Kelly Barbara Schnare

Motivations of Environmental Volunteers : a Cross Cultural Comparison: a Canadian Perspective from Taiwan Kelly Barbara Schnare

Working on-site with disaster relief, coastalcleanups on two oceans, interviews, in-person and on line surveys from Taiwan and Canada were extensively done to fully compare unique emerging themes in the environment and volunteering. Mandarin Chinese and English participant comments are available,while presentations in Australia and Singapore helped to fully develop this volunteering sector research. Initially, casual weekend participation with a volunteer group of quite committed flagship species visionaries became a model for synopsis. Through this, real integration into a backyard that is rich with cultural and ecological history, industrial development and a preservation citizens movement created a platform for understanding. The formal environmental volunteer is less than 1% of us, but through their concerted actions by simply reaching out in one's community, we learn everyone has a story, a reason, and a need, to learn more about the place they call home.