PGC 2024 Day 27: Advocate – Project Green Challenge

Day 27

Advocate

What tools can you use to stand for change?

Introduction

Your voice is one of the most important tools you have. Activists stand out because they are not afraid to unite, share opinions, and take action. They challenge corporations and promote justice for both the planet and its people. Organizing for a just world happens on both small and large scales, globally and locally. After PGC ends, how will you continue your activism and advocate for yourself and your community?

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What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
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Jane Goodall, English primatologist, anthropologist, and author

Read More ⌄

Grassroots Activism: Power in Local Action

One of the most impactful ways to stay involved is through grassroots activism. Simply put, this means working directly with people on the ground. When we listen to one another and uplift the voices of those most affected, we can address environmental and social issues more effectively and equitably. Our partner, Project Drawdown, connects people worldwide with local leaders to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and to continue advancing climate solutions.

What Does Activism Look Like?

Grassroots activism has shaped movements for social change throughout history, from the United States Civil Rights Movement to Kenya’s Green Belt Movement. Today, grassroots environmental efforts span the globe. In Pakistan, the Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organization collaborates with village farmers to protect snow leopards, transforming their relationship with livestock herds.

In California, Andrea Vidaurre, a 2024 Goldman Prize winner, worked with communities to establish emissions standards for trains and buses. Her activism highlights the burden of poor air quality placed on communities of color by nearby corporations. As Vidaurre says, “There’s no more time to waste.”

Movements like these are led by those who intimately know their communities and land. By working with local governments or founding their own organizations, these activists address the issues that matter most and push for environmental progress.

Inspiring Youth Activism

Youth are leading the charge in grassroots movements around the world. One example is Nalleli Cobo, a 21-year-old climate activist who grew up across from oil extraction facilities in Los Angeles. After surviving cancer likely caused by nearby pollution, she founded People Not Pozos (meaning “wells” in Spanish), fighting the oil industry to protect her community. Activists like Nalleli show how local action can spark global change.

How Can You Continue Advocating?

Through PGC, you’ve found a community of like-minded peers who will continue as environmental leaders alongside you. If you’re seeking more ways to connect with others, check out our partner Earth Guardians. This nonprofit offers resources, training, and gatherings to involve youth in anti-racist and anti-colonialist climate activism. Find your local crew here!

You can also look to companies making a positive impact. Acure, a pioneer in clean skincare, partners with us to support your journey of climate activism. They ethically create high-quality products and want to encourage the next generation to make systemic change in ways that feel most impactful to them.

Make Your Voice Heard

There are countless ways to use your voice to advocate for a better future. Explore opportunities to get involved with grassroots organizations in your community, on your campus, or online. Your voice is invaluable in driving conversations about the environmental issues that matter most to you.

PARTNERS

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Advocacy Resources

Empowering yourself with the right tools is key to effective activism. Below, you’ll find resources designed to help you amplify your voice, connect with others, and take meaningful action for the causes you care about.

CHALLENGES

Green

20 POINTS

THINK

Environmental issues are being tackled in diverse ways across the globe. Since different problems require different solutions, it’s essential to consider not only the nature of the issue but also who is impacted and how it can be resolved.

CHALLENGE

Identify an Environmental Issue in Your Area
Research local grassroots organizations that are addressing a specific environmental issue in your community. Then, answer the following questions:
- What environmental issues are being addressed in your community?
- Who is impacted the most?
- What groups are actively working to solve this issue?
- How can everyday people get involved, and could you join in?
Write a Statement About Your Findings
Summarize your research and reflections in a brief statement. Be sure to include what you learned about the issue, the organizations involved, and how others can help.
Share Your Advocacy
Post your statement along with a photo that will draw attention to your cause on Instagram. Tag @TurningGreenOrg with #PGC2024 and, where applicable, include the social media handle of the organization you researched.

SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Create a PDF: Combine your deliverables and a screenshot of your social media post into a single PDF. Ensure your name (or team name), username, and school are included.
File Naming: Save your PDF as firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf
e.g.: kasie_jones_day27_green_2024.pdf
Avoid using symbols (including #) or spaces in the file name.
File Size: Ensure the file size does not exceed 5 MB.
Submit: Upload your PDF. A green confirmation message will appear if your submission is successful. If you don’t see this, please try again.
Points: If your total points don’t update, your submission may not have uploaded correctly—please retry.
Score: Points can be checked by going to Edit Profile on the bottom navigation bar. Your score is at the top of the page.
Questions: Direct any inquiries to info@turninggreen.org
Social Media: Share your challenge activities on social media, tagging us on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg, Facebook @Turning Green, and using #PGC2024.

