After graduating from the University of California, San Diego, Natalie Lepska wanted to contribute to the world before continuing her education. Now she volunteers planting trees with a San Diego nonprofit and teaches others about the importance of conservation.
As a fellow with the California Climate Action Corps, Lepska can further her leadership skills before going to law school while also contributing to a healthier planet. “Being able to inspire others has been very helpful, and makes me think that I’m on the right path to a fulfilling career,” she told ShareAmerica.
California Climate Action Corps is one of a network of programs in U.S. states that enable young people to develop valuable skills while protecting the environment.
In September, President Biden launched the American Climate Corps to enlist 20,000 young people across the country to help the environment and prepare them for the clean energy and climate resilience jobs of the future.
The federal climate corps will incorporate California Climate Action Corps and similar programs in other U.S. states, including Colorado, Maine and Washington.
California’s Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday told ShareAmerica his state offers volunteer opportunities for all ages. Fellowships — co-funded by AmeriCorps, a federal agency that organizes domestic volunteering opportunities — place volunteers in wildfire management, urban greening, education, and waste reduction and food recovery projects. California Climate Action Corps has placed over 300 fellows across the state.
“If we’re going to actually tackle climate change, we have to empower our most important asset — the 40 million people who call California home,” Fryday told ShareAmerica.
In San Francisco, Callie Shiang helps restaurants and grocery stores distribute food to homeless people and install composting systems. By sharing the environmental benefits of composting, which turns food and other organic matter into natural fertilizer, Shiang enables others to protect the environment.
“The work that I’m doing, I know it’s benefiting so many people,” said Shiang, who studied at the University of California, Davis before joining the California Climate Action Corps. “So that makes me really fulfilled.”
Across the country, in Maine, Anna Paddock works to meet growing climate threats. The Gulf of Maine is warming 99% faster than other parts of the world’s oceans, and the state’s coastal waters are projected to rise significantly over the next 30 years.
Paddock gained experience as a Maine Resilience Climate Corps fellow, where she created resilience plans for the city of Portland and other municipalities. Her contributions as a fellow led the Greater Portland Council of Governments to offer her a job advancing similar projects when her fellowship was completed.
Volunteers with the Colorado Climate Corps, started in 2022, work with state and local governments to prevent wildfires, develop green infrastructure and improve water-efficiency service for low-income households.
More than 770 volunteers served in the Colorado Climate Corps this past year, learning real-world skills while protecting the environment, according to Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera.
“We’re all on this planet together,” she says. “I’m always proud of people that are willing to serve, that have the heart and the passion for service, especially when it comes to ensuring our planet survives.”
Follow ShareAmerica for more information on the American Climate Corps and other U.S. efforts to address the climate crisis and protect the environment.