Best environmental groups?

[Polly_Sorbate_60]

Hi all,

Relatively new here, so I hope I'm ok posting a new thread :)

My question: What are the best environmental groups for the money? I belong to way too many (Nine at last count!!! I'm such a sucker for the new member solicitations :P) and am thinking it might be more efficient if I hone down the list to 1-3 good ones. Here are the ones I currently belong to:

1) Sierra Club
2) Nature Conservancy
3) Ocean Conservancy
4) NRDC
5) WWF
6) Defenders of Wildlife
7) National Wildlife Federation
plus a few local and state groups

(I really like the NRDC and Sierra Club magazines, so it would be hard to give them up.)

Thanks everyone!

[Webster Green]

1. Earth First!

Direct Action in the woods.

Bushco Inc. will not negotiate with environmentalists.

[Goathead]

2. Appalachian Trail Conference

It is really great because the entire trail is maintained by volunteers. They do tons of conservation work and they are innovative in the field of conservation, with programs to protect "view sheds" and buying land. Check it out:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

[YankeyMCC]

8. ATC

I will second that mention of the Appalachian Trail Conference if you live near or use any part of the Trail or surronding forrests (where such exists).

[Buzz Clik]

3. Well, it depends entirely upon what you want.

When it comes to having lawyers in the trenchers willing to go to the mat for environmental causes, the Sierra Club is numero uno. They have tons of money and are willing to do whatever it takes; they are as efficient at what they do as Rove et al. As you mentioned, they have a great magazine, and they have a great website and calendars.

NRDC, WWF, and Greenpeace are pretty tough players, too.

The Nature Conservancy does wonderful stuff at preserving critical ecosytems. They have my greatest admiration for that. However, when it comes to kicking butt, they aren't your group. Not unlike the Audobon Society.

I am a long-time member of the Nature Conservancy and Audobon Society. I joined the Sierra Club the day after Supreme Court declared Bush our 43rd Prez.

I'm not familiar with the rest.

[ochazuke]

4. About the Nature Conservancy

Did you hear about how they got caught a year or two ago using the purchase of pristine lands to be used as large estates for Conservancy big shots?

I cancelled my membership on that account. I don't know if I can restart yet as I've not heard if they mended their ways.

Certainly the work they do is important.

[Polly_Sorbate_60]

5. Yeah, I did hear

about that...I was really torn about re-upping my membership. I finally gave in, though.

(I just remembered I also belong to the League of Conservation Voters.)


What I also love about the Sierra Club, NRDC, and Defenders of Wildlife is that they send "action alert" updates via email or snail mail prior to key legislative deadlines. I've took part in several public comment opportunities and sent dozens of letters to my reps because of this.

Thanks guys!

[ochazuke]

7. Here's another one for public comments

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance suwa.org

Utah is ground zero for the bushy drilling machine as well as off-road vehicle maniacs.

[BlueHandDuo]

11. Oh, no! Nature Conservancy was my favorite...

...after I gave up on WWF (had some professional dealings with them re: creating a licensed product and encountered too much stupidity).

It's getting so that the only way I can donate to any organization without qualms is if I don't know anything about it. No, that's no good either.

[hatrack]

14. I gave up on the Nature Conservancy about a year ago

It wasn't so much their basic concept, which is great. It wasn't even the highly questionable legal & tax maneuvering which you mention. What chapped my hide was how relentlessly they pressed their lips to the ass of corporate America.

The last straw for this camel was a five-page worshipful profile of Jack Smith, ex. of GM. It went on and on and on about his committment to the Earth, his love of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and how critical fuel-cell cars are not just to GM's strategic plan, but to him personally . . . :puke:

I ended up in a multi-letter shouting match with NC about this (and I've got the letters somewhere if anyone might enjoy some light reading).

