Our Roots & Shoots project aims to raise awareness about littering in our community and its harmful effects on our shared environment, particularly our school and community garden. Litter not only diminishes the beauty of our outdoor spaces but also poses a risk to local wildlife, soil health, and the overall ecosystem. Through this project, we hope to inspire our school community and neighbors to take action to protect and respect the environment we all share.
To address this issue, our group of young environmental advocates will design and create engaging and educational signage to be displayed around the fence of our school and community garden. These signs will highlight the importance of keeping the area clean, the impact of litter on plants and animals, and ways to contribute to a healthier environment. The students will use art, writing, and research to develop meaningful messages that encourage responsibility and stewardship among community members. Additionally, the signs will serve as a lasting reminder of the importance of caring for our shared spaces.
The clean-ups went really well! Students worked together using grabbers, gloves, and reflective vests to collect litter around the garden and nearby streets. We filled multiple bags each time, and everyone noticed how much cleaner and more welcoming the space looked right after.
Through this project we learned that even small actions, like regular clean-ups, can make a big difference in our community. We also learned the importance of working together, being consistent, and taking pride in keeping our shared spaces clean for people, animals, and the environment.
If we did this project again, we might change the schedule to have more frequent, smaller clean-ups so litter never has a chance to build up. We might also invite more community members and local groups to join so we can cover a larger area and make an even bigger impact.
My favorite part of this project was watching community members walk by, smile, and comment on the good work we were doing. It felt great to know that people noticed and appreciated our efforts to keep the garden and neighborhood clean.
A good tip is to have the right tools like grabbers, gloves, and reflective vests to make clean-ups safer and more organized. Working in teams helps the job go faster, and taking “before and after” photos is a great way to see the difference. Bring snacks and water to keep everyone energized!
