Bangladesh+Community+Service+Project


 * CLIMATE CHANGE SERVICE PROJECT**

//Names// : Seth Musser, Adam Tobias, Ashtin Nell, Kristi Fidler //School// : Eastern Lebanon County High School (ELCO High) //State/Province// : PA //Country// : U.S. //Email Contact// : jbickel@elcosd.org
 * INFORMATION**

//Service project title// : Climate Changing Carwash/ CO2 Trimming Tree Transplant
 * DETAILS**

//When did the service project take place// : Saturday, May 8, 2010

//Where did the service project take place// : United Church of Christ in Schaefferstown PA/ 116 Fawn Hollow Rd., Newmanstown PA 17073

//Who were your partners// : We had no partners, our group did this service project ourselves.

//How many participants did you involve// : We washed about twenty cars during our carwash. / We planted about thirty-five red oak trees and one Douglas fir.

//Describe, in detail, what your project entailed// : For our carwash we washed cars and dispensed advice to our customers on how to reduce their CO2 emissions. We used posters to aid us in this. They featured tips on reducing their cars CO2 emissions and pictures of children affected by climate change. This was a donations only carwash to increase our funds. / For the tree planting we planted an extra Douglas fir our teacher had on hand and thirty five red oaks. Red oaks have been proven to be some of the best trees to absorb CO2, due to the duration of time that they live. These trees were planted at Seth Musser’s house, one of our group members, since he had forest available to plant them in.

//How is your project relevant to this season’s Global Debates topic// : This season’s global debates were about climate adaptation, and though our projects deal with mitigation they both seek to lessen the effects of global warming. We wish to help the people in Bangladesh by letting them have less of a changing climate to adapt to.
 * REFLECTION**

//Did you have any press or media coverage? If so, describe their involvement and how you think they helped spread your message// : We did not have any press or media coverage of our project, but we did put flyers up throughout Schaefferstown and ELCO. These let people know to come, and if they didn’t then people who read them were able to see how and why they should reduce their personal carbon footprint.

//Did any elected leaders participate? Why do you think it is critical for them to support this issue (beyond the fact that everyone should care about the environment!)// : No they did not. However we do believe that it is important for elected officials to stand behind us in this. They should support because they are the leaders of the people and others would be able to mobilize to fight global warming if they saw the leaders participating.

//What impact did this project have on your community, the people you helped, or the organizations you partnered with// : We raised awareness of the problems that our excess is presenting to the world. We also told people how to combat this, so that they can save Bangladeshi’s lives. / We were able to plant trees which is another great way to help Bangladeshi’s and let the world know we care.

//What impact did this project have on you and your team// : We were able to feel like we had helped with the major problems that the Bangladeshis are facing, even if it only was a little. We felt like we hadn’t just been blowing around hot air during the debates and we also felt that we were worthy because we now had helped with the problems we debated about.

//Do you plan on following up with your service project? How will you make the impact last// : Our follow up is simply letting the trees grow. Our impact will last as long as they do. Hopefully, others in our community will join us in planting even more, so that the impact will last for hundreds more years.

//Additional comments// : Our service project was very enjoyable and a great opportunity for the group. I would like to thank the United Nations Foundation and The People Speak for giving our group this amazing chance to make our world a better place to live. Not only do I thank you, but also I am sure my posterity, as well as everyone else’s’ will thank you later.