So, for now, it's down to the following for me:

NRDC
SUWA
Glen Canyon Institute
American Chestnut Foundation

[Redneck Socialist]

6. The two I like the most are...

The Wilderness Society and the League of Conservation Voters. TWS is very focused and does excellent grassroots organizing. LCV is the largest environmental political action committee going and works hard to elect pro-environment folks to congress. Their website is excellent toohttp://www.lcv.org/ well worth a peek.

Just my $0.02 worth.

[Fleurs du Mal]

10. LCV

The League of Conservation Voters is definitely up there. An excellent organization to support.

[AZCat]

12. I worked for the LCV here for a while...

Good group, IMHO. Plenty of local bang for your eco-$$ along with some good info on candidates.

[nicedream815]

9. my favorites

i get stuff from the worldwatch institute, which is good and informative and "global."
also, i get email updates from EEDaily and Greenwire.
by the way, i keep hearing about sierra club being too "mainstream" to successfully frame the real pressing issues...what are your thoughts on that?

[ramapo]

13. Too many groups??

I belong to NY/NJ Trail Conference, National Parks Conservation Assoc, Union of Concerned Scientists, LCV, and have been thinking about The Audobon Society and rejoining Sierra Club.

My concern is there are just too many of these groups, all with overhead, competing for funds. I wonder if the environmental movement would be better off with some consolidation though I'm really not comfortable with the ramifications of that either.

[Tree Hugger]

15. So many choices

I agree mad_as_hell, there are a ton of groups out there. I have recently joined Sierra Club, but haven't really gotten into it too deeply. There is a local meeting monthly here in Austin though, so I plan to check that out.

I wish there was one consolidated Environmental lobby that we could all get behind, but I do think each group has it's own individual agenda, so I find it helpful to check out websites and see if their mission statements move me.

I'm also a sucker for membership drives though. And free calendars get me every time!

[XemaSab]

16. Best environmental groups

The best groups are small, local land preservation groups. Very little of the money goes towards paying administrative overhead or soliciting new members with bulk advertising, as with the larger groups.

Many smaller groups will give you a voice as to how the money is being spent locally. Some local conservation groups will even give members access to their lands. Ultimately, you get the joy of seeing where your contribution is going.

[gringorio]

17. Baja & Gulf of California Conservation

hi

This site: http://www.BajaCaliforniaConservation.org neither gives nor receives any funding but rather is designed to facilitate communication for all parties interested in the science and conservation of the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortez. It's small, but it's a start. Please feel free to visit.

Thanks!
gringorio

[phantom power]

18. I also like the Student Conservation Association

People learn to value what they know. SCA introduces lots of kids to our park systems. And they help maintain our parks.
http://www.sca-inc.org/

[Trailmix]

19. Follow Up Question: Best Environmental News and Editorials

Hello:

I am not a frequent visitor to this forum, but I am wondering if participants in this thread might be able to do me a favor....

I am interisted in finding the best environmental news and editorials.

Thanks

http://www.trailmix.net/

[XemaSab]

20. Environmental news

www.tidepool.org hooks it up.....

[Trailmix]

25. Great Site...

Thank you...

[pmbryant]

21. Sierra Club and Audubon have always been my favorites

Sierra Club, with its California roots, does not play in Texas, where I currently reside.

Texas is in dire need of a cohesive environmental movement, one that unites traditional environmentalists with the large hunting community here. I don't know of such a group, but I plan to start looking around.

--Peter

[XemaSab]

22. Ducks Unlimited

Ducks Unlimited is a duck hunting/conservation group that does a huge amount for wetlands conservation. They buy wetland habitat and do lots of restoration work all over the country. For a while they were really upset with *'s environmental policies, and basically everything somewhat decent * has ever done for wetlands or conservation is at their urging.

Any group that's pro-wetlands-conservation is a friend of mine....

www.ducks.org

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/Projects/outreach/TXLettertoHunters.asp

[BearClaws]

23. DU is Great!

[pmbryant]

24. Thanks for the tip

I'll have to see if they are active around here.

--Peter