All of us need to protect our planet. We the people can (and do) mess things up. We all share the concern that we might run out of clean water, clean air, or basic food. One way we can help is to support non-profit organizations that try to preserve, protect, and conserve our natural treasures. We can share in the exciting struggles and victories of environmental conservation charities.
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.
Perhaps you want to help wild creatures and indigenous peoples, too. Organizations that teach sustainable farming methods and develop markets for small landowners are helping people earn a living while preserving sensitive wilderness areas. Even buying 'fair trade' items helps, and direct contributions do even more.
All of these groups need money. Choose a way to donate that reflects your passion. If you love the Allegheny Mountains, find a local, regional, or national organization which works in them. If you're afraid the rainforest will disappear, look for groups that are making sure that doesn't happen. If you want to conserve energy, water, land, or oceans, you have many causes to choose from.
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.
If you want to help buy land that is especially vulnerable, educate children to the importance of conserving natural resources, save birds or butterflies, protect the ocean or the jungle, or restore native grasses to the prairie, you can find a charity that does the work. All major preservation efforts need support to keep going.
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.
Perhaps you want to help wild creatures and indigenous peoples, too. Organizations that teach sustainable farming methods and develop markets for small landowners are helping people earn a living while preserving sensitive wilderness areas. Even buying 'fair trade' items helps, and direct contributions do even more.
All of these groups need money. Choose a way to donate that reflects your passion. If you love the Allegheny Mountains, find a local, regional, or national organization which works in them. If you're afraid the rainforest will disappear, look for groups that are making sure that doesn't happen. If you want to conserve energy, water, land, or oceans, you have many causes to choose from.
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.
If you want to help buy land that is especially vulnerable, educate children to the importance of conserving natural resources, save birds or butterflies, protect the ocean or the jungle, or restore native grasses to the prairie, you can find a charity that does the work. All major preservation efforts need support to keep going.
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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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