Service Learning

The Service Learning Experience is centered around immersing students in real-life experiences so they can understand some of the important issues we need to address in today’s society. This year, Service is taking a focus on sustainability with the goal of teaching delegates how to be more conscious consumers so they can make more informed decisions and create positive change within their communities.

One of the most pressing issues we face is overconsumption. We tend to buy new clothes (often buying into current trends), instead of wearing the ones we already have or considering if we truly need to buy this new item. Another important issue is where we shop for new clothes. Many popular brands engage in production tactics that harm our planet and cause pollution. This comes from the need to speed up production time to match current trends. These tactics often include using dangerous chemicals in supply chains, enormous quantities of water/pesticides, and exploiting workers all to create garments that will likely be worn only a few times by consumers.

The main thing we as a society can do is shift our consumption habits. Every small change makes a difference, as the only way to solve this issue is by doing it together. The first step to do this is buying less, consider styling the clothes you already have in different ways, upcycling them into new items, or even sharing clothes with friends! If you are buying new items of clothing, consider where you are buying from. Thrifting and buying second-hand from online stores is a great way to buy new items you need while still remaining eco-friendly! Finally, consider both how you wash your clothes, and what you do with them once their life is over. When we take more care to wash our clothes according to the label, we extend their wear-life, and ultimately, how many times we can use that item! On top of this, once an item is no longer wearable, it is important we either donate or repurpose it in a new way.

For the 2024 CASL State Conference, the Service Committee is excited to announce that we will be partnering with the West End Shelter for Animals to repurpose old T-shirts that would have normally been thrown away! Each delegate is being asked to bring a T-shirt, which will be cut up at the conference and turned into T-shirt blankets during our Service Area Room. These T-shirt blankets will be donated to the West End Shelter for Animals, which will use these blankets to keep all of their animals warm! We ask that these T-shirts do not contain any offensive/inappropriate language, violent imagery, or anything that could be considered hateful. Have more than one T-shirt you no longer wear? Feel free to bring multiple shirts for others who may not have spare T-shirts to cut up! Service is incredibly excited about this opportunity to make a positive impact and be a part of the change towards becoming a more eco-friendly society. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Service Committee using the contact information listed below!