Everybody can play their part in helping to move forward in our shared climate change emergency, even as employees, or from home (see the Leeds University list of six things you can do from home)
Here below is a long list of interest based organisations that need volunteers near you to support, lend a hand and push things forward altogether.
Local community & charity organisations near you have the power to spark the sustained climate action that we so need.
So if you feel as helpless as we do, then select an interest from the below drop down, or hit Control-F on your keyboard and search for your nearest city - then go forth in supporting bigger change around you.
Climate Change Volunteering Directory:
Our Favourites:
Here are some of our favourite climate change volunteering opportunities and openings:
- ClientEarth uses the rule of law to create systemic change.
- Climate Majority Project work to accelerate citizen climate action towards system change
- Tradewater collects refrigerators to dispose safely of the harmful gases contained within.
- Refuge Action help people who are environmental refugees as a result of climate change.
- SumOfUs purchase shares of corporations to get companies to change their bad behaviour.
- Sharefrome facilitates in increased borrowing to avoid unnecessary production, as well as waste ending up in landfill.
- Climate Cardinals is an activist group consisting of volunteers who translate and source climate information into over 100 languages
- The CPA help those who suffer from Eco-Anxiety to overcome their battles in order to improve overall wellbeing for those looking to help.
- Nature Volunteering helps volunteers to find UK conservation projects that match their interests in helping nature.
- The Bike Project offers bike servicing and maintenance and helps refugees travel while at the same time help the environment by reducing CO2 emission with the use of bikes.
- EcoSwell allow people to volunteer to take part in different climate change projects including reforestation, conservation and ecosystem restoration.
- Forestry England allow people to volunteer in forest management to make sure that the nations forests thrive.
- The Vegan Society provides people with information about being a healthy vegan, and sell vegan products to reduce the consumption of non-vegan products that contribute to climate change.
- Environmental Agency Flood Wardens The Environment Agency seeks volunteers to play a vital role in protecting communities from flooding.
Climate Volunteering Directory:
See below for all listings, or scroll up to find the 'jump to' button for individual topics:
People:
Refuge Action
Refuge Action help people who are environmental refugees as a direct or indirect result of climate change. They get them the basic support that they need to live with dignity, and build safe, happy and productive lives in the UK.
Link: refugee-action.org.uk/volunteers/
Goods:
Sharefrome
Sharefrome facilitates in increased borrowing to avoid unnecessary production, as well as waste ending up in landfill.
Link: sharefrome.org/volunteerform
Shareoxford
Shareoxford facilitates the avoidance of waste and helps save space, money and the environment by providing people with the ability to borrow instead of buying.
Link: shareoxford.org/volunteer
Tradewater
Tradewater collects refrigerators to dispose safely of the harmful gases contained within.
Link: tradewater.us/jobs
Praesideo
Praesideo sources reliable carbon information that are shared with people to enable them to make informed decisions with their purchases and investments.
Link: praesideo.earth/demo
DoNation
DoNation offers an online platform that is powered off of years of academic, technical and professional expertise in behaviour change aiming to educate people to adopt a sustainable lifestyle to reduce the devastating effects of climate change.
Link: wearedonation.com/en-gb/do-actions/voluntary-time
Food:
Oceana
Oceana protects nearly 4 million square miles of ocean from over fishing.
Link: oceana.org/opportunities
The Vegan Society
The Vegan society provides people with information about being a healthy vegan and sell vegan products to reduce the consumption of non-vegan products that contribute to climate change.
Link: vegansociety.com/volunteering-vegan-society
The Vegetarian Resource Group
The Vegeterian Resource Group provides an online platform where people can stay informed about VGR activities and ways to help the climate stay cool.
Link: vrg.org/getinvolved
Vegan.org
Vegan.org inspires people to be vegan to help save the environment by teaching vegan principles and through information sharing about vegan food and guidance towards purchasing environmentally friendly materials.
Link: vegan.org/be-an-advocate
Entocycle
London, UK
Entocycle is a team of change-makers, engineers, entomologists and scientists on a mission to restore the natural world by revolutionising the way we feed animals via bugs and insects.
