I’m putting together a list of charities I like so I can narrow down the ones I’d donate to for the end of the year and/or my birthday.
And I’ve noticed that I don’t have any environmental organizations.
These days, most of the work I’ve been supporting that worries about sustainability and the environment is food-oriented.
So who is helping the trees?
I’m not looking for the Sierra Club. I’m looking for organizations that are smaller and more agile, where more than 50% of their income goes toward the work they are doing, rather than organizational expenses. I want a watchdog for industry. Someone working locally. Doing something specific that makes a difference.
Oh! Just typing this up has reminded me of one! Philadelphia’a Pedal Co-op. I should totally support them.
Any other suggestions?
ETA:ational but good –
Environmental Working Group – lobbyists and nonprofit activists working to change policy – ewg.org
Trust for Public Land – lobbying and holders of large and small scale sizes of land for conservation tpl.org
10,000 friends – http://10000friends.org/ have national and local (PA specific) plans to promote smart growth in urban development (meaning conservation is part of the larger picture instead of piecemeal)
Center for Health Environment and Justice- started by Lois Gibbs (love canal lady) around keeping communities healthy and safe and advocating for their wellbeing
(those are the biggies, here are the grassrootsy ones with a greater need for your money)
http://www.ciw-online.org/ Coalition for Imokolee Workers – migrant farmers organizing for rights
Native peoples organizing around environment and climate change (maybe sara has an opinion on them) http://www.ienearth.org/
Rhizome Collective – http://www.rhizomecollective.org/ doing great work anarchist style
Growing power – www.growingpower.org. will allen (macarthur fellow) saves the day by making compost, giving people green jobs, and growing produce in rust belt cities.
Local (PA)-
Any conservation easement organization (means they put farmland or other productive land into sustainably managed forestry, foraging, etc)-
Natural Lands Trust www.naturallandstrust.org
Pennypack Ecological Trust http://www.pennypacktrust.org/
PASA – PA sustainable agriculture www.pasafarming.org
Even more local (Philly)-
Clean Air Council – doing good work around air emissions and pollution http://www.cleanair.org/
Bicycle Coalition – http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/
Community Environmental Defense Fund – http://www.celdf.org/ Really awesome legal services around environmental movements for communities that can’t afford it
UNI – urban nutrition initiative http://www.urbannutrition.org/
Chester County Environmental Justice group – http://energyjustice.ning.com/ or http://www.ejnet.org/chester/ but I don’t know how organized they are
Fair Food Philly – http://fairfoodphilly.org/
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society – http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/home/index.html
If you’re looking for super specific things, a fun website is www.kickstarter.com (like Kiva.org but for whatever and whomever wants to sign up)