"It's great team-building. We have volunteers, staff, and people from all different lines of service. We're just out together getting dirty, giving back to the community, and living out the mission of the Red Cross," said Brint Patrick, Executive Director for the American Red Cross of South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter and chair of the Region's Green Team. "For me, who lives close to the ocean, having a barrier between storms and myself is extremely valuable."  

The Green Team is a group of local staff and volunteers actively advancing sustainability efforts within the South Carolina Region. The Red Cross is committed to doing our part to help mitigate the climate crisis and reduce our environmental footprint by implementing a multi-year plan to cut our emissions, reduce our waste and lower our water use. Regional Green Teams support this work by identifying sustainability opportunities and inviting participation in local activities.   

In July, the South Carolina Green Team joined the Charleston Water Keeps and the state's Department of Natural Resources South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement Program (SCORE) to assist with a restoration project planting spartina grass, a native species in the Charleston marsh.   

"There's been a big issue of marsh grass dying off. We're planting grass along these newly excavated tidal channels. The grass has a really intricate root system and all those roots help stabilize the pluff mud [thick, clay-like mud made up of decaying matter unique to South Carolina's salt marshes], which is really soft and squishy," said Cheryl Carmack, Program Director at Charleston Water Keepers. "Planting the marsh grass will stabilize a tidal channel that is helping more water to flow back to the pluff mud that had all the grass die off."  

In addition to planting spartina grass, part of the overall marsh restoration project involves collecting recycled oyster shells, which are then used to build new oyster reefs. The shells are assembled in mesh bags or fabricated wire reefs and then deployed out into the shoreline, where they help recruit new baby oysters.   

"Stabilizing the marsh is stabilizing our first barrier of protection from hurricanes. These sustainability activities we're doing, between the marsh grass planting and oyster shells, are helping with flood mitigation," Cheryl explains. "Marsh restoration helps protect the land because it slows wave energy when it comes in with hurricanes. This is making a huge impact on the marsh and this community."   

Members of the South Carolina Green Team got their hands dirty by counting grass stems and then planting spartina grass in the pluff mud alongside other community groups interested in coastline preservation, including the South Carolina Aquarium.   

"We are ultimately trying to preserve our marsh, preserve the coastline, and get the community involved. All the work we do is not possible without our partnerships and volunteers. Like we always say, 'many hands make light work,'" said Kelly Lambert, Wildlife Biologist with the South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement Program. "There are a lot of people who love to live on the coast, a lot of people who enjoy the coastline and all the beauty it has to offer. There's no shortage of threats with sea-level rise, stronger storms, and stronger tides."  

As the climate crisis continues to worsen, the Red Cross is minimizing our impact on the planet by slashing emissions, cutting waste and lowering water use. We understand that how we deliver our mission matters significantly, and we're committed to doing our part. By reconsidering all aspects of our work through a new eco-friendly lens, we can help combat the impact that the climate crisis is having on the people we serve. Our goal is to continue meeting the ever-increasing need for our services while also mitigating any negative environmental impacts.   

"The marsh itself is one big sponge – it will hold water, that's what it's designed to do. That energy from hurricanes and storm surges will hit the oyster reefs and dissipate the energy. Without marsh, without that buffer zone, we're going to be in a world of hurt as coastal communities," said Kelly. "Different parts of the city have already experienced a lot of flooding throughout the years which is partly normal, but as the years go on, it has gotten worse. If we lose marshes, we lose our coastline. The more marsh we have, the more protected we can be."  

The Red Cross stands on the frontlines of the climate crisis, with families and communities responding to rapidly intensifying storms, extreme heat, and record flooding. In 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced an all-time high of 28 billion-dollar plus disasters that ravaged communities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. The Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters.

Learn more about how the Red Cross is responding to the climate crisis: redcross.org/climate

About Red Cross Sustainability Efforts: Since our founding in 1881, the American Red Cross has focused on preventing and alleviating the suffering caused by disasters and emergencies. Whether it was supporting our brave men and women in uniform during times of war, creating the first civilian blood collection program or finding new ways to meet needs through countless disasters, we have a long history of rising to meet the moment at times of crisis. As an organization, we have also long understood that it is not just our mission, but how we deliver our mission, that matters. Our commitment to addressing the climate crisis is a natural extension of our foundational mission, ensuring we continue to meet the moment, no matter the crisis, with compassion, innovation, and unwavering support for those in need.