ENVIRONMENT
COMMUNITY
SHARE
This page is comprised of story modules highlighting projects, events, or activities that exemplify the ways in which our District 5020 Clubs are engaging with and helping protect the environment. It is intended as a space for environment community members to share and learn, and also as a way for Rotary-curious individuals to discover more about us.
Click directly on the modules below to learn more about each experience. If you would like to submit a Rotary environment-positive story, visit the Community Share section of our Environment page.
Survey Says Distrtict 5020 Clubs Care about Protecting the Environment
The results of a 2025 district-wide survey show a widely based commitment to environmental stewardship, with many clubs having completed impactful initiatives like community clean-ups, tree planting, and recycling programs. Clubs are eager for collaboration and support in developing environmental projects appropriate for their communities and beyond.
Sidney by the Sea is Committed to Environment all Year
Sumner Rotary Launches Monarch Garden Project
Responding to the alarming decline of the Monarch butterfly population, the Sumner Rotary Environmental Committee (SREC) constructed a 750-square-foot Monarch Waystation Garden at a local elementary school in early 2026. A true community collaboration, the garden will be maintained by students, local senior garden clubs, and Sumner Rotary members—bridging generations through shared stewardship.
Poulsbo Rotary Gives New Life to 100,000 Pounds of Plastic
In mid-October 2025, the Rotary Club of Poulsbo dropped off its 100,000th pound of plastic film to its local Safeway store, waste that would otherwise be taking up space in a landfill. The plastics were then collected by a company called Trex, which recycles plastic film and waste wood products into a composite for the creation of decks and outdoor furniture.
Solar Cookers Save Lives
District 5020 Clubs support the Solar Cooker Project in Chihuahua, Mexico. Solar cookers are life-saving appliances that help individuals and communities cook without the negative effects of burning wood, improving the health of those cooking and keeping carbon-capturing trees alive in the earth and sustaining the environment.
Down with the Wall
The Rotary Club of Comox contributes $2500 to support Project Watershed in the restoration of the Kus-kus-sum tidal marsh with the last major undertaking for the project to remove the steel wall from the riverway.
Sidney Appreciates Trees
The Rotary Club of Sidney by the Sea participated in the town’s 2025 Tree Appreciation Day Event to help the community plant 50 local maple trees in Brethour Park.
Sooke Rotary Makes Highway Cleanups FUN
Every year the Rotary Club of Sooke cleans up litter from the shoulders and ditches along Highway 14 between Sooke River Bridge and Daniel’s Market. The benefits of highway cleanups include community engagement, environmental protection, enhanced safety, economic impact, reduced waste, and they can be a lot of fun!
Bottle Drives Serve Community & Environment
The Rotary Club of Oak Bay monthly bottle drives raise funds to support projects and programs in the community, divert refundable beverage containers from landfills, reduce pollution, facilitate resource conservation, and encourage “closed-loop” economy.
Canada’s First Rotary EcoClub
In June 2021, an intrepid team of Rotarians from the community of Shawnigan Lake chartered as “Canada’s First Rotary EcoClub.” The Club takes a “down-to-earth, hands-on, boots-on-ground approach to community service.”
Beach Cleanups Made Easy
Beach cleanups are a fun and exciting way to do something meaningful for your community and the environment. The Rotary Club of Oak Bay participates monthly, alongside other community members, to help Surfrider Foundation keep Vancouver Island beaches clean and to prevent debris from entering back into the ocean.