Author: Adrienne Bermingham

When she was in the 6th grade, Brooke Abbruzzese decided that she wanted to make a difference for animals and the environment. Always an animal-lover, Brooke had recently become captivated by primates after reading Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks’ graphic novel, “Primates,” which tells the stories of Jane Goodall, Birute Galdikas, and Dian Fossey. Around the same time, her dad introduced her to a friend of his — a primatologist who had worked with Koko the gorilla. Hearing about Brooke’s interest in primates and Dr. Jane, the friend told her about Roots & Shoots and encouraged her to start her…

We want to see a better world…one where compassionate leaders make decisions that benefit people, other animals, and the environment. Through the Roots & Shoots free online course, we’re providing training and support to educators who share in this vision.  Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots has delivered professional development to educators for more than 25 years. The new and improved free online course, “Growing Compassionate Young Leaders Through Service,” is an innovative, professional development training for educators that teaches participants to effectively identify and implement a service learning campaign with youth. The course is driven by Dr. Jane Goodall’s message of hope and vision…

“Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.” – Dr. Jane Goodall Dr. Jane often reminds us that “the greatest danger to our future is apathy,” and that ensuring a future for all animals and our environment begins with understanding. Much of our education about the natural world begins with our own sense of wonder…like when young Jane sought out to discover how chickens laid their eggs. But many of us owe our true understanding and appreciation for the Earth to our educators; that is, the patient…

This year has been bright indeed. For even in the face of overwhelming obstacles, the hopeful compassion of the next generation of leaders (that’s YOU) means we’ll soon arrive at a future in which individuals make choices that lead us toward a better world — for people, other animals, and the environment. We have seen youth engineer scientific devices to solve some of society’s biggest problems. We have heard the voices of students impact legislation. We have witnessed the dedication of wildlife warriors who protect those that cannot protect themselves. Let’s celebrate all that you’ve accomplished this year… For further reminders about all this hopefulness, determination, and ingenuity, revisit…

Roots & Shoots youth never need a special day on the calendar for giving – They give their attention to causes they care about all year round! From standing up for National Parks to helping the homeless in their communities to pledging to reduce their animal product consumption, Roots & Shoots youth do it all — for people, other animals, and the environment we share. But on the biggest giving day of the year, it could be extra good for all to give back in special ways! YOU are the compassionate young people who jump at the opportunity to give a…

This blog was written by Florence McCambridge, a JGI Canada Volunteer and originally published here. Looking to make a big impact with one small change? We’ve got just the thing. No Waste November is a global Roots & Shoots initiative where people around the world make a commitment to reduce the amount of waste they produce for an entire month. It’s the brainchild a team of Roots & Shoots youth leaders from Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, England, and New Zealand who spent a week with Dr. Jane Goodall at Windsor Castle in England alongside other Roots & Shoots leaders from many different…

Now playing on a car radio or boombox near you: Wendy Morgan and Darryl Boggs! Wendy & DB, an award-winning, interactive children’s music duo, have been creating and performing music with a message for more than a decade. Whether they’re getting funky about feelings (“It’s Okay Being You”) or grooving like our favorite animal friends (“Pink Flamingo”), their uplifting tunes for youth encourage curiosity and love for all. In the realm of driving people to action, has there ever been anything as convincing as a brilliant ballad? Wendy & DB certainly seem to be attuned to that notion as their latest…

Picture it: Stevie Wonder, Green Day, The Killers, The Lumineers, The Chainsmokers, Pharrell Williams, and Dr. Jane all hanging out…no, standing up. The stage is theirs (and ours and YOURS) at Global Citizens Festival 2017…to stand up for freedom, for justice, for all. Global Citizen Week kicked off on Sunday, September 17 which marked the start of a weeklong celebration of advocacy, action, and justice culminating in the Global Citizens Festival in Central Park on Saturday, September 23. All week long, young activists participated in events ranging from musical performances and meditation sessions to conferences and panels…all with the goal of showing how the power of an…

Got feelings about all this mention of climate change (or lack thereof) in the news? Want to reach out and support refugees in your community but not sure where to start? Did you spot an endangered species in your yard and NEED TO SHARE the pic? Join the club. No, really…join Roots & Shoots Communities on Facebook. YOUth have a lot to say about what’s going on in our world and deserve a place to share, vent, discuss, collaborate, and lead conversations. Whether you’re interested in discussing and taking action on climate change, industrial agriculture, wildlife trafficking, or ALL of these issues, there’s a Facebook…

26 years ago (or 9,497 days), Dr. Jane and a group of teenagers in Tanzania turned a back porch gathering into strategy session that would start them on a journey toward building a better future. Those 12 students would represent the very first Roots & Shoots group…the first of now thousands of groups in more than 100 countries motivated by seeking knowledge, living compassionately, and taking action to create a better world for all living things. Since that day in 1991, the Roots & Shoots global network has truly blossomed and there are now Roots & Shoots offices, educators, and members all over the…