The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

Greener

40 POINTS

THINK

Community-based organizing is happening worldwide, making it even more important for us to use our voices to connect and elevate this critical work.

CHALLENGE

Choose a Grassroots Organization
Select the grassroots organization you found during the Green challenge, or any organization that resonates with you.
Design a Promotional Flier
Create a flier to promote the organization’s work. Be creative, and include important details like current initiatives, contact information, social media handles, and powerful visuals to attract attention. Canva and Google Slides are excellent free tools, but feel free to use any creative software that works for you.
Share Your Flier on Social Media
Post a copy of your flier on social media. Tag @TurningGreenOrg with #PGC2024 and include the social media account of the organization you’re highlighting (where applicable).

SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Create a PDF: Combine your deliverables and a screenshot of your social media post into a single PDF. Ensure your name (or team name), username, and school are included.
File Naming: Save your PDF as firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf
e.g.: kasie_jones_day27_greener_2024.pdf
Avoid using symbols (including #) or spaces in the file name.
File Size: Ensure the file size does not exceed 5 MB.
Submit: Upload your PDF. A green confirmation message will appear if your submission is successful. If you don’t see this, please try again.
Points: If your total points don’t update, your submission may not have uploaded correctly—please retry.
Score: Points can be checked by going to Edit Profile on the bottom navigation bar. Your score is at the top of the page.
Questions: Direct any inquiries to info@turninggreen.org.
Social Media: Share your challenge activities on social media, tagging us on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg, Facebook @Turning Green, and using #PGC2024.

The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

Greenest

60 POINTS

THINK

Today, you’ve explored the power of grassroots movements and why they are effective. Now, it’s time to apply that knowledge and imagine your own grassroots campaign or initiative. Before you begin, here’s some inspiration.

CHALLENGE

Reflect on an Environmental Issue
Think about an environmental issue that has captivated your attention over the past 26 days. Now, imagine building a campaign to address that issue. Start by exploring these resources on how to build an effective campaign/movement here and here.
Organize a Discussion
Gather a group of friends, community members, school officials, or others to have a conversation about your chosen issue. Create a brief presentation to share your ideas and engage in meaningful discussion.
Share Your Insights
After your meeting, summarize your conversation in an Instagram carousel post. Be sure to tag @TurningGreenOrg and highlight key takeaways from your discussion.
Address Key Questions
In your presentation, try to answer the following questions, but feel free to tailor it to your community and values:
- Who does the issue impact? Why does this population matter to the people you’re meeting with?
- What is your objective, and how can you ensure your work is relevant and effective?
- How can you create a solution that’s big enough to make a difference?
- How would you create opportunities for others to get involved?
Gather Feedback
After your meeting, ask some of your participants to share their thoughts on the conversation. We’d love to hear reflections from both them and you!

Don’t forget to post a summary of your conversation on Instagram, tagging @TurningGreenOrg, and share how you’re taking steps toward becoming an eco-hero. Grassroots activism starts with a few individuals and grows into a movement—this is your chance to spark change!

SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Create a PDF: Combine your deliverables and a screenshot of your social media post into a single PDF. Ensure your name (or team name), username, and school are included.
File Naming: Save your PDF as firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf
e.g.: kasie_jones_day27_greenest_2024.pdf
Avoid using symbols (including #) or spaces in the file name.
File Size: Ensure the file size does not exceed 5 MB.
Submit: Upload your PDF. A green confirmation message will appear if your submission is successful. If you don’t see this, please try again.
Points: If your total points don’t update, your submission may not have uploaded correctly—please retry.
Score: Points can be checked by going to Edit Profile on the bottom navigation bar. Your score is at the top of the page.
Questions: Direct any inquiries to info@turninggreen.org.
Social Media: Share your challenge activities on social media, tagging us on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg, Facebook @Turning Green, and using #PGC2024.

The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

PRIZES

Up to 10 Greener and 10 Greenest outstanding submissions will be selected as winners.

Each Greener Winner will receive:

A $50 Gift Code from our partners at Acure. They have one simple mission: to make clean beauty products accessible. Through ongoing product development and rigorous clinical trials, Acure has developed products that are powerful for the skin and the planet and are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.

Each Greenest Winner will receive:

A $75 Gift Code from our partners at Acure. They have one simple mission: to make clean beauty products accessible. Through ongoing product development and rigorous clinical trials, Acure has developed products that are powerful for the skin and the planet and are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.
A copy of the book Drawdown Review, Climate Solutions for a New Decade from Project Drawdown. This Review represents solutions to move the world toward “Drawdown”—the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline.