Successful Environment Projects

Based on the results of the Lions Clubs Service Activity Report, Lions have dedicated more than 9 million hours to protecting the environment in the last ten years. Environment projects have included tree planting, recycling, education, environmental clean-up, water preservation, and green technology projects as well as involvement in environmental advocacy/governance.

Memorial Forest (Dist. 36-O, USA): Oregon Lions worked with Lion Frank Lockyear to create a Vietnam Memorial Forest. This environment project, called "Say Yes to Trees,” will plant 60,000 trees to memorialize every fallen American in Vietnam.

International Reforestation Cooperation (Dist. J-1, URUGUAY): The Punte del Este and Montevideo Pocitos Lions Clubs created a local Joint Commission of Agriculture to promote the planting of 50 million trees. This reforestation effort grew from the club to the district level. Lions expanded the project by working with district governors in Georgia and Florida (USA) who donated pine seeds compatible with growing conditions in Uruguay.

Trees for Africa (MD 105, ENGLAND): Lions in MD 105, in concert with the Europa Forum, financed the planting of trees in Africa through twinned clubs. European Lions financed the trees, and African Lions provided progress updates and verified the planting.

Student Memorial Forest (Dist. 324-C2, INDIA): The Lions Club of Snehapuri donated trees for a school planting project. Each student watered his or her own tree. Name plates affixed to the saplings identified each tree.

Recycling Center (Dist. 17-SW, USA): Lions of Stafford, KS (pop. 2,000) organized a recycling center that processes 5,000 pounds of trash every two weeks. Working with commissioners, the city engineer and other interested parties, Lions arranged for an empty building to be the recycling center, and a local waste disposal company to pick up aluminum, plastic, newspaper and glass. The unmanned facility is opened and closed daily by local police.

Reusable Beverage Cups (Dist. 111-SM, GERMANY): At a Christmas fair, the Bad Wimpfen Lions Club initiated a concept to sell beverages in reusable cups. The achievement earned the club an environment certificate from the mayor.

Promoting Improved Disposal (Dist. 310-B, THAILAND): Many restaurants, schools and homes dump cooking grease in waterways. Accumulated grease hardens in outbound pipes and blocks water flow or causes grease to overflow into the public drainage system. To solve this problem, the Lions devised a simple method to trap grease and collect it in a bin. Later, the grease is buried under trees as fertilizer or dried in the sun to become charcoal.

Noise Pollution (MD A, CANADA): Canadian clubs compiled statistical data on the effects of noise pollution, which resulted in a report that serves as a prototype for clubs in other countries interested in adressing noise pollution issues.

Multi-Faceted Program (MD 103, FRANCE): Various service projects addressed different aspects of the environment, including a recycling program, a tree planting program, the clearing of a nature trail and preservation of a species of wild birds of prey. Lions also removed air pollution damage from religious and cultural monuments, and held district seminars on improving the environment.

Save the Himalayas (Dist. 322-B, INDIA): A bicycle rally created awareness of the environmental crisis facing the Himalaya Mountains and the Ganges River.

Save the Rhino Project (Dist. 412, ZIMBABWE): The Lions Club of Umfuli dedicated a fundraiser to save the black rhinoceros. Contributions from the successful benefit ball totaled US$70,000.

Hawaiian Island Clean-Up Campaign (Dist. 50, USA): The Kihei Lions Club supports annual clean up, forestation and preservation efforts on their island.

Cemetery Clean-Up (Dist. 335-A, JAPAN): The Akashi Futami Lions Club sponsors three cemetery cleanup projects per year, where they pull weeds and pick up litter.

Noxious Weed Eradication (Dist. 323-D, INDIA): The Miraj Lions Club organized an environment project to collect and destroy Parthenium Grass (Gajar Gawat), which poses a health threat to the community. The club paid workers to remove the grass.

Purifying the Seas (Dist. 108-Y, ITALY): The Agrigento Lions Club created a plan to save the Mediterranean Sea in accordance with the United Nations' Blue Plan. The club sponsors lectures, holds informational programs on safeguarding the Mediterranean from pollution and holds fundraisers to support this program.

Ecosystem Preservation (Dist. 111-NB, GERMANY): Lions aided in the reconstruction of a river ecosystem by altering the path of a local river. Lions will also help restore the river and an accompanying bird sanctuary.

River Clean Up (Dist. 333-B, JAPAN): The Utosonomiya Lions Club cleaned a local river and then stocked it with fish.

Potable Water (Dist. 411, TANZANIA): Local Lions clubs donated a safe drinking water system to the town of Morogoro. More than 1,000 residents have benefited from having access to safe drinking water.

Solar Energy for a Recycling Center (Dist. 36-R, USA): The Eugene Bethel Lions Club in Oregon developed an experimental solar unit to use as an energy source for their community recycling center.

Electric Car (Dist. 103-IP, FRANCE): Lion Michel Baury, Chairman of the National Committee on the Environment, helped develop an electric traction car. He worked with the City of Paris, and organizations including the UNEP, the Committee for the European Year of the Environment and the Electricite de France to complete his car. In 1990, he raced his car in the International Formula E Grand Prix of Touquet and a year later, entered it in the Vincennes Grand Prix.

International Court for the Environmental Safeguard of the Mediterranean Sea (MD 108, ITALY): Lions developed an international court to preserve their water source. The court maintains a seat in Rome, and has 18 member countries. It reviews violations compromising the equilibrium of the environment or those living in the area. Sentences, arbitrations and declarations according to international rules are served to those responsible for damaging the Sea.

Suggesting Improvements (Dist. B-9, MEXICO): The district advocated that local government agencies institute strict control of the area's air, land and water. The Lions proposed emission controls and increased oversight of landfill usage. In addition, they suggested a new sewage system to eliminate contamination of the general drainage system while effectively recycling water.

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