating capacity and storage, and it would not waste as much solar and wind power,” said lead author Siobhan Powell, mechanical engineering PhD ’22, in a press release about the work.

Even without an EV, the same idea applies to household appliances. “I save energy by washing dishes and clothes in the daytime when energy needs are less and power is less expensive,” said LaBeaud.

4. Eat more plants

Recent Stanford research on food-related carbon footprints found that a ground beef hamburger patty has a carbon footprint that’s eight to 10 times higher than a chicken patty and around 20 times higher than a vegetarian patty. To reduce meat consumption, Erny recommends starting by replacing beef once a week with a plant-based protein source, shrinking your portions of meat, adding legumes and nuts to your meals, and experimenting with plant-forward culturally traditional recipes.

Additionally, a new Stanford Medicine-led trial of identical twins comparing vegan and omnivore diets found that a vegan diet improves overall cardiovascular health.

5. Cut down on food waste

“There is never enough emphasis on food, which is responsible for 37% of U.S. greenhouse emissions,” said Erny. She added that 40% of edible food in the U.S. is wasted, and the majority of that is food wasted by consumers. Erny’s tips to address this include bringing your own carry-out container to restaurants, planning meals to avoid over buying, getting creative with leftovers, and being sure to compost food scraps.

6. Get in touch with nature – even if you’re indoors

“Spending time in nature-rich settings can help build a sense of place, which research indicates can support a range of pro-environmental behavior,” said Ardoin. “And time in nature has a host of personal benefits, such as improved physical and mental health,” offered Bowers. A 2022 study , which Ardoin co-authored, suggests that even the presence of natural materials – like wood furniture instead of plastic – and of a window can help with stress reduction.

You don’t need to travel far to achieve these benefits, Ardoin and Bowers added, because they can accrue from visiting urban nature settings such as pocket parks, as well as interacting with street trees and even indoor plants.

7. Take the train

If you’re hesitant about trying out train travel, take inspiration from the journey of sustainability scientist Kim Nicholas , environment and resources (E-IPER) PhD ’09 and former visiting scholar at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. In lieu of a traditional wedding, she planned a cross-continent train trip with her husband-to-be. “If you’re someone who flies and drives frequently, especially long distances, your carbon footprint is materially important to addressing the climate crisis,” said Nicholas. She recommends reducing overconsumption, particularly of transport, which, she explained “for the wealthy, and especially the top 1%, is about 60% of our total footprint.”

8. Use your voice

Discuss your sustainability goals and concerns with friends, neighbors, and even local leadership. “Talking about sustainability issues within your social networks and seeking out social connections based on a shared interest in sustainability can be an important step toward making a difference,” said Ardoin. In this vein, working with local parks and schools, Ardoin’s Social Ecology Lab developed the Dear Planet Earth project, an initiative designed to encourage reflection on our place in a changing planet and inspire action.

Ardoin noted that leveraging collective action is key to effectively addressing a range of sustainability challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss, among others.

Recognizing that these topics can be hard to broach, Erny offered the following advice: “Talk about climate change as it relates to human health. It is often the most accepted way of communicating about the issue.”

Many of our experts also stressed the importance of voting with the environment in mind. “Consider candidates’ stances on sustainability and environmental issues when voting,” suggested Bowers.

“All changes start with one spark, one person doing the right thing. It is how societies advance themselves,” said LaBeaud. She also offered the following quote from anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Ardoin is also a senior fellow at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and an affiliate at the Precourt Institute for Energy. Erny is also a faculty fellow at the Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) . LaBeaud is also a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, a faculty fellow at CIGH, and a member of Stanford Bio-X and the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) .

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How to Save the Environment: 17 Easy & Helpful Things You Can Do at Home

Last Updated: October 24, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by One Tree Planted and by wikiHow staff writer, Glenn Carreau . One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to benefit nature, people, and wildlife. Since 2014, One Tree Planted has planted over 40 million trees across the globe. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 2,893,304 times.

Saving the environment might seem like a tall order, but living an environmentally friendly life is actually quite easy. With just a few small lifestyle changes, you can protect the planet while creating a healthier life for yourself and future generations. A single household or individual can make a big difference: the more people become environmentally conscious, the healthier our planet will be. Read on for a comprehensive list of tips on how you can save the environment at home.

