How to get involved and join others in the fight against climate change in Kansas City
Local environmental groups are working hard to make Kansas City more sustainable, proving that no one is alone in the fight to combat climate change.
After readers asked The Star’s new Service Journalism team how to help combat the climate crisis, we took a closer look at some of the ways to take action around Kansas City. There are plenty of ways to go green at home, and we have more stories coming soon on how else to get involved. If you have a question about sustainability you’d like our team to dig into, ask us using the form at the bottom of this story.
These groups offer opportunities to work towards climate justice alongside others right here in Kansas City.
Plant a tree: The Heartland Tree Alliance is a group of volunteers passionate about increasing the tree canopy over Kansas City. You can join them on certain weekdays and Saturdays to plant trees from 9:00 am until noon. Find out more about volunteering with this program through its parent organization, Bridging the Gap.
Share a ride: If you’re sick of your morning commute, you’re not alone. Rideshare KC is a nonprofit organization working to make commuting—and transportation in general—more fun and environmentally friendly in Kansas City. You can find a free ride, meet fellow bike and scooter users, arrange a carpool and more on the organization’s website.
Remove invasive plants: Invasive honeysuckle is rampant in the Heartland Overlook Preserve, a nature preserve in southern Kansas City recently purchased by the Heartland Conservation Alliance. The group’s volunteer action arm, Renew the Blue, is working to remove this invasive plant and give the HOP’s native foliage room to thrive. The group also organizes trash removals in the preserve.
Tend a garden: Volunteer opportunities are always available with Kansas City Community Gardens, a nonprofit that empowers city residents to grow their own food. The organization accepts volunteers for garden construction, community engagement and logistical work year-round.
Clean up a river: Missouri Confluence Waterkeepers, a statewide environmental nonprofit, is spearheading several clean water initiatives in Kansas City. Volunteers can sign up to empty litter from “trash traps” the group is placing in local rivers, or test tributaries of the Missouri River for microplastics. “It’s a very simple and fun process for volunteer citizen scientists,” said waterkeeper Rachel Bartels.
Restore a vacant lot: Is there an empty lot in your neighborhood where a garden, park, or gathering space could thrive? The Heartland Conservation Alliance helps provide resources to communities seeking to revitalize these vacant spaces. From cleanup to planting to ongoing maintenance, this group can provide knowledge and connections to these community-led initiatives.
It’s important to remember that not every opportunity will be right for you-- and that’s okay. “There are enough actions out there for everybody,” said Sami Aaron, founder of the local organization The Resilient Activist. “When you think about choosing what your activism is going to be, ask yourself, how does that feel?”
Aaron recommends choosing opportunities that make you feel joyful rather than angry, and hopeful rather than stressed. Picking activities that suit your passions and skill set will help sustain your involvement long-term. “When we get into some area of activism that doesn’t take us to joy… that’s not ours to do.”