Link: entocycle.com/careers
Finance
SumOfUs
SumOfUs is a community of 21 million people from around the world. Their aim is to change the way in which corporations conduct themselves. SumOfUs have been successful in collective purchasing of shares and the resulting shareholder action to get companies to change their bad behaviour. They have already forced Apple to publish their first-ever human rights policy.
Link: actions.sumofus.org/buy-nestle
Law
ClientEarth
ClientEarth is dedicated to protecting life on Earth by using the law to create systemic change. They have for instance already stopped all new coal fired power plants from opening in Europe, and saved the most important forest in Europe - Poland’s Bialowieza - from illegal logging.
Link: clientearth.org/join-us
Waste
PECT
PECT provides sustainable practices to help protect the environment by offering people the opportunity to volunteer in activities such as litter picking and tree planting.
Link: pect.org.uk/support/volunteer
The Big Repair Project
Set up by the UCL, the BPB would like your help to better understand household issues with the maintenance and repair of home appliances and electronics in the UK.
Link: bigrepairproject.org.uk
Canal & River Trust
Canal & River Trust offers different volunteering opportunities where people can take action in cleaning canals in different areas of the UK.
Link: canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer/opportunities
Recycle Rebuild
Recycle Rebuild offers volunteering opportunities involving recycling to help the environment and empower communities to resolve demand & supply issues.
Link: recyclerebuild.org/volunteer
EcoCycle
EcoCycle allows communities in the US to participate in different volunteering projects with the aim to create a greener environment by recycling and reducing waste.
Link: ecocycle.org/network
City To Sea
City To Sea is an environmental organisation campaigning to stop plastic pollution at source by working with communities, businesses and activists around the world.
Link: citytosea.org.uk/collaboration
Energy
Centre for Sustainable Energy
The Centre for Sustainable Energy consists of volunteers that mainly help the Home Energy Team to provide advice and support to local householders to find energy saving solutions.
Link: cse.org.uk/about-us/volunteers
Gravitricity
Graviticity develops technologies that use gravity to store energy and create an efficient way to produce eco friendly energy at peak times.
Link: gravitricity.com/jobs
Cambridge Carbon Footprint
Cambridge Carbon Footprint works to raise awareness of climate change issues as well as to support people moving to a low-carbon lifestyle.
Link: cambridgecarbonfootprint.org/what-you-can-do/volunteer
Conservation:
NatureScot
NatureScot offer many opportunities to volunteer in the Scottish countryside, and work with partners to improve the natural environment in Scotland, as well as to inspire others to care too.
Link: nature.scot/volunteering
Nature Conservancy Canada
The Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) is led by a team of conservation science professionals who work to identify, plan and execute the protection and restoration of Canada's natural spaces.
Link: natureconservancy.ca/en/what-you-can-do
The Conservation Volunteers
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) connects people who want to volunteer to maintain green spaces that are vital for biodiversity, wildlife, the climate and communities.
Link: tcv.org.uk/getinvolved
American Conservation Experience
The American Conservation Experience (ACE) provides rewarding environmental service opportunities that harness the idealism and energy of a volunteer labour force to help restore America’s public lands.
Link: usaconservation.org/conservation-volunteers
Cardiff Conservation Volunteers
The CCV is a community dedicated to restoring different local woodlands, alongside other activities.
Link: cardiffconservation.org.uk/join-us
Nature Volunteers
Nature Volunteers allows you to find projects in the UK that match your interest in helping nature, including single short events, placements and being part of a regular team.
Link: naturevolunteers.uk/volunteer
WWF
The WWF is creating an environmental conservation movement in India that aims to inspire people to care for nature. Their volunteers’ program addresses this by building a community of conscious and empowered citizens.
Link: people4planet.wwfindia.org
Education
Climate Ed
Climate Ed offer free climate workshops in schools, teaching children about climate science, carbon literacy and climate action.
