CommittedEnviromentalist-6

Photo by Prixel Creative

For many of us, we may not be paying close attention to the current wildlife status simply because it’s not at the forefront of our conversations or media until something like Earth Day rolls around. However, when we take a beat and check the pulse of our planet, the vital signs are evident that we can’t afford to just sit by.

According to the Living Planet Report 2014 by World Wildlife Fund, “more than 10,000 representative populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, has declined by 52% since 1970,” also, “we need 1.5 Earths to regenerate the natural resources we currently use.” This is a barometer for what we’re doing on our planet today and the readings show we are putting our future in peril.

However, there are organizations, groups. and individuals going at great lengths to preserve and protect our planet, they are the Committed Environmentalists. But, we all can share that title since we all share the planet and become one who seeks to foster a healthier environment and protect natural heritage for generations to come.

According to The National Audubon Society, an organization whose mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, there are 5 ways you can become a Committed Environmentalist and Advocate in under 5 minutes.

01 | CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS
Pick up the phone or writer letter to your legislator to let your opinions be heard.

Place a Call:
– Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your House Member or Senator
– State yourself as a constituent
– Be brief. Limit yourself to one subject and give a Bill number if possible
– Always be respectful. Your lawmaker may not agree with your position, but you can be courteous and ask for a response.

Write a Letter or Email:
– Maximize your letter’s position by keeping it short, to one topic, and to one page
– State your purpose in the first paragraph by focusing on the action you would like taken
– If you issue pertains to a certain Bill, then identify that
– Include how the issues affect you or your community and always be courteous
– Address Your Lawmakers Appropriately: Use “The Honorable,” followed by her/his name, and begin the letter “Dear Senator” or “Dear Representative.”

The Honorable __________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable _________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

2 | MONITOR AND UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA
Media’s influence plays a significant role in shaping public opinion about policies. You can keep the conversation alive about conservation issues by reaching out to local TV and Radio shows. You can even write Letters to the Editor of various magazines or write an article for your blog or post a wildlife photo on your Instagram post. Not only will you inform the public, but you may gain the attention of elected local officials.
Tip: When writing a Letter to the Editor, follow the media or publication’s guidelines, keep the letter brief (150-200 words), and be sure to state the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. Lastly, respond timely.

03 | INSPIRE OTHERS TO GET INVOLVED
Host a house party for friends and family and pick an issue or theme you can talk about and turn it into a letter-writing party. Setup email alerts for friends and co-workers to inform them about voting when conservation legislation begins and then follow-up about voting outcome.
Tip: The Audubon Society can provide materials for your house party, email audubonaction@audubon.org or call 800-659-2622.

04 | STAY INFORMED AND GET CREATIVE
Sign up for Audubon’s Policy Advisory and Alerts to keep up to date with all the important policy issues that Audubon works on. Get creative about how you share this information.

05 | JOIN A COMMUNITY OF COMMITTED ENVIRONMENTALISTS
The National Audubon Society is made up of 500 local chapters engaged in grassroots conservative action where members can participate in volunteer programs, work on campaigns, coordinate outreach events, adopt and protect bird important bird areas, and even celebrate wildlife by attending one of their local events!

Join Committed Environmentalists in New York City this April 23rd at the Audubon Young Members Spring Benefit. Learn more here.

Beyond supportive efforts, long-term conservation results require sustained investment. Consider joining the Audubon mission.

MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. Audubon focuses on five core areas: Bird conservation, ecosystem restoration, conservation funding, climate and energy, and Alaska conservation.

Some of their successful work includes: Protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other fragile habitats, the ongoing recovery of the imperiled California condor andbrown pelican, adoption of innovative policies that balance habitat protection with green energy development on millions of acres, and continuing restoration of the Everglades and Long Island Sound.

LEARN + CONNECT
Learn more about Audubon
Connect via Facebook and Twitter

FROM THE EDITOR
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