Environmental Education

Awareness & Understanding

You're surrounded by nature every day, but how much do you really know about it? Start by exploring your local environment. Visit Liberty Park, Red Butte Garden, or a neighborhood trail and spend 20 minutes just observing. What plants, birds, or insects do you notice? Write down five things you've never stopped to think about before. Then check out the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website — it's free and packed with info about local species. Watch one short video on a Utah native plant or animal. Talk to a friend or family member about something cool you discovered. You're ready for the next step when you can name three local plants or animals and explain one interesting fact about each.

Research & Investigation

Now it's time to dig deeper. Pick one environmental topic that affects Salt Lake City — air quality, water usage, invasive species, or urban wildlife. Use free resources like the Utah Division of Environmental Quality website or search Khan Academy for "ecosystems" and "environmental science." Look up how your topic affects your neighborhood specifically. Read two articles or watch two videos and take notes on what surprised you most. Ask a teacher, librarian, or park ranger one question about your topic. Keep a simple research log with your sources and key facts. You're ready for the next step when you can explain your chosen topic and why it matters to your community using at least three facts from your research.

Planning & Preparation

You've got knowledge — now build a plan to share it. Decide who you want to teach: younger students, neighbors, your class, or a community group. Choose a format that fits your audience: a poster, a short presentation, a nature walk, or a social media post. Draft an outline with a clear message, three key facts, and one hands-on activity (like identifying a local bird or planting a seed). Gather free materials — Utah's iNaturalist app helps you ID species on the spot. Set a date and location. Practice your introduction out loud at least twice. You're ready for the next step when you have a written plan with your topic, audience, format, key facts, activity, and a scheduled date.

Taking Action

It's time to teach! Run your environmental education activity with a real audience. Whether it's five friends at the park or a full classroom presentation, focus on making it interactive. Share your key facts, lead your hands-on activity, and invite questions. Use iNaturalist to help people identify something together in real time. Take photos or notes during the session. Afterward, ask at least three participants: "What was the most interesting thing you learned today?" Write down their answers. If something didn't go as planned, note what you'd change. You're ready for the next step when you've completed your activity with a live audience and collected feedback from at least three people.

Leadership & Expansion

One session was just the beginning. Now expand your reach. Organize a follow-up event, recruit a friend to co-teach with you, or present to a new audience. Connect with a local organization — try Wasatch Front Regional Council, Audubon Society of Utah, or your school's science department — to see if you can partner on a future program. Create a simple one-page guide or resource sheet that others can use after you're gone. Post your experience on a school bulletin board or community board. You're ready for the next step when you've either run a second session, partnered with a local group, or created a shareable resource that someone else has actually used.

Impact & Reflection

Look back at everything you've done. Write a short reflection — one page or less — answering these questions: What did you teach, and who did you reach? What changed in how you think about nature? What feedback did you get, and what did you adjust? Did your audience's awareness grow? Calculate your total reach: how many people heard your message? Share your reflection with a mentor, teacher, or parent. Think about one environmental habit you'll personally keep doing. You're ready for the next step when you've written your reflection, calculated your reach, and shared at least one thing you'll keep doing differently because of this quest.