Link: climateed.net/volunteer-with-us
Societal
Climate Majority Project
CMP support initiatives that organise citizen action within local communities. Their incubators help to grow initiatives.
Link: climatemajorityproject.com/take-action
Insulation
Energy Alton
Energy Alton provides energy advice on energy saving and keeping people's homes warm.
Link: energyalton.org.uk/join-us/volunteering
Insulate Britain
Insulate Britain is an organisation that it is calling for a national programme to ensure homes are insulated to be low energy by 2030.
Link: crowdfunder.co.uk/insulate-britain
Communications
Carbon Literacy Project
Carbon Literacy offers everyone a day's worth of Carbon Literacy learning covering climate change, carbon footprint and how people can tackle global warming.
Link: carbonliteracy.com/work-with-us/volunteer-with-us
Grist
Grist is a nonprofit media organisation dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
Link: donate.grist.org/memberform
Planet
Planet is a leading provider of geospatial data for use in agriculture, government and commercial mapping.
Link: planet.com/company/careers
Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown works to find solutions to climate change by ranking emissions impact and in turn provide action plans to tackle the issues that cause climate change.
Link: drawdown.org/donate
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology investigates and monitors environmental change to help governments and businesses to create a productive, resilient and healthy environment.
Link: ceh.ac.uk/news-and-media
Climate Cardinals
Climate Cardinals is an activist group consisting of volunteers who translate and source climate information into over 100 languages to empower people to tackle climate crisis.
Link: climatecardinals.org/volunteer
Protest
Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion is a decentralised, international and politically non-partisan movement using civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
Link: rebellion.global/get-involved
Climate Action
Climate Action is an activist group that aims to turn councils' political promises in concrete action by adopting a climate action plan.
Link: takeclimateaction.uk
Mental Health
Climate Psychology Alliance
The CPA help those who suffer from Eco-Anxiety to overcome their battles in order to improve overall wellbeing for those looking to help.
Link: climatepsychologyalliance.org
Concordia Volunteers
Concordia Volunteers support people to develop skills and gain experience that they need in order to thrive in a sustainable way with projects such as working with animals, agriculture, renovation and more.
Link: concordiavolunteers.org.uk/wellbeing-programme
Wilderness Foundation UK
The Wilderness Foundation UK offers free environmental education projects to schools wanting to engage is learning about sustainability.
Link: wildernessfoundation.org.uk/volunteer
Heating
National Energy Foundation
The National Energy Foundation aims to improve energy efficiency in the home through the governments Green Home Grant initiative.
Link: nef.org.uk/volunteering-with-us
The Renewable Energy Institute
The Renewable Energy Institute promotes knowledge-sharing and best practices in renewable energy and energy efficiency by offering training courses and volunteering opportunities.
Link: renewableinstitute.org/our-activities/volunteering
Transport
BikeforGood
BikeforGood facilitates the accessibility of bike repairing services and teaching people how to fix their bike to encourage them to cycle instead of using non-environmentally friendly vehicles.
Link: bikeforgood.org.uk
CyclingUK
CyclingUK consists of community cycle clubs that offer people bike advice and maintenance tips for beginners.
Link: volunteer.cyclinguk.org/opportunities
The Bike Project
The Bike Project offers bike servicing and maintenance and helps refugees travel while at the same time help the environment by reducing CO2 emission with the use of bikes.
Link: thebikeproject.co.uk/pages/volunteer
Bike Project Surrey
Bike Project Surrey teaches people how to maintain and fix bikes while at the same time encourage bike travelling as a mean to produce better climate outcomes.
Link: bikeprojectsurrey.org/volunteering
Recyke
Recyke Bike offers bike servicing and repair services which increases bike usage and it contributes to positive climate change outcomes.
Link: recyke.bike
Sustrans
Sustrans works to share knowledge to people about the benefits or walking and cycling to help people achieve better health and a sustainable environment.
Link: sustrans.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer
Sustainable Transport Midlands
Sustainable Transport Midlands works to make transport environmentally and economically sustainable in the Midlands.
