Volunteer Sustainable Stillwater

Volunteer

Sustainable Stillwater believes that one of the best ways for people to learn about and to help promote sustainability is through volunteering for local 'green projects' in their community. We have several opportunities listed below. Contact us if you wish to volunteer for a project or start a project of your own.

Are you interested in helping to make Stillwater a more sustainable community?

Cool Cities Campaign: We are looking for people who would be interested in helping out with any of the activities listed below. Remember, ideas are important! Even if you are reluctant to devote a lot of your time to this important issue, please let us know if you have any suggestions or ideas that may help make Stillwater a ‘Cool City’. You can contact our Cool City Co-Coordinator, Cheryl Baker, at coolcities.stillwater@hotmail.com. We already reached Milestone #1 toward making Stillwater a ‘Cool City’ when we established our Cool Cities Campaign in the spring of 2007. Now, it’s time to make some progress toward Milestone #2 - Engaging the community.

COOL CITIES MILESTONE #2: ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY

-Create a Campaign Plan

-Generate at least 50 citizen letters, Op-Ed and three letters-to-the editor

-Give a Cool Cities presentation to at least three local community groups (business, architects, labor, faith, academics, health, youth, etc.)

-Send a formal letter to Mayor, co-signed by 2+ partner community groups requesting the mayor to sign (or take further action) on the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

(find out more at www.coolcities.us/ )

Adopt-A-Site Program: The City of Stillwater and Sustainable Stillwater believe that the success of the City's recycling program depends on proper preparation of recyclable materials and clean drop-off sites. To enhance the City's recycling program, and to encourage community involvement we have developed the Adopt-A-Site Program where community groups and organizations are responsible for helping to keep the sites clean and to educate recyclers about the right way to recycle in Stillwater. If your organization or community group would like to Adopt one of our recycling centers just contact us and review the Adopt-A-Site Application Packet online. Adopters are also responsible for contacting HEW Waste Systems when the containers are full, reporting to the City of Stillwater any incidents of illegal dumping and calling City Parks and Recreation when the sites need ground maintenance (such as yard work, fence mending, etc.).

Green Drinks Stillwater: A Volunteer is needed to organize 'Green Drinks Stillwater' and 'Green Coffee Chats Stillwater' events. Green Drinks, an international phenomenon, is a regular gathering of anyone interested in 'green' or sustainability issues. Green Drinkers are from all ages, backgrounds and groups - non-profit organizations, academia, government, small business, big business, self-employed, volunteers, students, concerned citizens....and everything in between (www.greendrinks.org). The volunteer will schedule and coordinate Green Drinks every month or every other month in Stillwater, and will post Green Drinks dates and locations to the SustSTW listserv and website, reserve restaurant or cafe space, and attend all Green Drinks events. Contact Ilda Hershey for more information about this volunteer opportunity (405) 762-2072 or ilda.hershey@okstate.edu.

Speakers Bureau: We need people who are educated in various environmental fields and are familiar with sustainability issues to join our speakers bureau and be willing to speak to different community groups or classrooms. We would like to offer this service to the Public School System and be willing to fill requests from different community organizations who are eager to learn more about sustainability. Contact us if you are interested in donating a couple of hours every three to six months towards this effort.

Outreach Opportunities: Sustainable Stillwater is involved in several outreach events such as tabling at the Farmer's Market and Audubon's Nature Day, and handing out pamphlets at the local Household Hazardous Waste event. We need people to help facilitate these outreach events. We are also open to people recommending events or we can help others to plan their own event.

Forums and Workshops: Sustainable Stillwater needs help planning and facilitating forums and workshops on sustainability issues concerning our community. We often like to partner with other organizations and could use the help of concerned individuals with promotion and event planning.