Save the planet! Save the tiger! Save the Monarch butterfly! Save the Bay! There are many environmental conservation charities that seek to do these things and more, either on a global scale or right in your own neighborhood. We are all citizens of a fragile environment which we can all help preserve and protect. This is a worthy cause and exciting, too.
Knowing about the life around you enriches any outdoor experience. For instance, several species of mussels used to live in North America's freshwater creeks. If you see them now (or maybe their shells left from a raccoon's dinner), you'll know your favorite brook isn't polluted to any great extent. If you don't find them, you could support efforts to clean up your local waterways. You might prefer to preserve an endangered woodpecker's habitat or make sure that native butterflies have places to lay their eggs.
Whatever you may feel about militant animal rights zealots, it's still kind of neat to think of stalwart naturalists braving remote oceans to protect giant whales or declining fish populations from illegal fishing boats. It's neat to think that a whole mountain can be bought and managed for the welfare of an endangered species. After all, if the country has gotten along this long without that timber, or coal, or whatever, it can probably continue to do so.
If you're worried about the welfare of those who live in protected areas and can't make a living by cutting trees, there's good news. You can find a group that seeks to teach local farmers or forest dwellers about sustainable farming, soil improvement and conservation, and other methods to improve their lot without damaging pristine natural areas. These groups also work to open markets for indigenous people and their products; the 'fair trade' movement is an example.
You can find local programs to support or you can contribute to an international non-profit. Fight mountain-top removal or clear cutting in the rainforest. Give to educational foundations that work to educate people on water conservation, recycling, or protecting their personal watershed.
Children have started action groups that are now international non-profits. Organizations can have a local focus, serve a state or nation, work in an entire continent, cover a region, or have a global impact. You might want to support educational efforts, restore native grasses to the prairie, plant trees on old strip mines, or improve the lot of domestic cows, pigs, and chickens. There are many ways to make sure you are part of the solution rather than the problem.
To help make sure your donation will be effective, there are many rating systems. Evaluation services look at things like administrative costs or evidence of mismanagement and waste. Not all charities are rated, but many of them are. You will find a wide difference of opinion on which are 'best', and perhaps some political bias, but in general a high rating from a reputable source is a comfort.
Whether you like the idea of buying land, keeping a local botanical garden afloat, or reducing the carbon footprint on our forests, there's a cause for you. All non-profits need faithful donors to survive.
Knowing about the life around you enriches any outdoor experience. For instance, several species of mussels used to live in North America's freshwater creeks. If you see them now (or maybe their shells left from a raccoon's dinner), you'll know your favorite brook isn't polluted to any great extent. If you don't find them, you could support efforts to clean up your local waterways. You might prefer to preserve an endangered woodpecker's habitat or make sure that native butterflies have places to lay their eggs.
Whatever you may feel about militant animal rights zealots, it's still kind of neat to think of stalwart naturalists braving remote oceans to protect giant whales or declining fish populations from illegal fishing boats. It's neat to think that a whole mountain can be bought and managed for the welfare of an endangered species. After all, if the country has gotten along this long without that timber, or coal, or whatever, it can probably continue to do so.
If you're worried about the welfare of those who live in protected areas and can't make a living by cutting trees, there's good news. You can find a group that seeks to teach local farmers or forest dwellers about sustainable farming, soil improvement and conservation, and other methods to improve their lot without damaging pristine natural areas. These groups also work to open markets for indigenous people and their products; the 'fair trade' movement is an example.
You can find local programs to support or you can contribute to an international non-profit. Fight mountain-top removal or clear cutting in the rainforest. Give to educational foundations that work to educate people on water conservation, recycling, or protecting their personal watershed.
Children have started action groups that are now international non-profits. Organizations can have a local focus, serve a state or nation, work in an entire continent, cover a region, or have a global impact. You might want to support educational efforts, restore native grasses to the prairie, plant trees on old strip mines, or improve the lot of domestic cows, pigs, and chickens. There are many ways to make sure you are part of the solution rather than the problem.
To help make sure your donation will be effective, there are many rating systems. Evaluation services look at things like administrative costs or evidence of mismanagement and waste. Not all charities are rated, but many of them are. You will find a wide difference of opinion on which are 'best', and perhaps some political bias, but in general a high rating from a reputable source is a comfort.
Whether you like the idea of buying land, keeping a local botanical garden afloat, or reducing the carbon footprint on our forests, there's a cause for you. All non-profits need faithful donors to survive.
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Find a summary of the reasons why you should support environmental conservation charities and more info about a great charity at http://saverthefoundation.org right now.
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