Things You Should Know

• Follow the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle! Upcycle things you don’t need in fun creative projects, shop secondhand, and compost scraps too.
• Eat locally-grown foods, cut back on meat and dairy, and shop at farmer’s markets. Make an effort to conserve water and electricity around the house.
• Walk or bike rather than drive a car when possible. Volunteer your time to clean up the community and advocate for environmental awareness.

Plant a tree in your yard.

• You can also plant other plants in your yard that are native to your area in order to support local ecosystems and wildlife.
• If you don’t have a yard of your own, you could always support organizations that aim to plant more trees, like the Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, or One Tree Planted .

Cut back on driving.

• Combine multiple errands into one trip to minimize the distance traveled and fuel consumed.
• If you need to use a car, choose fuel-efficient models or hybrid/electric vehicles. Regularly maintain your vehicle to ensure optimal fuel efficiency.
• Carpooling will also enable you to take a highway's High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, usually saving time and money on gasoline.
• Many bus systems in major cities operate diesel-electric hybrid buses, reducing harmful emissions.

Volunteer to clean up your community.

• If you prefer to be part of a group, volunteer with friends, your class, a church group, or anyone else.

Recycle items properly.

• Check the rules and regulations in your area to ensure you recycle properly. For instance, some places may not accept glass, while others might require you to separate the different materials.
• It’s important to know what is and is not recyclable in your area because if you dispose of something improperly, the whole load will likely be rejected and end up in a landfill.

Upcycle items.

• You might turn glass jars into windchimes or create lanterns with them. You could turn an old metal dish rack into hanging wall storage or use old newspapers to line a garden path before covering it with pebbles.
• Upcycling can be as simple as refinishing or repainting a piece of furniture rather than replacing it outright!
• If you aren’t going to reuse something yourself, donate it. This ensures that nothing is wasted, and someone in need can use your old items.

Compost your food scraps and yard waste.

• Food scraps that can go in the compost pile include fruits and veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds, nut shells, and tea bags.
• You can compost plant matter like yard trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, houseplants, sawdust, and wood chips.
• Other biodegradable materials include shredded newspapers, cardboard, hair and fur, and even fireplace ashes.
• If you don’t plan to use your compost, check and see if garbage removal services in your area can pick up organic waste as well as trash and recycling.

Cut back on product consumption.

• Avoid purchasing products with excess packaging. Often, food companies spend just as much energy creating the packaging for food products as they do producing the actual food.
• When you do buy something, look for durable products that will last you a long time.
• Borrow or rent items you need only for brief or occasional use.

Shop at second-hand stores.

• This philosophy also applies to bigger purchases, like cars. Buying a secondhand car can help the environment and impacts your wallet less.
• If you have family members or friends looking to give away some clothing, consider doing a swap with them. You can refresh your wardrobe without buying anything at all.

Alena Le Blanc

Invest in well-made garments that are eco-friendly. Look for natural, sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or recycled synthetics. Look for durable denim with a high cotton content (around 98-99%). Prioritize quality over quantity to extend your closet's lifespan and reduce your environmental footprint.

Choose reusable items over single-use plastic.

• Next time you need batteries, consider investing in rechargeable ones. Most batteries can now be thrown out with the regular trash—thanks to reduced chemical use—but they still take up space in landfills.

Reduce the amount of paper you print and use.

• Try using a washable cloth or sponge for most of your cleanup if possible.

Buy locally-sourced foods.

• If you’re in the US, look for CSAs using the Department of Agriculture’s directory . Otherwise, do an online search for CSA produce boxes. Local foods are fresher, so they’re higher in nutrient value!
• Avoid waste by planning your meals ahead of time so you don’t cook more than you’ll eat. Store leftovers and use them for one of your meals over the next few days.
• Buy from local artisans, clothing makers, and retailers too. Avoid ordering things online to be shipped to you whenever possible. The more locally-sourced products you buy, the better.

Cut back on eating meat and dairy.

• You don’t have to go fully vegetarian or vegan, especially if you have dietary restrictions that would make it difficult. The most important thing is to cut back on meat and dairy as much as your dietary needs allow.
• Meat and dairy are also typically more expensive, so cutting back and eating vegetarian meals can help your wallet!
• Eat more seafood as well. Seafood (and seafood fishing) is much more sustainable than producing vast amounts of meat and dairy, and it’s a great source of protein in your diet.

