Climate Action Planning
Climate Action Planning is an effective, and proven, model at engaging young people to take action and make meaningful change in their local communities. Young people have a tremendous capacity to make change and create/implement new, innovative climate solutions. The CAP framework allows young people to harness their unique set of resources, skills, and positionalities in order create actionable climate projects which will impact their schools, communities, and more.
Example Climate Action Projects
Local students in Lake Placid start their own community composting business, Placid Earth Composting, to reduce local food waste.
Students at Saranac Lake High School worked with their local government to earn their NYS Climate Smart Communities bronze certification.
Lake Placid High School students started a community maple project where they would collect and boil maple sap from the community to help fund their Green Team.
Saranac Lake High School students plan a carbon neutral prom in order to offset emissions and educate their school about the climate cost of prom.
How to Start Your Climate Action Project
Step 1. Find your team. This could be a group of friends, your local Green Team, Environmental Club, or any preexisting environmental
organization in your community.Step 2. Download the Climate Action Plan Worksheet below.
Step 3. Brainstorm on what could be improved in your school, town, or any community that you are a part of.
Step 4. Solidify your project idea.
Step 5. Identify the key players who will help make your Climate Action Project happen. This could be local officials, school teachers, local business owners, etc.
Step 6. Determine what resources (funding, space, people, etc.) that you will need to bring your Climate Action Project to life.
Step 7. Create a resource map of all the assets that you CURRENTLY have at your disposal (funding, space, people, etc.)
Step 8. Create SMARTIE goals to measure your success and what that will look like.
CAP Resources
Mini Grant Program
The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program will be accepting applications for our mini-grant program before the year's end. The mini-grants are meant to help empower your Climate Action Projects and provide funding to help with any costs that your Climate Action Project may incur. Our grants range from $100 - $500 and will be awarded with the aim of supporting student led Climate Action Projects or related activities. Once your Climate Action Project is completed, we will require a final report of your project, how it went, and how it is impacting your community. For more information, please contact our Youth Climate Leadership Coordinator Garrett Marino at gmarino@wildcenter.org.
CAP Facilitator Resources
We highly recommend that all summit sites include time for Climate Action Planning at their events! Below you will find a set of resources to help get you started with hosting your Climate Action Planning workshop. The Climate Action Planning workshop will help bridge your Youth Climate Summit to the lives and communities of your participants.