Environmental Activism: Demystifying How to Get Involved

Learn about some of the ways you can get involvedissues from saving the whales to cleaning up beaches
in the going green movement. and more.
Going green starts with the simple choices we makeSlow Food Movement:
every day to be more conscious of what we do andWhile this international organization was not founded
how we do it. It continues through environmentalon the premise of helping the environment, its
activism and involvement, no matter how large orprinciples about how food and wine should be
small that commitment may be. We all have aproduced and enjoyed are in direct alignment with
responsibility to think globally and act locally.the principles of going green activism. More organic
What's great about eco-activism today is that weand regional staples and less mass produced,
live in an age where we don't have to conduct sit-insflavorless, cheaply shipped food will help us get our
or chant angrily outside of government buildings toplanet, our sanities, and our taste-buds back to
make a statement. In fact, entire groups of activistswhere they should be. 
and tree-huggers don't even have to be in the sameNatural Resources Defense Council:
room together to get a point across with theFighting to protect human health and the natural
technologies that abound these days.world since 1971 this organization tackles
Technology has made virtual tree-hugging anenvironmental activism topics such as global warming,
extremely effective means of connecting people,clean air and water, and has helped safeguard polar
building support infrastructures, getting voices heard,bears, prevented oil drilling in Alaska, and initiated
and saving fuel to and from demonstrations to boot!cleaner vehicle programs.
Between blogging, social networking, and onlineUnion of Concerned Scientists:
applications like Twitter, there's no lack of resourcesFounded in 1969 at the Massachusetts Institute of
to get your voice and message heard.Technology, this watchdog group is a joint initiative
Sierra Club:between students and professors to focus on topics
This grassroots organization has been working tosuch as food safety, nuclear policy, clean air and
protect communities, wild places, and the planet itselfvehicles, and global warming. UCS actively works to
since 1892 and has chapters all across the Uniteddevelop realistic changes and solutions to current
Statesgovernment policy, corporate practices, and
Consequence:consumer choices.
This organization is dedicated to taking political actionStop Global Warming:
at the state and federal levels in order to have yourLaunched by Hollywood producer Laurie David (one
voice heard by those who can impart change - yourof the masterminds behind the film An Inconvenient
local congressmen (and women). Sign up for theirTruth, this organization has been harnessing the
newsletter to get updates on the most recentpower of the entertainment industry to create
happenings on Capitol Hill regarding climate changeawareness and enact change through efforts such as
reform.the Stop Global Warming Virtual March on
Tree Nation:Washington and the Stop Global Warming College
A social network of activists and people trying toTour.
make a difference, this outfit’s sole purpose inWhen it comes to environmental activism, it's all
life is to plant trees in order to fight poverty,about identifying what you're willing to do, whether it
desertification, deforestation, and climate change. Yoube donating to a non-profit, going on a volunteering
can make a donation to plant a single tree or anvacation, helping out with a local find-raiser, or simply
entire forrest! Great for individuals, organizations, andparticipating in online forums.
companies alike to get involved.At it's very basic level, environmental activism is no
Surfrider Foundation:more than just picking up litter when you see it on
This national agency has numerous local chaptersthe street, or answering a neighbors curious
which help people connect with naturequestions about why you're composting, recycling, or
GreenPeace:riding your bike to and from work.
The ultimate organization in the going green andThe more we can do to simply spread the message
environmental activism movement,that the environment is all around us and that it's just
GreenPeace’s name is synonymous withas dependent on us as we are on it is what going
change. You can make donation to your local chaptergreen is all about. It doesn't really matter how we do
(easily found through a search query on their site),it as much as when we do it. The time is now.
which will go towards any number of environmental