Conserve water around the house.

• Consider investing in a high-efficiency washing machine in the future.
• Fix leaky faucets and pipes as soon as possible to avoid wasting water.
• Install efficient shower heads and low-flow faucets in your kitchen and bathrooms to reduce water consumption further.
• Use a pool cover if you have an outdoor swimming pool. This will prevent water from evaporating, so you don’t need to refill the pool as often.

Use fewer chemicals in your daily life.

• When you have hazardous materials to throw away—like fluorescent light bulbs, cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, automotive fluids, and paint—be sure you dispose of it properly .
• Harmful chemicals and materials should never end up in a landfill, sanitary sewer, or storm drain! Contact your local waste management office for proper disposal options.
• Avoid blowing up helium balloons, too. Fill them up with regular air instead.

Conserve electricity at home.

• When you buy new appliances, be sure to choose Energy Star-certified products.
• Air-dry your clothes on a clothesline rather than turning on a dryer.
• Cut back on your heating and air conditioning use by ensuring your home is properly insulated and sealing air leaks around doors and windows.
• If nothing else, you can always throw on a sweater when it’s cold or turn on a fan when it’s hot, rather than using energy-consuming air conditioning or heating.

Donate to environmental causes.

• For example, you could host a Facebook fundraiser on your birthday and ask people to donate to an organization you support.
• Check out organizations working to save the environment like the Rainforest Alliance , Earthjustice , the Ocean Conservancy , or the World Wildlife Fund .

Encourage others to help save the environment.

• Visit https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials to find local representatives in the United States.
• If a friend or family member asks for tips, be sure to educate them about what they can do to save the environment and encourage them to get involved, too!

Community Q&A

Reader Videos

• Stay up-to-date on environmental issues, using reliable sources of information. This way, you'll be able to share helpful information if someone asks for tips on how they can save the environment. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• If you have old clothes, donate them to a secondhand store or take them to a shelter so someone else can wear them.
• Before you start a new school year, look through last year's materials. Many supplies can be reused or recycled.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/build-healthy-cities/cities-stories/benefits-of-trees-forests/
• ↑ https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/awesome-hands-on-ways-you-can-volunteer-to-help-the-environment/
• ↑ https://www.epa.gov/recycle/frequent-questions-recycling
• ↑ https://www.boisestate.edu/cobe/blog/2023/10/reusing-recycling-and-upcycling-a-primer/
• ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/how-make-compost-home
• ↑ https://habitatbroward.org/blog/benefits-of-buying-things-second-hand/
• ↑ https://www.turnbackthetide.ca/taking-action/households/waste/reduce-reuse-recycle.shtml
• ↑ https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/
• ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/7_benefits_of_eating_local_foods
• ↑ https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/saving-water-at-home/
• ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351265191_Benefits_of_green_chemistry
• ↑ https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk//guidance/safety-around-the-home/energy-saving-tips/
• ↑ https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-call-congress

About This Article

You can help save the environment by turning off things that use electricity when you're not using them and unplugging devices when they're not in use. You can conserve water by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth, and doing laundry less frequently. Also, try walking or riding your bike instead of driving, which will help reduce carbon emissions. Buying your food locally also helps lower carbon emissions since the food doesn't have to be shipped from far away! If you want to learn more, like how to recycle or reuse materials, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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8 Ways to Keep the Earth Clean

By: Amanda Laverty, Knauss fellow with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program

April 18, 2017 — Here at the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Earth Day is every day and we are always encouraging others to get involved and support efforts working toward a clean environment and healthy planet.

Our oceans are filled with items that do not belong there. Huge amounts of consumer plastics, metals, rubber, paper, textiles, derelict fishing gear, vessels, and other lost or discarded items enter the marine environment every day, making marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the world's ocean and waterways.The ultimate solution to the problem lies with every single one of us—preventing marine debris in the first place.

First, consider how you might personally contribute to marine debris and follow the “4Rs” whenever possible. Refuse unnecessary single-use items, like plastic straws or cutlery when possible. Reduce the amount of waste you produce by choosing products with less packaging. Reuse items when you can and choose reusable items over disposable ones. And, Recycle as much as possible — bottles, cell phones, ink cartridges, and many other items can be recycled.

