Rotary and the Environment

Rotary is one of the largest organisations working to make the world a better place, and that includes supporting (i.e. saving or restoring) our environment.

With 1.2 million members in 40,000+ clubs around the world, including our very own here in Ashgrove/The Gap, Rotary is well set up to “Think global, act local”.

Many people only see Rotary here through our local community-based projects.

In 1905, when Rotary was founded with the motto “Service Above Self” concern about “The Environment” being in any danger scarcely existed.

With the work of such pioneers as Frank Fraser Darling and Rachel Carson people awoke to the increasing stress that a rapidly increasing human population was placing on Earth’s resources.  So, Rotary added “Supporting the Environment” as an explicit Area of Focus – although much of what we were already doing `in disease control, clean water supply etc could be considered “environmental”.

Does eliminating Polio from the planet (nearly done) count as environmental work? 
The mothers of the children certainly think so.  This was the brainchild of RI president Sir Clem Renouf from Nambour.

What’s the simplest and most obvious positive local action one can take?
Plant a tree, of course.

Here is TGSHS Interact Club (a Rotary school-based operation) doing that, which raises an important point: you don’t have to be a full member of Rotary to participate in Rotary action. We work with a lot of volunteer helpers, young and old, and we contribute Rotary funds to other worthy projects – such as EcoFest itself.

Here are other things Rotary is doing around the world:

• Conservation burials in Canada   https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2026/06/after-life-a-return-to-the-earth
• Clean water in Haiti    https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2026/05/rotary-to-scale-proven-water-and-sanitation-initiative-in-haiti
• https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2026/01/a-restoration-plan-for-texas-coastal-waters-includes-rain-gardens
• https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2025/08/interactors-in-peru-learn-the-magic-of-rotary
• https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2025/07/for-the-love-of-nature
• https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2025/05/healing-water-the-klamath-river-restoration
• https://www.rotary.org/en/articles/2024/08/submerged-ships-transform-artificial-reefs-mexico

This all comes together in the world-wide Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), which crosses countries and club structures to address the environment focus.  Rotary does love an acronym!

Nearly Finished

Rotarians, volunteers, and the community working together to make the world a better place.