Volunteerism

By Scott Newman

In so many facets of life, it is clear that what "goes around, comes around." If an individual expects to live in a clean, healthy environment, then he or she must make a commitment (large or small) to maintain that environment. If an individual wants a better, safer community, then he or she must participate in the community. (Click the heading above to read the full position paper)

The Springfield Quality of Life Committee

I am a founding member of the Springfield Quality of Life Committee. This group of volunteers originally banded together to compel the Springfield High School to devise better plans to control traffic, parking, noise, trash, and safety issues prior to hosting nighttime sporting events. Through the talents, commitments, and hard work of all who participated, the Springfield High School now holds nighttime sporting events while making a concerted effort to maintain proper traffic control, limit parking violations, clean up trash, reduce noise pollution, and notify the local citizens in advance of events. The local citizens are happier and the children are safer. Truly a win-win situation.

GreenTreks Network

GreenTreks broadcasts stories about ordinary people who become empowered, take some risks, and win their battles. Why is this important? Because it serves as a role model for those of us who become complacent in the familiarity of day-to-day routine. It serves as a source of empowerment for individuals who wish to step off the corporate treadmill for just a moment to do something for themselves by giving back to the nation and to the world.

The goal of GreenTreks is to empower people to make positive change. They tell stories that change the world by example. As part of their team, I helped empower people to become involved in protecting the environment by exposing them to the kind of localized viewpoints that compel them to care. If you are seeking that illusive "something better," a good place to start might be the GreenTreks WebSite (http://www.GreenTreks.org).