Next, spread the word to others! Tell your family, friends, community, and more about this important issue and what they can do to help.

Here are a few easy and effective ways you can choose to reduce your daily impact and make a world of difference:

• Bring a bag. Remember to bring reusable bags to the grocery store or for any other shopping activities to reduce consumption of disposable bags.
• Invest in a reusable water bottle. Acquiring a reusable water bottle would not only greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic you use, but it would also save you money in the long run! If you’re concerned about the quality of your tap water, consider using a water filter.
• Bring your own reusable cup. Think about how many disposable cups are used every day in just your local coffee shop. Bringing a mug for your morning coffee can reduce the amount of waste you produce annually. Imagine how much waste we could reduce if we all made this simple daily change!
• Refuse single-use items. Take note on how often you rely on single-use items and choose to replace them with more sustainable versions. Refusing plastic straws and disposable cutlery when you go out and bringing your own containers for leftovers are a few ways you can start today.
• Avoid products with microbeads. Facial scrubs and beauty products containing plastic microbeads were banned in the United States in 2015, but won’t be fully phased out until 2019. Read the labels when purchasing products and opt for ones that contain natural scrubbing ingredients like salt or sugar.
• Shop in bulk. Consider the product-to-packaging ratio when purchasing items and choose larger containers instead of multiple smaller ones. When you have the option, also consider purchasing package-free foods and household goods.
• Make sure your waste goes to the right place. Do your best to ensure that the waste you dispose of ends up where it should. Recycle the materials that are recyclable in your area and make sure to reduce the likelihood of your garbage ending up in the environment by keeping a lid on your trash can when it’s outside.
• Compost. Composting at home reduces the volume of garbage sent to landfills and reduces the chance of some products becoming marine debris.

These are just a few ways that we can incorporate taking care of our ocean and Great lakes into our everyday lives. By doing our part to work toward a sustainable and debris-free planet, we’ll also be providing others with inspiration and a good example to follow. As individuals we have the potential to make a big difference and together we can change the world.  

Learn more about NOAA’s Marine Debris Program and its mission to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris.

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Essay on Ways to Save The Environment

Students are often asked to write an essay on Ways to Save The Environment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Ways to Save The Environment

Understanding environment.

Our environment is our home. It’s where we live, breathe, eat, and play. It’s vital to protect it for our health and generations to come.

Reducing Waste

One way to save the environment is by reducing waste. We can do this by recycling, composting, and reusing items instead of throwing them away.

Conserving Water

Water is a precious resource. We can conserve water by taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, and using rainwater for plants.

Planting Trees

Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas. Planting trees helps combat climate change and provides habitats for wildlife.

Using Public Transport

Cars emit harmful gases. Using public transport, cycling, or walking reduces air pollution. Let’s make these changes for a healthier environment.

250 Words Essay on Ways to Save The Environment

Introduction.

The environment is a shared resource, and its preservation is a collective responsibility. The escalating environmental degradation, characterized by climate change, deforestation, and pollution, necessitates immediate action. This essay explores practical ways to save the environment.

Embracing Renewable Energy

Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power is a significant step towards environmental preservation. These sources are sustainable and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which are the primary contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling

The 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) are fundamental in waste management. By reducing consumption, reusing products, and recycling materials, we can significantly decrease waste that ends up in landfills, thus reducing soil and water pollution.

Encouraging Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture practices like organic farming, agroforestry, and permaculture protect the environment by minimizing chemical use and promoting biodiversity. These practices also enhance soil fertility and food security.

Promoting Green Transportation

Green transportation involves using fuel-efficient vehicles, carpooling, cycling, or walking. These methods reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, contributing to a cleaner environment.

Saving the environment requires collective action and commitment. By embracing renewable energy, implementing the 3Rs, encouraging sustainable agriculture, and promoting green transportation, we can significantly reduce environmental degradation. Let’s all take part in these initiatives to create a sustainable future for generations to come.

500 Words Essay on Ways to Save The Environment

The environment is the lifeblood of our planet, providing the resources we need to survive and thrive. However, human activities have put the environment under severe stress. It is our responsibility to mitigate these effects and strive for a sustainable future. This essay explores various ways to save the environment, focusing on practical actions that can be taken at individual, community, and global levels.

Individual Actions

As individuals, our daily choices significantly impact the environment. Firstly, we can reduce, reuse, and recycle. By minimizing waste production and promoting recycling, we can decrease the amount of trash that ends up in landfills and oceans.

Secondly, we can adopt a plant-based diet or reduce meat consumption. Livestock farming contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution. By choosing plant-based foods, we can help reduce these environmental impacts.

Lastly, we can conserve energy and water at home. Simple actions like turning off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and fixing leaks can save significant amounts of resources.

Community Initiatives

At the community level, we can participate in or initiate environmental projects. Organizing local clean-ups, tree planting events, and educational workshops can raise environmental awareness and foster a sense of responsibility among community members.

Additionally, supporting local, sustainable businesses can have a positive environmental impact. These businesses often have smaller carbon footprints and contribute less to pollution and waste.

Policy Influences

Policy plays a crucial role in environmental protection. Advocating for and supporting policies that promote renewable energy, regulate pollution, and protect natural habitats can lead to substantial environmental improvements.

Moreover, international cooperation is vital in addressing global environmental issues like climate change. By supporting international agreements and initiatives, we can contribute to global efforts to save the environment.

Technological Innovations

Innovation and technology can also play a significant role in environmental conservation. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Furthermore, advancements in areas like carbon capture and storage, and bioengineering could potentially reverse some of the damage already done to the environment.

Saving the environment requires a multi-faceted approach that involves individual actions, community initiatives, policy influences, and technological innovations. By taking responsibility for our actions and making conscious choices, we can contribute to a more sustainable future. It’s not just about preserving the environment for future generations, but also about ensuring the health and well-being of our own.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Ways to Save Money
• Essay on Ways to Reduce Pollution
• Essay on Ways to Protect The Environment

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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How to Write a Great Community Service Essay

College Admissions , Extracurriculars

Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay? Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others?

Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable.

What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One?

A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community. Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you.

Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

• Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement.

#2: To Apply for Scholarships

• Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients.
• Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service

Getting Started With Your Essay

In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look through so you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay.

Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements

Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt. Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them.

Specific things to pay attention to include:

• Length requirement
• Application deadline
• The main purpose or focus of the essay
• If the essay should follow a specific structure

Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they vary in terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include.

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

"Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words."

From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship:

"Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO's mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications."

From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund:

"Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal & professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals."

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay.

• What community service activity that you've participated in has meant the most to you?
• What is your favorite memory from performing community service?
• Why did you decide to begin community service?
• What made you decide to volunteer where you did?
• How has your community service changed you?
• How has your community service helped others?
• How has your community service affected your plans for the future?

You don't need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay.

Writing Your Essay

How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited.

Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work.

Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better idea of how you should draft your own essay.

Step 1: Hook Your Reader In

You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more. A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested. This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable.

Compare these two opening sentences:

"I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years."

"The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it."

The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog.

Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did

Once you've hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences. State where you work, when you began working, how much time you've spent there, and what your main duties include. This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work.

Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused.

Step 3: Include Specific Details

It's the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.

For example, don't just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized. Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay. Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences.

Compare these two passages:

"For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students."

"As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students."

The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident?

The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claims as well as make your essay more memorable and unique.

Step 4: Show Your Personality

It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality. The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims. Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this.

• If you want to show that you're a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers.
• If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better.
• If you want to show that you're a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes.

Step 5: State What You Accomplished

After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments. What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park? Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don't be worried about bragging here.

If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay. Saying "I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens" is a stronger example than just saying "I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens."

Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important? Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it? This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community.

"My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together."

"The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event."

The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities."

The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture.

Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often.

Step 6: Discuss What You Learned

One of the final things to include in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you. You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill.

You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want? Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don't say your community service changed your life if it didn't because trite statements won't impress readers.

In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you're more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You've probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay .

"As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person."

"As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head."

The second passage is more impressive and memorable because it describes the skills the writer learned in more detail and recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful.

Step 7: Finish Strong

Just as you started your essay in a way that would grab readers' attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well. A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both. Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others.

Compare these two concluding statements:

"In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history."

"To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum."

The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community.

The author of the second passage also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term.

What's Next?

Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started!

Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-step guide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor.

Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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