Environmentalism
By: Lisa     

There are a lot of issues out there right now that need to be addressed and taken care of, but environmentalism is probably one of the most overlooked and underrated subjects of concern. For those of you out there who care about the cleanliness of the environment around us as well as the sustainability of natural resources and wildlife, I’ve put together some information that will help you find ways of taking steps toward making your voices heard and making changes that will have long-term positive effects that everyone can benefit from.     

     Global Response is found on the web at www.GlobalResponse.org. This group encourages citizens to write letters to the government expressing their feelings and concerns about environmental preservation. In each campaign, they provide names and contact information of officials that need to be addressed regarding a particular issue. The group claims that the campaigns are very effective and help bring about changes. The organization spans 91 countries and is still open to new members who wish to join. It is a growing, hard-working community who knows the importance of letting government officials know how the people truly feel about environmental issues. While striving to prove to the government that people really do care about their living conditions around the world, these people bring up issues that might not have been addressed previously within the government.

     SaveOurWetlands.org is a community of environmentalists that has been working since 1974 to preserve valuable wetlands and educate others on how to make improvements to the environment. Within the site, there are five simple steps that anyone can take to help the environment, which include voting, writing to politicians, purchasing natural products, educating yourself and others, and spending time to make changes for a cause that is important to everyone’s well-being. Also, there are many links to other environmental organizations with websites from around the world and within the United States.

     WorldWildlife.org is the official website of WWF, World Wildlife Fund, and it is dedicated to the protection of endangered species and their habitats all over the world. The site has a section entitled “Take Action,” in which dozens of campaigns are detailed. You can read through each campaign and it’s very easy to send a letter to a government official via the site. And you can donate directly to the organization as well.

     Visit www.ucsusa.org for the website of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a group of independent scientists and citizens who also allow you to take action directly through their site to send letters to officials addressing important causes, which range from global warming to nuclear weapons development to health concerns. Most of the campaigns are in some form or another backed by science, and therefore offer a realistic, sometimes harsh, glimpse into problems that we sometimes have trouble realizing exist. And if you sign up for their mailing list, you can expect to get tips in your email on how you can directly help the environment by taking small steps and making slight changes to your lifestyle. 

     For those especially concerned with the health of our oceans, The Ocean Conservancy at www.OceanConservancy.org is a group that provides news and alerts about our seas and oceans and the wildlife living in them. Click on the “Get Involved” link and do just that. It takes just a few minutes to register, and once you’re set, you’re ready to send letters to your officials to let them know how you feel. 

     There are tons more websites and organizations out there that are really easy to find and that offer ways of expressing your thoughts on important issues easily and effectively. All you have to do is take the time to educate yourself, open your mind, and realize that it doesn’t take much to make an important difference.