Link: transport-mids.com/internal/volunteer
Sustainable Travel International
Sustainabletravel.org inspires people to travel responsibly to make a positive impact on climate change by raising awareness of responsible travel choices.
Link: sustainabletravel.org/donate
Air Pollution
Clean Air Council
Clean Air Council works to create a better environment where people can breathe clean air by adopting different strategies such as cutting climate-warming methane pollution from the oil and gas industry.
Link: cleanair.org/volunteering
Idling Action
Idling Action London is a behaviour change campaign which is helping to reduce localised air pollution caused by motorists leaving their engines running when parked.
Link: idlingaction.london/volunteers
Climeworks
Climeworks aims to restore a healthy balance of CO2 in the atmosphere by using technology and nature-based solutions.
Link: climeworks.com/careers
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth is a grassroots environmental campaigning community that push on causes such as climate change.
Link: friendsoftheearth.uk/clean-air
Farming
The Countryside Charity
CPRE is the leading environmental charity in London for protecting green spaces. They are passionate about raising the importance of developing a greener London.
Link: cpre.org.uk/opportunities
Bionutrient Food Association
The Bionutrient Food Association teaches a set of principles and practices that support growers in building high functioning biological system in the soil that grows their crops.
Link: bionutrient.org/donate
Greensand Trust
The Greensand Trust offers different services that help conserve, enhance and protect landscape and wildlife.
Link: greensandtrust.org/volunteer-with-us
WWOOF International
WWOOF connect people who want to live and learn about organic farms and small holdings with people who want to share their knowledge and way of life.
Link: wwoofinternational.org
Farmgarden
Farmgarden advocates and campaign for recognition, funding and opportunities for nature-based activities to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment.
Link: farmgarden.org.uk/your-area
Sustain
Sustain campaign for a healthy and sustainable food system, which is publicly accountable, socially and environmentally responsible.
Link: sustainweb.org/community_growing_projects
EcoSwell
EcoSwell allows people to volunteer and take part in different climate change projects including reforestation, conservation and ecosystem restoration.
Link: ecoswell.org/about-the-program
Deforestation
RainForest Trust
The Rainforest Trust purchases and protects the most threatened tropical forests and allows people to help by accepting donations.
Link: rainforesttrust.org/climate-action
The Kindling Trust
The Kindling Trust works with communities, farmers, health providers, activists and policymakers to challenge and subvert the industrial food system.
Link: kindling.org.uk/#block-volunteerwithus
RSPB
RSPB UK works to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide emitted by the farming industry by increasing production efficiency.
Link: rspb.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer
Countryside Restoration Trust
The Countryside restoration Trust works to restore a living, working countryside by encouraging farming practices to protect wildlife.
Link: countrysiderestorationtrust.com/volunteer
Chilterns
Chilterns allows people who are concerned about climate change to volunteer and take part in activities such as path clearance to tree planting and stream management.
Link: chilternsaonb.org/about-chilterns/volunteering
Forestry England
Forestry England allows people to volunteer in forest management to make sure that the nations forests will thrive.
Link: forestryengland.uk/volunteering
The Sea
Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy is an online platform that allows people to take direct action in supporting ocean research.
Link: donate.oceanconservancy.org
GreenSeas Trust
GreenSeas Trust educates people to increase awareness about marine plastic litter and the steps people can take to combat it.
Link: greenseas.org/get-involved
Coast Care
Coast Care enable volunteers to train and support in the conservation of beaches, dunes, and grasslands of Northumberland.
Link: coast-care.co.uk/volunteer
Flood Wardens
The Environment Agency seeks volunteer flood wardens to play a vital role in protecting communities from flooding.
Link: gov.uk/government/news/call-for-volunteers
Digital
Green Clicks
Green Clicks research online/digital emissions to encourage more high profile websites to optimise and therefore reduce server load emissions from their often billions of visitors.
Link: green-clicks.com
Climate Volunteering is on a mission to increase the number of volunteers that are helping to reduce the threat of climate change.
